Mike Matkovich Named Fire II Head Coach

The Chicago Fire have hired Mike Matkovich as the new head coach of Chicago Fire II, with the club announcing the move this afternoon. Matkovich succeeds Ludovic Taillandier, who parted was with the club last month.

“Over the past two years, Mike has been an integral part of our efforts to grow Fire II,” said Fire II General Manager Alex Boler in a press release. “I’m excited to continue working together as we aim to build on the success Fire II has had, not only in supporting the first team but also in reaching the playoffs in back-to-back seasons.”

Matkovich, 62, has more than 30 years of coaching experience in the United States. In some ways, his hiring as the head coach of Fire II is a full-circle moment for the club, as he was actually the first-ever head coach of the original Chicago Fire Reserves all the way back in 2001.

Since then, he has also been the United States U-18 national team coach (2009-2012), Chicago Fire first team assistant coach (2009-2013), and assistant coach at Chivas USA and Toronto FC. His most recent job in MLS was as an assistant coach for the Columbus Crew, while his most recent head coaching job was with the Des Moines Menace.

“I'm excited to step into this new role, and I want to thank Gregg Berhalter and Alex Boler for their trust,” said Matkovich. “I look forward to working with our young players and helping develop the next generation of talent here in Chicago.”

The switch from Taillandier to Matkovich was likely motivated by a desire to unify the playing identities of the first team and second team, much like Berhalter did during his time at U.S. Soccer. Taillandier's distinct style was dramatically different from the Fire first team, particularly this past season, and Berhalter clearly hopes to develop something different going forward.

“Mike is the ideal fit for this role,” Berhalter said Friday. “Mike’s leadership in developing our young talent will be important as we work to establish a clear identity and unified style of play across the first team, Fire II, and Academy.”