Loons CEO’s top priority: Finding a new Chief Soccer Officer

When Christina Hennington was hired as Minnesota United’s new CEO in mid-July, she initially deferred sporting-related questions to the club’s established Chief Soccer Officer, Khaled El-Ahmad. Then El-Ahmad abruptly left the Loons a month later in a lateral move to Austin FC, and Hennington’s top objective changed overnight. Hennington, a former Target Corp. executive, will still be looking to put her stamp on the fan experience at Allianz Field and other business-side facets, but right now, it’s her “No. 1 priority to fill that (CSO) role with the right person.” Hennington told reporters Wednesday that a group of club leaders and members of the ownership group are conducting interviews with domestic and international candidates, including Hank Stebbins, who has been serving as interim sporting director. “Happy about the pool of the candidates we have in the mix so far, and when we have the right person, we will share that,” Hennington said before the Loons kept alive their slim playoff hopes with a 3-1 comeback win over Kansas City. Hennington didn’t offer a timeline for making the hire but noted the importance of the primary transfer window this winter. “Keenly aware of that and (would) love to be able to have someone in place, but it’s not about hitting a timeline for the sake of hitting a timeline,” said Hennington, who was at Target for 22 years. “It’s it’s about getting the right person.” The next CSO needs to have a “pedigree and resume on the sporting side that runs deep” and be an established leader who can collaborate and translate their vision across all levels of the sporting side — from academy to second team MNUFC2 and up to the MLS side. “There’s no unicorn, but we are definitely over-weighing leadership qualities and sporting excellence,” Hennington said. “Then we can augment around that.” MNUFC is weighing the importance of hiring a CSO with a deep knowledge of MLS rules versus filling that from elsewhere in the front office. She said a preferred style of play with the new CSO is not a prerequisite. El-Ahmad joined MNUFC in early 2024 and left in the middle of a contract, so Hennington was asked whether the club needs a leader with more long term commitment. “It would be nice to have a little stability and someone who’s really committed to Minnesota and what we’re trying to do here,” she said. “That’s a consideration, but it’s not the only factor.” Hennington praised both Stebbins and first-year coach Cameron Knowles on Wednesday. “I’ve been really pleased with Hank,” she said. “He’s been dealt a challenging hand in the sense that (there’s) a lot going on. He’s got his old job, his interim job, a new family and unfortunately our record this year hasn’t been as good as we wanted it to be. “I’m very grateful how he’s stepped up to not only do an excellent job in his current job, but really step in as a leader … asking the critical questions, particularly with (Knowles) on a lot of discussions about tactical changes.” MNUFC will soon have to make end-of-season roster decisions, likely to be made before the new CSO takes over. “We can’t be paralyzed by uncertainty,” Hennington said. “So, we’re continuing to move forward and make very good decisions at the table.” As a first-year MLS head coach, Knowles has MNUFC in 12th place in the 15-team Western Conference with two weekends left in the regular season. They are four points out of the ninth and final postseason place. The Loons have had long and difficult winless skids this season, including five losses in a row in September, but have stitched together a five-game unbeaten run in October to keep their tiny playoff hopes alive. “We’re going to focus on winning these three games,” Hennington said before kickoff Wednesday. “And then in the offseason, like I said, evaluate everything that has gone well and hasn’t gone well — and that includes how we’re playing. “But we believe in Cam, and I am very pleased to see the progress we have made over the last couple of games. We’ve been stabilized and got a really big win and a couple of ties. “We’ve also seen Cam … change up the formation, change of the lineup, how he’s substituted. All of these things are outside of (my) understanding of scope … not having been on the technical side, but (he’s) doing what a coach should and continue to do: turn nobs and find a different formula.” Hennington said she, Stebbins and Knowles have spent “a lot of time together.” “It’s good dialog, just to make sure we are all on the same page,” Knowles said after the Kansas City win. “There’s obviously going to be decisions coming up pretty quick here, with a transfer window that will come up, as well, and continuing to discuss the current state of the team and what it should look like moving forward.” Related Articles Loons on verge of elimination from MLS playoffs Loons, Dynamo slog to a scoreless draw Loons’ ‘fantastic’ comeback produces first home win since April Few Minnesotans have played for U.S. soccer, but MNUFC touts a few new prospects Loons lose at Seattle, 3-1