San Diego FC Announces Assistant Coaching Staff Ahead of the Club’s Inaugural MLS Season

December 18, 2024 – Major League Soccer (MLS)
San Diego FC News Release

SAN DIEGO – San Diego FC (SDFC) today announced the Club’s assistant coaching staff that will support Head Coach Mikey Varas during the Club’s inaugural MLS season. Frank Hjortebjerg, Kelvin Jones, and Luciano Fusco have been named Assistant Coaches, while Jason Grubb will serve as Goalkeeper Coach.

“Building a strong and dynamic coaching staff is crucial as we prepare for our inaugural season, and we are thrilled to welcome Frank, Kelvin, Luciano, and Jason to the San Diego FC family,” said SDFC Sporting Director Tyler Heaps. “We believe each of them bring experiences and knowledge that will support Mikey and our players as we prepare for a short ramp-up to our opening games. Together, we’ll work to build a competitive team, fostering a culture of excellence both on and off the field.”

San Diego FC Coaching Staff

Mikey Varas – Head Coach

Frank Hjortebjerg – Assistant Coach

Kelvin Jones – Assistant Coach

Luciano Fusco – Assistant Coach

Jason Grubb – Goalkeeper Coach

“I’m extremely excited about the talented group of assistant coaches we’ve brought in to support the team as we embark on our first season in MLS,” said SDFC Head Coach Mikey Varas. “Together, our goal is to create the right conditions for our players to succeed by focusing on their individual development and fostering a winning mentality as a team. We will give everything we have to lead a team San Diego can be proud of.”

Frank Hjortebjerg – San Diego FC Assistant Coach

Hjortebjerg joins SDFC as an Assistant Coach, bringing extensive experience from Denmark’s top clubs. Most recently, he served as Assistant Coach for Odense Boldklub in the Danish Superliga (2022-2024) and spent three years with FC Nordsjaelland, where he contributed as a First Team Assistant Coach and also as a First Team Analyst. Additionally, Hjortebjerg has excelled in developing young talent, having served as Head Coach for Brøndby IF’s U-17 team and FC Nordsjaelland’s U-15 team. With a proven track record in both first-team coaching and youth development, Hjortebjerg brings valuable tactical expertise and leadership to SDFC’s coaching staff ahead of its inaugural MLS season.

Luciano Fusco – San Diego FC Assistant Coach

Fusco brings a wealth of coaching experience across MLS, collegiate, and academy levels to SDFC. Most recently, he served as an assistant coach for the San Jose Earthquakes under head coach Luchi González from 2023-2024, where he helped the…