CHICAGO (CBS/AP) — The Chicago Fire have a new head coach.
Ezra Hendrickson was hired Wednesday. He is taking over after coaching both domestically and internationally over 15 years.
Hendrickson had spent three seasons with the Columbus Crew, which won last year’s MLS title.
With the Fire, he succeeds Frank Klopas, who became interim coach in September when coach Raphaël Wicky was fired after seven wins, 15 losses and six draws. The Fire finished with nine wins, 18 losses and seven draws, missing the playoffs for the fourth straight season.
Hendrickson, 49, was a defender in MLS with the New York MetroStars (1997), LA Galaxy (1997-2003), Dallas Burn (2003), D.C. United (2004), Chivas USA (2005-06) and Columbus (2006-08).
He was a Seattle assistant from 2009-14, then coached Seattle Sounders 2 of the third tier in 2015-16 and second tier in 2017.
Henderson was an assistant coach of his native Saint Vincent and the Grenadines during 2018 World Cup qualifying, and he spent 2018 as an assistant with the LA Galaxy.
(© Copyright 2021 CBS Broadcasting Inc. All Rights Reserved. The Associated Press contributed to this report.)