The Colorado Rapids announced this week that vice president of soccer operations and technical director Paul Bravo is leaving the Colorado Rapids Soccer Club.
The reason for his departure has not immediately been made clear.
“Paul has been a valuable member of the Colorado Rapids organization since the day he arrived as a player, as an assistant coach and as the club’s Technical Director,” Colorado Rapids President Tim Hinchey said in a statement. “He and our technical staff reestablished a winning tradition. Paul leaves us with our respect and appreciation for his dedication and commitment to the club as well as the entire soccer community in Colorado. On behalf of the club, I wish Paul the best of luck in his future endeavors.”
If you’re sitting there asking yourself, “Who now?” You aren’t alone. The team’s Friday Twitter announcement was met with much of the same from befuddled fans.
Let me clear it up for you.
After a MLS career that ended with a four-year stint with the Rapids, Bravo join the coaching staff as Assistant Coach for two years. He later re-joined the team as Technical Director in 2009. During that time, he oversaw technical and coaching staff hiring, the Rapids academy, club partnerships with Adidas Alliance teams and talent scouting.
In 2014, the Rapids club extended his contract three years and promoted him to vice president of soccer operations. After back-to-back losing seasons in 2014 and 2015, Bravo felt pressure to pull the Rapids back to victory, the Denver Post reported.
“I feel I’m on the hot seat every season, every minute of every day. That’s just the way I live in this job. I take nothing for granted,” Bravo told the Denver Post in March. “Tomorrow could be the last day. That’s just the reality of it.”
The 2016 season saw a resurgence built on defense, making for the best March to October season performance in Colorado Rapids history.
For now, the Colorado Rapids have not announced their intention to replace Bravo.
Multimedia business & healthcare reporter Chloe Aiello can be reached via email at [email protected] or twitter.com/chlobo_ilo.
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