The Houston Dynamo today announced the appointment of Matt Jordan as vice president/general manager to oversee soccer operations and the technical areas of the club.
Jordan joins the Dynamo after four seasons with the technical staff of the Montreal Impact, most recently serving the role of technical director. The 39-year-old enjoyed a 13-year professional career highlighted by eight years in Major League Soccer as well as time in the Danish Superliga and North American Soccer League. The Clemson University product was a two-time All-American, an MLS All-Star and finalist for Goalkeeper of the Year in 1999 with the Dallas Burn.
“I am pleased to be adding one of the brightest young technical minds in Major League Soccer to our staff,” said Dynamo president Chris Canetti. “Matt is hard working, experienced, intelligent, passionate, and committed to winning. I am confident that he is going to elevate our club’s technical operations to a higher level.”
With Montreal, Jordan’s duties included all areas related to the soccer operations, including contract negotiations, player scouting, strategic planning, salary cap management and technical operations budget. During his stint with the Impact, Jordan was involved in the process of signing several notable foreign players including Italians Marco Di Vaio and Alessandro Nesta and Argentine midfielders Ignacio Piatti, Hernan Bernardello and Andres Romero. Jordan also led the initiative to launch a new USL Pro franchise under Impact management, FC Montreal, for the 2015 season.
“I'd like to thank the Houston Dynamo for the opportunity to join one of Major League Soccer's most successful clubs,” said Jordan. “The Dynamo have a strong history of success, a dedicated and knowledgeable fan base, a beautiful, state-of-the art downtown stadium, an excellent training facility and a strong commitment to youth development, all key elements as we look to implement our vision into the future. I look forward to working with Chris Canetti and his dedicated staff, whose passion is evident throughout the club. We look forward to the challenge of putting a team on the field and in the community that the city of Houston can not only be proud of, but that is also a reflection of our dedicated supporters.”
Jordan will report to team president Chris Canetti. He will oversee all aspects of the soccer operations, including the establishment of a club vision, the creation of a worldwide scouting network, the development of a sports science program, the integration of data analytics, management of the team’s salary cap and contract negotiations, and the addition of a USL Pro franchise.
Jordan was offered a position with the Impact’s technical staff upon retirement as a player in 2011 after four years with the club to help Montreal’s successful transition from the NASL to MLS. Montreal won 12 games in its inaugural season, the most by an MLS expansion team since Seattle (12) in 2009. The Impact totaled 49 points in 2012, the most by a Canadian club until Vancouver this season. Jordan helped guide the Impact to the MLS Cup Playoffs in 2013 as well as two Amway Canadian Championships (2013, 2014) and two appearances in the CONCACAF Champions League, including advancement to the quarterfinals of the 2014-15 edition.
The Aurora, Colo. native’s playing career included stops with the Dallas Burn (1998-2002), Columbus Crew (2004-05) and Colorado Rapids (2006) in MLS, Odense BK in the Danish Superliga (2003-04) and with the Montreal Impact (2007-10).
Jordan earned a degree in marketing and a minor in sports marketing from Clemson University.
