ST. LOUIS — Major League Soccer expansion franchise St. Louis City SC said Monday that it has hired a pair of consultants in its front office to help build out its on-field operations.
The hires announced Monday add Mike Forde and Bernhard Peters to the club’s front office. Their appointments follow the club’s announcement earlier this month that it had named Lutz Pfannenstiel as sporting director.
City SC said Peters will be its youth academy development consultant and work with Pfannenstiel to establish the MLS club’s youth academy. Peters and Pfannenstiel previously worked together at TSG 1899 Hoffenheim, which plays in German soccer league Bundesliga. Peters spent eight years at Hoffenheim training the youth academy, among other posts in German soccer and, earlier, field hockey.
Forde, executive chairman of sports consulting firm Sportsology, will consult City SC "to establish and maintain a model for high-performance and sustained culture,” City SC officials said. He is based in New York and previously was director of football operations and executive club director for Chelsea FC of the English Premier League.
“Working alongside Bernhard and Mike, I’m confident that we will build a club and academy development program with top talent, best-in-class training approaches and the ability to quickly competes championships,” said Pfannenstiel.
Pfannenstiel on Aug. 17 was named the first member of City SC’s technical staff. As sporting director, Pfannenstiel oversees the expansion club’s on-field operations and the creation of its academy program. A sporting director is akin to the role of a general manager in other professional sports.
City SC’s has continued build-out of its front office after it recently unveiled its team name, colors and crest. The club, awarded as MLS’ 28th franchise in August 2019, is set to begin play in 2023.
