Charlotte MLS turns to Atlanta United for latest front office hire

Charlotte MLS announced yesterday that it has appointed former Atlanta United front office member Bobby Belair as its Director of Player Personnel.

According to the expansion club, Belair will oversee the team’s salary budget, ensuring the inaugural first-team roster is built as efficiently as possible.

Belair held the title of Manager of Player Personnel in Atlanta, where he was tasked with a wide array of duties — from helping assist first team signings upon arrival in Atlanta to helping construct the most recent iteration of Atlanta United 2. According to a source, Belair was operating as a de-facto director of Atlanta United 2 during the better part of the last year and helped scout and sign much of the team’s current roster — all while learning the ropes under Atlanta United Technical Director Carlos Bocanegra.

“Bobby is a very talented soccer executive, who has a deep understanding of salary cap intricacies, familiarity with the USL player pool, and experience navigating the challenges of the Expansion Draft and Superdraft,” Charlotte Sporting Director Zoran Krneta said in a press statement. “He is an excellent addition to the Charlotte MLS technical team and will further help us in creating immediate strategic advantages ahead of our 2021 start.”