Tony Meola got a sense that Carlos Bocanegra had an interest in taking a front-office role last year when he was working what was then the under-15 US national team.
Meola, a former U.S. national team player, was a member of the coaching staff. Bocanegra was away from his team, Chivas USA, because of a concussion. As the U-15 team coaches began to go through player evaluations, Bocanegra stayed, sitting through 15-20 evaluations that didn’t impact him in any way.
A few months later – after 15 years as a professional in which he played for the U.S. men’s national team 110 times and captained it in the 2010 World Cup – Bocanegra retired and was hired to be the technical director for Atlanta’s new MLS team, which is owned by Arthur Blank and will begin play in 2017 in the new stadium downtown. Scouting and evaluating players will be one of the many responsibilities Bocanegra will have.
“We need Carlos Bocanegra and that type of guy in the game and I think Atlanta, when all is said and done, will be happy,” said Meola, who has known Bocanegra since his rookie season with Chicago in MLS in 2000.
But will someone who has never worked in a front-office capacity be able to succeed in this job? As Alexi Lalas, another former U.S. international, points out, it’s to Bocanegra’s advantage that he gets almost two years to learn and work on the team’s first impression. However, Bocanegra will only get one chance to make that impression.
“Like when he was a player, you get on the field and are asked to perform and he performed,” Lalas said. “People are excited, interested and curious to see what this whole Atlanta project will look like on the field.”
Lalas, now with Fox Sports, speaks from his own experiences as player and front-office leader. Like Bocanegra, he was hired as general manager of San Jose’s team despite having no experience in the role. He was hired by Los Angeles in 2006 and was in charge when David Beckham joined the league in 2007. Lalas was fired in 2008.
Lalas said it will be important for Bocanegra to know what he knows and know what he doesn’t know as he puts a plan together to build the Atlanta franchise. And Bocanegra must be able to publicly articulate the plan in a clear manner.
“I think he has an incredible opportunity,” Lalas said.
Meola and former U.S. men’s player Marcelo Balboa said the same qualities that made Bocanegra a success on the field will serve him well off the field in his new role.
Like Meola, Balboa has known Bocanegra for at least 15 years.
“I think Carlos is like the rest of us, he will be competitive, will want to win and will want to put a good product on the field,” Balboa said. “He will be hardworking and honest, which will be huge for the organization.”
While Bocanegra was a passionate player, his ability to maintain his calm and take a more cerebral approach, whether as an inside defender or on the outside, will also help him in his new role, Meola and Balboa said.
Meola mentioned other players who had a similar personality as Bocanegra who are now succeeding in front-office roles with teams in MLS: former U.S. men’s team and MLS standout Chris Henderson in Seattle, four-time MLS All-Star Chris Klein in Los Angeles and Brian Bliss in Chicago.
“That’s important in that position, you don’t get too wound up about any single issue,” Meola said.
CBA deal done: Atlanta's MLS team now has its rules for player acquisition following the Collective Bargaining Agreement reached between the players' union on the league last week.
The players received won some battles: a reported increase in the minimum salary from the mid $30,000 for less-experienced players to $60,000, as well as limited free agency for players who are 28 years old and have eight years in the league. Plus, the deal expires in five years.
The owners won some battles: the minimum salary reportedly increase won’t cost more than $3 million, a penance. The salary cap of $3.1 million will increase by 20 percent ($620,000) this season and then seven percent each year through 2019, according to Sports Illustrated.
Who won the war?
The sport in the U.S., which to me is more important than the players, who can look to other leagues for employment, or the owners, many of whom have reportedly lost money until recent years and even those profits have been negligible in the grand scheme.
The sport in the U.S. wins because the league will continue to operate.
As it operates, should its attendance and TV ratings grow, which is expected under the new TV deals with ESPN, Fox Sports, Univision and Sky Sports, both the players and owners should be in a better place to strike a new deal in five years that will increase salaries, improve the free-agent rights and boost the league into one of the world’s best.
More MLS: How players with ties to the state who are in MLS did last week:
Joe Bendik (@jtbendik), Toronto, GK, Kennesaw
Started, made six saves and allowed one goal in team’s 3-1 win over Vancouver on Saturday.
Mark Bloom (@markbloom21), Toronto, D, Marietta
Did not make the 18 for team’s 3-1 win over Vancouver on Saturday.
Ricardo Clark (@RicoC13), Houston, M, Jonesboro
Started, played 90 minutes and had one shot in team’s 1-0 win over Columbus on Saturday.
Andy Craven (@andymcraven), Seattle, F, St. Simons
Did not make the 18 for Seattle’s 3-0 win over New England on Sunday.
Warren Creavalle (@warrenspeak), Toronto, D, Acworth
Started and played 90 minutes in team’s 3-1 win over Vancouver on Saturday.
Sean Johnson (@sjohn25), Chicago, GK, Snellville
Made three saves and gave up two goals in a 2-0 loss at Los Angeles on Friday.
Alec Kann (@akann90), Chicago, GK, Decatur
Did not make the 18 for Friday’s 2-0 loss at Los Angeles.
Chris Klute (@chrisklute), Columbus, D, Silverbacks, Clayton State
Made the 18 but didn’t play in team’s 1-0 loss to Houston on Saturday.
Jack McInerney (@jackmcinerney9), Montreal, F, Alpharetta
Started, played 71 minutes and had no shots in a 1-0 loss to D.C. United on Saturday.
Kwadwo Poku, NYCFC, M/F, Silverbacks
Made the 18 but didn’t play in team’s 1-1 draw with Orlando on Sunday.
Andrew Wolverton (@a_wolvie), Los Angeles, G, Atlanta
Did not make the 18 for team’s 2-0 win over Chicago on Friday.
Walker Zimmerman (@thewalkerzim), Dallas, D, Lawrenceville
Came off the bench and played one minute in team’s 1-0 win over San Jose on Saturday.
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