A strong finished engineered by then-interim head coach Frank Klopas has earned the Chicago Fire boss the full position. (Photo: Getty Images)
The Chicago Fire endured a rough start to the 2011 MLS season, but interim head coach Frank Klopas helped turn things around, bringing the Fire to the brink of the playoffs.
The Fire have rewarded Klopas's efforts by removing the interim tag, sources told FOXSoccer.com on Tuesday, making Klopas the team's head coach for the upcoming 2012 season.
Klopas and Javier Leon, managing director of Andell Sports Group - the company that overseas the Chicago Fire for owner Andrew Hauptman - could not be reached for comment.
A member of Chicago's 1998 MLS Cup-winning expansion squad, Klopas took over as head coach of the Fire after then-head coach was fired after Carlos De Los Cobos a 1-4-6 start to the 2011 season. Klopas oversaw the Fire's summer improvement, with the team eventually finishing the regular season on a 7-2-3 run, falling just short of the playoffs.
Chicago also reached the US Open Cup final, where they lost to the Seattle Sounders.
The Fire finished the 2011 regular season with a record of 8-6-10 under Klopas.
The Fire's technical director at the time he became interim head coach, Klopas becomes the club's sixth head coach and will be given the task of snapping Chicago's two-year playoff drought.
