After working during the past two decades for Major League Soccer and for much of this year, Chivas USA, Nelson Rodriguez is moving into a brand new position with US Soccer.
The federation announced Thursday that Rodriguez has been appointed to the newly-created position of Managing Director of National Team Advisory Services. In that role, Rodriguez will advise youth players and young professionals alike in the ins and outs of being a pro soccer player.
"After the World Cup this summer, Jurgen Klinsmann came to me with the idea that because the landscape for aspiring professionals has changed so significantly, providing basic counseling services to our young players would be very beneficial," US Soccer president Sunil Gulati said in a statement. "We believe Nelson can be an invaluable resource for our players and their families as they navigate this path. He brings an incredible amount of experience and integrity to this position, and we are excited about the potential."
"The profile of aspiring American professional players continues to grow both domestically and internationally," said Rodriguez in a statement. "Ensuring that our players are educated and prepared for the rigors of life as a professional athlete is important as they continue to develop on and off the field. I am honored to join US Soccer in this new role and I look forward to serving all the members of our respective national teams."
Per a US Soccer release, the office will focus on several key areas for players at all stages of their career:
- Player evaluations (technical, tactical, performance fitness, mindset, personal development) to indicate the readiness to turn professional
- Educational offerings on key topics related to being a professional player (personal finances, representation, time management, etc.)
- Evaluations of clubs/leagues to indicate the best "fit" for a player - balancing the style of league play with the physical attributes, talent, technique and mentality of the player
- Assistance when players are professionals as they make major transitions (such as transfers, retirement from playing)
- Assistance with navigating the FIFA regulations that govern the status of transfers, eligibility to play for US national teams (if change of association is required, etc.), player releases during FIFA fixture dates, FIFA transfer windows, etc.
Rodriguez joins US Soccer after 15 years of working in MLS, first as an executive with the league, and from February until last month, president of Chivas USA.
“It promises to be a great challenge but incredibly rewarding,” said Rodriguez. “Education will be the primary focus, especially initially. And ultimately I think we will be creating bespoke advisory services for every member of the US national team pools … I see this as trying to help individuals develop specific plans for themselves that will help them understand the rigors and the necessities of life as a professional athlete.”
