St. Louis City SC started a search for a new head coach with a database of more than 25,000 soccer coaches throughout the world and landed on Olof Mellberg.
“We employed a strong use of data to uncover hidden gems around the world,” said Diego Gigliani, the club’s president and general manager. “Ultimately we landed on the person we believe is going to help us be successful on the pitch going forward.”
Mellberg was hired in November and officially introduced at a news conference Friday.
“It’s been a long offseason – too long from the players’ point of view,” Mellberg said. “I can’t wait to get started with team training on Monday.”
Mellberg had a long career playing as a defensive back at the highest levels of the game, including for Aston Villa of the Premier League in England and as the captain of the Swedish national team.
As a manager, he led IF Brommapojkarna for four years, including back-to-back promotions from the third division to the top league in Sweden.
Mellberg said he doesn’t intend to change the team’s style of playing high-energy, attacking soccer, although he does want to add more discipline and control to its tactics.
“I want nonstop players on my team,” Mellberg said. “I think if you look at the highest level of football in the world, you see the teams are constantly switched on, physically and mentally. They don't take any breaks.”
Mellberg arrived in St. Louis last week but has been preparing for the job since being announced in November. That effort included watching every one of City SC’s matches last year.
Mellberg said that in addition to watching how the players performed, he noticed the home games included an engaged fan base that paid close attention.
“I think that's not always the case in the MLS,” Mellberg said. “You have a lot of cheering fans, but not all of them are proper football fans. You really get the feeling that [St. Louis fans] are following the game.”
Mellberg will lead City SC in its third year as an expansion team in Major League Soccer. The first manager, Bradley Carnell, led the club to unexpected success in its first year but was fired last season after disappointing results.
Technical director John Hackworth was the interim coach for the second half of last year’s campaign. He was not selected for the position permanently and will return to his previous position.
Mellberg said he had other offers, including from the Swedish national team, but he chose St. Louis.
“I did my research about the club and the city,” Mellberg said. “It’s an attractive place to be as a player and as a coach.”
