Broughton named Sporting Director of Chicago Fire
Written by
Simon Austin
November 12, 2024
Former Blackburn Rovers Director of Football Gregg Broughton has been appointed as the new Sporting Director of Chicago Fire in the MLS.
Broughton, who presented at today’s TGG Big Data Webinar, left Rovers in May after two years. He had joined the Championship club in June 2022 from Norwegian outfit Bodø/Glimt, where he was Academy Director. In his first season at Ewood Park, Rovers narrowly missed out on the play-offs on goal difference, but 2023/24 proved far more challenging, with the side avoiding relegation only on the final day of the campaign.
Broughton fit the bill at Chicago Fire, with the club looking for a Sporting Director with strategic expertise and a track record in youth development. With former USA men’s national team boss Gregg Berhalter now both Head Coach and Director of Football at the franchise, a strategic ‘overseer’ was required.
The Fire are moving to a state-of-the art new training ground in downtown Chicago at the start of January and are also investing heavily in their Academy. The quality of their scouting network was illustrated by the capture of forward Jhon Durán, who joined in January 2022 from Envigado in Colombia for £1.5m and went on to join Premier League outfit Aston Villa for £14.75m just two years later.
Speaking about his appointment, Broughton told TGG: “Chicago Fire are a sleeping giant and there is a belief within the club that they can become one of the best in North America. It’s a one-club City and State with a fantastic catchment.
“They have built some brilliant foundations and I am really excited to be joining at this time. The city has such a rich sporting heritage, not least with Michael Jordan and the Chicago Bulls, and we want the Fire to become a part of that heritage.”
Broughton left Blackburn at the end of last season, with their former striker, Rudy Gestede, later replacing him as Director of Football Operations.
At the time of his exit, Broughton said: “This has been the most fulfilling two years of my career, but it has also had its challenges. In the face of these challenges, I have always strived to do my best and communicate in the interest of Blackburn Rovers, its values, and its supporters.
“With our long-term focus on trying to build a team centred around homegrown talent, we encountered well-documented challenges over the last year. Leading a football department is the most privileged job anyone could ever have, especially when it belongs to the most successful town club in British football.”
Broughton was our guest on Episode #32 of the TGG Podcast, in which he detailed his work on youth development at Bodø/Glimt.
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