Brian Bliss leaves as Fire technical director for post with Sporting KC

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The front office reboot for the Chicago Fire continues to roll on with technical director Brian Bliss being the latest to leave the club.

It was announced Tuesday that Bliss would take over as the Sporting Kansas City Director of Player Personnel. Bliss’ position is a new role within Sporting KC.

According to KC’s press release, Bliss will oversee player personnel matters while assisting in scouting. That role is similar to what he did with the Fire except KC’s manager Peter Vermes already has the dual title of technical director.

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“I’m excited to come back to Kansas City and work for a great organization,” Bliss said in the release. “Sporting KC has made tremendous strides over the last several years, and we have a great opportunity to continue that growth into the future. I look forward to helping Peter and the staff reach their goals and keep the club headed in a positive direction.”

Bliss was technical director with the Fire since December 2013 and took over as interim coach for the final five matches of 2015 after Frank Yallop was dismissed. This is his second stint with KC after being an assistant coach from 2000-2006.

Bliss’ departure means four major leadership roles within the Fire’s technical staff will all have been open within the past four months. Since September, Nelson Rodriguez was hired as general manager, Veljko Paunovic was brought on as head coach, Larry Sunderland left for Portland as academy director and now Bliss leaves as technical director.

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The move comes just days before the Jan. 14 MLS SuperDraft, which the Fire have the first pick. Bliss was a key part in the Fire’s draft scouting. In an interview last week Rodriguez spoke of how much the Fire are still relying on scouting done by Bliss, largely in part to Paunovic’s inability to scout more than a few college games in person since getting hired.

“Pauno admits and recognizes that he’s going to have to rely on the scouting that was conducted by the previous regime as well as by Brian Bliss, Logan Pause and even me because he only had the opportunity, I think, to see four games live so his live experience with players is very limited,” Rodriguez said on Dec. 29.

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