Roots matter in a tradition-rich city that calls itself the soccer capital of the U.S. So if Lutz Pfannenstiel—who’s not from St. Louis—wasn’t going to hire a coach from the Gateway City, he was going to find someone with deep connections to the style of play he’s pursuing for its MLS expansion club.
It’s an ultra-aggressive, high-pressing approach designed to produce goals in transition—a style the St. Louis City SC sporting director thinks will play well in a “hardworking” yet “modest” market that values teamwork, commitment and identity. Gegenpressing, as it's called in Pfannenstiel’s native Germany, was popularized by veteran coach Ralf Rangnick, who took over at Manchester United in November.