Carlos Bocanegra is reportedly a candidate for the general manager position of the U.S. men’s national team. However, Atlanta United president Darren Eales said on Thursday that his vice president and technical director is under a long-term contract with the club.
That Bocanegra is a candidate for the general manager position for the U.S. men's national team was posted in a tweet by national soccer writer Ives Galarcep earlier in the day.
The position with the U.S. men’s national team is new, created following the failure of the team to qualify for this summer’s World Cup in Russia. The GM will be in charge of hiring the next coach to try to qualify for the 2022 World Cup in Qatar.
A statement from Eales read: “It’s a great reflection on Carlos and our club that he would be mentioned in the conversation for the general manager position for the United States men’s national team. We announced in October that Carlos signed a new contract with the club through 2022 and we are very excited to continue building on the club’s immediate success for this upcoming season and beyond.”
A message to Bocanegra was not returned.
Bocanegra helped build a team that became the first since Seattle in 2009 to qualify for the playoffs as an expansion team last season. Working with president Darren Eales, director Paul McDonough and manager Gerardo Martino, the franchise has made few mistakes with transfers, free agents or draft picks.
Its three Designated Players, Miguel Almiron, Josef Martinez and Hector Villalba, combined to score 41 goals and notch 26 assists. Julian Gressel, selected eighth in the SuperDraft, was named the Rookie of the Year.
The team led the league in attendance and set several single-game records for ticket sales.
Bocanegra made more than 100 appearances for the U.S. men’s national team and captained it for six years.
He played in MLS, England, Scotland, France and Spain before retiring in 2014.
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