CHICAGO (Nov. 27, 2024) – Chicago Fire FC II today announced that assistant coach Patrick Nyarko has departed the Club due to personal reasons.
“Fire family, due to personal reasons, I have made the difficult decision to step away from my position as assistant coach of Fire II,” said Nyarko. “I would like to thank Joe Mansueto and the Fire organization for the opportunity to be part of a national championship with the Academy and to help several talented young players make the jump to the First Team. I also want to thank the fans who have always supported me, first as a player and most recently as a coach. Your presence, especially during this year’s U.S. Open Cup and playoff run was incredible, and you have always been outstanding on and off the field. I will be closely following the Club, and I am hopeful both the first and second teams will have a very successful year in 2025. Although I am stepping away, I will always be open to helping the Fire in any capacity in the future and wish the Club nothing but the best. Go Fire!”
Nyarko re-joined the Fire in June 2021 as an assistant coach for the Chicago Fire Academy U-19 team and helped to guide the team to the inaugural MLS NEXT Cup title in July of that year. When the Club joined MLS NEXT Pro in 2022, Nyarko continued in his assistant coach role, this time with the newly created Chicago Fire FC II. During his tenure as assistant coach of Chicago Fire II, Nyarko helped guide the team to the playoffs in 2023 and 2024.
“I’d like to thank Patrick for his contributions to the Club,” said Chicago Fire FC II General Manager Alex Boler. “He has made a very positive impact on this organization, both as a player and a coach. While we’re sad to see him go, we fully support his decision and wish him the best for the future. Patrick will always be part of the Fire family.”
As a player, Nyarko was drafted as the seventh overall pick by the Fire in the 2008 MLS SuperDraft. He made 196 appearances (148 starts) for the Club between 2008-15, scoring 19 goals and dishing out 39 assists. After spending eight seasons with the Fire, Nyarko spent two seasons at D.C. United where he played 40 games (35 starts).
Internationally, Nyarko has represented the Ghana National Team at the senior team level. Nyarko made his Ghana debut against Chile on February 29, 2012, at Subaru Park in Chester, Pennsylvania.
