St. Louis CITY SC fans will see a new face on the sideline during the club’s 2024 Major League Soccer season as the team finalizes recent moves within the sporting department, including the promotions of John Hackworth and Mitch Hildebrandt and the addition of a respected German soccer coach, Rainer Kraft, to the first team coaching staff as an assistant coach.
Carnell’s 2024 coaching staff will feature Kraft, Hildebrandt, director of goalkeeping Alex Langer, assistant/Individual Development Performance coach Elvir Kafedžić, Director of Sports Performance Jarryd Phillips and Team Analyst Sean Rooney.
Having been one of Sporting Director Lutz Pfannenstiel’s first hires to the sporting side, Hackworth will transition from being a coach to CITY SC’s first Technical Director. Instrumental in the growth of CITY SC’s sporting side, Hackworth’s promotion is a reflection of his success in helping scout, recruit and develop talent since joining the team in October of 2022. Prior to joining CITY SC, Hackworth had more than 25 years of experience at various levels of the soccer ecosystem, including positions with U.S. Soccer, the Philadelphia Union and the USL.
“John’s work since he arrived has been a huge help to the development of this club from the first team to the Academy and I can’t wait to see how we can continue to raise the club’s level of play,” said Pfannenstiel.
Hackworth, will be working closely with Pfannenstiel on the management and operation of CITY SC scouting department, as well as the strategy and execution of player acquisitions across the first team and CITY2. He also will continue to assist in implementing and managing the team’s coaching development programs, working closely with the coaches to ensure that the club’s sporting philosophy is consistent at all levels.
“I want to thank Lutz, Diego and the ownership group for their continued support and allowing me to help build this club,” said Hackworth. "The groundwork we built from the Academy to the first team has been an excellent foundation and I am excited to help build on those successes for years to come.”
Kraft, who joins as one of Carnell’s assistant coaches, has 25 years of professional soccer experience at multiple levels in German soccer and other locations across the globe. Kraft holds a UEFA Pro License and held positions from physiotherapist, Academy manager, assistant coach, head coach and sporting director. While he spent the majority of his career in Germany, Kraft also coached in Ghana, China, Iran and Luxembourg and will join CITY SC upon the completion of the work visa approval process.
Hildebrandt, who spent CITY SC’s inaugural season as a Performance Analyst, has been promoted to one of Carnell’s assistant coaches. In 2023, he assisted in tactical analysis of team performance relative to club principles and style of play. The Michigan native has nine years combined of professional soccer experience as a player, scout and coach and holds a USSF A License.
With the addition of Kraft to the first team coaching roster, former first team assistant John Miglarese will move over to CITY2 to be an assistant for Bobby Murphy.
