Chivas USA hires Dennis te Kloese to manage soccer operations

Less than a week before soccer’s winter transfer window opens and just three weeks before the Major League Soccer draft, Chivas USA has filled its most gaping front-office vacancy by naming Dutchman Dennis te Kloese sporting president for both the MLS club and its Mexican cousin, Chivas de Guadalajara.

By hiring Te Kloese to oversee soccer operations for both Chivas squads, owner Jorge Vergara is taking another step toward consolidating the two teams, which he said would share one philosophy and one style of play.

Te Kloese has worked for Vergara on both sides of he border, serving as a scout for the Mexican club in Guadalajara and as soccer director for Chivas USA. He has also directed the youth academy for Tigres UANL of the Mexican league and most recently served as general coordinator of the Mexican Soccer Federation’s national youth teams.

Among Te Kloese’s strengths is the ability to find talented U.S.-based players of Mexican heritage, something he did in his previous stints with Chivas as well as with the Mexican federation and with Tigres. That too is something Vergara considers a priority as he tries to rebuild both his Mexican club and the MLS team.

In his new job, Te Klose will supervise the development of Dutch coach John Van’t Schip in Guadalajara and Mexican coach Jose Luis Sanchez Sola across the border in Carson.

Still to be determined is how Te Kloese will divvy up his time between Guadalajara and Southern California, where Chivas USA has replaced part of its coaching staff and completely overhauled its front office since October, when it finished the MLS season with a losing record for the third consecutive season.

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