CT United Hire MLS Legend Robin Fraser as First Chief Sporting Advisor
CT United Hire MLS Legend Robin Fraser as First Chief Sporting Advisor
The five-time MLS All-Star and Two-time MLS Defender of the Year will oversee all sporting aspects of the club, which is set to begin play as MLS Next Pro's third independent side in 2025.
Newly-announced Connecticut United FC — who are set to begin play as MLS Next Pro’s third independent club in 2025 — have announced its first hire and its a name New England Revolution fans may be familiar with.
The Bridgeport-based club announced Tuesday the hiring of former Major League Soccer Western Conference-winning Head Coach Robin Fraser as Chief Sporting Advisor. The 57-year-old former MLS Defender of the Year and Five-Time MLS All-Star was also reportedly on the shortlist for the New England Revolution’s head coaching vacancy in January before the MLS club eventually went with Caleb Porter.
As Chief Sporting Advisor, Fraser will “oversee all sporting aspects of the club, including initial staffing decisions for both CT United and CT United Academy,” according to a club release.
In a decorated 17-year career as a player, Fraser made more than 350 professional appearances from 1988-2005, including 27 for the U.S. Men’s National Team. He was named to MLS’s best XI five times across stints with the LA Galaxy, Colorado Rapids and Columbus Crew. The fifth such honor came in a Supporters-Shield winning season with the Crew in 2004 before his retirement following the 2005 season.
In 2020, Fraser was honored as one of their 25 best all-time players, selected by a panel of more than 200 MLS experts from across North America.
Following his time on the field, Fraser went on to have an equally as successful career on the sidelines, beginning his coaching career in 2007 when he joined the ranks of Real Salt Lake as an assistant before being elevated to his first head coaching position of now-dissolved MLS club Chivas USA in 2011.
After an unsuccessful two seasons with Chivas, Fraser went on to spend two seasons as an assistant with the New York Red Bulls, helping the club to the 2015 Supporter’s Shield before landing an assistant coaching job at Toronto FC in 2015. In five season with the club, Fraser was part of the legendary 2017 Toronto run that saw the club clinch both the Supporter’s Shield and MLS Cup.
Following his time in Toronto, Fraser returned to Colorado, this time as a head coach. In his second stint as a head coach, the former Rapids player helped the club to one of the best seasons in their history in 2021; leading them to a Western Conference Championship and finishing second in the running for MLS Coach of the Year.
Now, Fraser will bring his decades of experience and talent at the highest level in the United States to a team that Connecticut Sports Group Founding Partner André Swanston hopes one day can make it all the way to Major League Soccer.