St. Louis new coach Carnell aiming to ‘build something special’
Shortly after being appointed as the St. Louis City head coach, Bradley Carnell said he is mad keen to build “something special” at the Major League Soccer (MLS) club.
St. Louis will make their MLS debut in 2023, led by the former Bafana Bafana defender.
Carnell is actually in familiar territory, having been part of the New York Red Bulls in 2017 as an assistant coach and in 2020 he was interim head coach.
“I am grateful to be a part of the St. Louis CITY family, a team where I can help build something special in a city that is already so passionate about soccer,” said Carnell.
“Lutz’s vision matches my ambitions of building a competitive team through the heavy use of data, technology and a keen focus on individual player development.
“I am looking forward to establishing a team that reflects St. Louis – one that’s diverse, hardworking and community-led. I am thrilled to help create the future of the sport in an incredible soccer city,” added Carnell.
The 44-year-old tactician cut his teeth as a coach with the University of Johannesburg men’s team. He then moved to Orlando Pirates as an assistant coach before arriving in the United States of America in the MLS.
“We can honestly say that we got our top candidate for the club’s first head coach position and wanted to get him on board early given the integral role he’ll play in building our first team,” said St. Louis sporting director Lutz Pfannenstiel.
“We knew it was important to have someone who understood the ins and outs of the MLS, as well as the international market, and Bradley has all the attributes we were looking for. His experience as a player and coach set him apart, and I am confident that he will help us to build a very competitive team for our inaugural 2023 season.”
St. Louis president and CEO Carolyn Kindle Betz added: “Several clubs have shown interest in his talents, so we knew we had to move quickly to bring him to St. Louis.
“In Bradley, we have an innovative, modest and forward-thinking head coach that wants to help revitalize and connect our region through soccer. We are thrilled he chose us.”
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