Lutz Pfannenstiel respectfully listened before declining.
More than once.
In the end, nothing he heard stirred him more than what he has right here.
Considering ºüÀêÊÓƵ City SC’s stunning success in its MLS debut last season and its sporting director’s global connections, it should come as no surprise that potential poachers circled downtown ºüÀêÊÓƵ headquarters this offseason. Europe was on Line 1. Saudi Arabia, Line 2. It is safe to assume the dollars offered, which Pfannenstiel declined to disclose, were not of the small variety — especially the ones from multiple Saudi clubs that called upon his services.
Flattering, sure. Beyond that? Unmoving, he said.
Pfannenstiel’s staying put, new contract in hand.
“When you start something like what we started, when everything is based on a short-term, medium-term, long-term plan, how do you define success?†the sporting director said Thursday in the film room of City SC’s practice facility before answering his own question, at least the most important part of it.
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“I just simply believe my job isn’t done yet,†he continued. “This isn’t work, like a contract. When I came, there was nothing. I look at it like a calling, a family. It’s a big part of me and the other way around. You can’t judge what we did after one season. There needs to be more time.â€
Pfannenstiel and City SC recently quietly agreed to a restructured contract that added a year to his previous deal, extending him through the 2026 season. Financial terms are not being shared. The move will be announced by the team Friday, ahead of City SC’s MLS regular-season home opener Saturday night against Real Salt Lake.
How City SC is viewed entering its second season by the so-called soccer experts says a lot about how far the team has come in a short amount of time. Last season, the league’s official preview published at included 13 MLS analyst predictions. Four slotted City SC at 13th in the West. Nine predicted a 14th-place, dead-last finish.
One year later, the same exercise, now featuring 16 analysts, included six projected top five finishes for the defending Western Conference champions. Some would see great progress. The fiery Pfannenstiel sees more naysayers to prove wrong — again. Two analysts, for example, dinged City SC by calling a bottom-four finish. Pfannenstiel may have reason to be miffed about that, considering the bulk of the team returns with bellies full of fire following a sudden first-round playoff ejection.
“You won a conference, you kept the full team together, losing one guy who played a lot of games (Niko Gioacchini) and you added a good group of players, and there is still somebody out there who thinks you finish 12th?†Pfannenstiel said. “That must still be a good motivation for every single player. But we need to be motivated internally. We still want to be underdogs.â€
Few in the local sports scene are as fascinating to talk with as Pfannenstiel. Over time, you learn more about what’s actually behind someone’s words. What last season showed is Pfannenstiel had a better feel for his team than the so-called experts. What this offseason showed is that he wasn’t just paying lip service when he said he viewed this as a multiyear project upon his arrival from Germany. We also learned City SC’s ownership group wasn’t about to make the mistake of taking what it has for granted after the sporting director’s work guided the soccer side through the pandemic and then produced a debut season that exceeded even the most optimistic expectations.
“Lutz was one of the first hires we made,†City SC CEO Carolyn Kindle told the Post-Dispatch. “We were looking for something unique. We really wanted to show everybody this was going to be an international team. and what better way than to bring in an international sporting director. But also, his goals and values were aligned with the ownership group. It was a perfect fit. He had to come in and build an academy system, City 2 came along and then the first team. Coaches. Scouts. He’s done a fantastic job. All of that work really came to fruition last year. Any opportunity to keep him around a couple more years, we’re certainly going to do that.â€
The reality is, MLS is going to lose players and coaches and sporting directors to bigger, better international teams and leagues. It’s a part of the soccer ecosystem those of us newer to the scene are going to have to understand and accept, and it will be the case as MLS continues to scratch and claw its way up the ladder. Progress is being made every single season. Messi’s MLS splash is a massive sign. But there’s a long way to go, and the money, fame and/or fortune of other leagues got a massive head start.
This hard truth makes it that much more important and impressive that after a historically stellar debut season in which City SC made MLS expansion history by becoming the first of its kind to win its conference’s regular-season title, the team’s most important leaders on the soccer side all returned. Pfannenstiel’s new deal was the latest in an offseason trend. Head coach Bradley Carnell’s deal was extended by a year this offseason (through 2025). City SC also promoted assistant coach John Hackworth to technical director.
“We are stating that we are not just a one-hit wonder,†Kindle said. “This is the team that had that amazing season last year. We need to make sure we keep them here. They also provide great mentors to some of our younger coaches. If we can bring those younger coaches up through our system and keep them in our system, that’s a win-win.â€
Stability, especially for a team this new, is special.
“Very thoughtfully, Lutz, Bradley and Hackworth went after young players who wanted to prove themselves,†Kindle said. “Some of them were just coming into their careers and some of them were maybe in a more mature part of their careers, but they were aggressive. You saw it last year. They played with passion. They played very well. The best compliment is we have others trying to get our players because our plan worked.â€
They’re trying to get the coaches and the executives, too, but no one seems all that interested in leaving a rising team the ownership group has committed to protecting.