FC Cincinnati are gearing up for their inaugural season in MLS, announcing on Thursday the addition of three members of the scouting staff.
Jorge Alvial joins as head of scouting for the club, which will begin play in MLS in 2019, and he will work under technical director Luke Sassano. Hunter Freeman will serve as a domestic scout, while Doug Elder will be a regional scout.
“We’re excited to bring Jorge, Hunter, and Doug to FC Cincinnati,” Sassano said in a team statement. “Jorge has a tremendous track record and an extensive scouting network that has aided in his ability to identify elite talent and professional players at the highest level of world football. Between his Premier League experience and his work in and familiarity with MLS, we believe he’ll he a key asset to us as we continue to build our first-team roster.
Alvial will focus on the international market in his scouting efforts for FCC, working with a network in Europe and the Americas. Most recently serving as an international scout for Manchester United, Alvial has also worked at fellow Premier League titan Chelsea, Sporting Kansas City in 2015 and at Atlanta United in 2016, to help that team prepare for its launch in MLS.
Freeman will focus on the national professional and amateur ranks. He recently wrapped up a 13-year playing career, including six seasons in MLS, with the Colorado Rapids, Houston Dynamo, New York Red Bulls and Toronto FC. The defender made 126 MLS regular season appearances in his career, scoring two goals and 11 assists.
Elder has a 30-plus year career coaching youth and amateur players in the United States, most recently as the head coach at Midwestern State University in Wichita Falls, Texas, since 2000. His remit will be focusing on the American college and amateur ranks.
“We’re thrilled to bring these professionals together in our scouting department,” head coach Alan Koch said. “We’ve done a lot of work in preparation of building our MLS roster, but adding these gentlemen to our staff will be an immense asset as we move fully into crafting our first team for 2019 and beyond.”
