Fraser signs four-year extension
COMMERCE CITY » Robin Fraser helped pull the Colorado Rapids from the depths of Major League Soccer to the top of the table in less than three seasons. Now he’s being rewarded.
The Rapids and Fraser have reached a four-year contract extension that will keep the head coach with the franchise through the 2025 MLS season, the team announced Wednesday.
“I’m elated that this has come about and have certainly enjoyed my time here,” Fraser said at a news conference Wednesday. “We feel we have a lot of unfinished business left to do and this really makes me feel like we have a runway to go and do the things we want to do.”
In a statement, Josh Kroenke, Vice Chairman of Kroenke Sports and Entertainment, praised the move and affirmed that Colorado is continuing to move in the right direction.
“We are excited to secure Robin as our head coach for the next four years,” Kroenke said. “Robin has proven himself to be among the elite coaches in MLS. His coaching acumen, personality and attention to detail make him an ideal fit to help us continue to compete at the top of MLS for years to come.”
The move comes months after Fraser was named a 2021 MLS coach of the year finalist for leading the Rapids to a first-place finish in the MLS Western Conference with a teamrecord 61 points.
When Fraser took over in August 2019, it came near the end of a tumultuous campaign that saw the team fire then-head coach Anthony Hudson nine games into the season. Fraser had 12 years of MLS coaching experience when he joined, which included a pair of MLS Cups as an assistant.
After his first day of practice, Fraser knew the ’19 team was not a last-place team. There was something to work with. Still, Wednesday’s move speaks volumes for how far he has taken the team in short order. Positions and tactics were scrutinized and with it, a cohesive style of play emerged with the team taking on a rugged identity that has delivered results.
Executive Vice President Pádraig Smith said the Rapids’ culture has shifted for the better.
“If you have good people, you need to back them all the way, because that’s what ultimately brings continuity and trust,” Smith said. “If you want to have sustainable success, you need to have people who feel they and their colleagues are trusted to work towards that end goal. Our end-goal is to win cups.”
The franchise has compiled 32 wins, 16 losses and 15 ties since Fraser took the reins. Colorado’s 1.76 points per game is tied for the most in MLS, with back-to-back playoff appearances for the first time since 2010-’11.
Colorado will return to play after the international break April 2, to host the first leg of the Rocky Mountain Cup against Real Salt Lake.