Hamlett out as Fire coach

Nov 24, 2009 - 10:19 PM CHICAGO(AP) -- Denis Hamlett will not return to the Chicago Fire next year after leading them to the Eastern Conference finals in each of his two seasons as head coach.

Fire technical director Frank Klopas says the organization "has decided to take the team in a new direction in 2010."

Hamlett's contract expires at the end of the year, and the team says he plans to pursue other coaching opportunities.

Hamlett joined the staff as an assistant in 1998 and got promoted to head coach 10 years later. The Fire went 24-17-19 in his two seasons while making back-to-back appearances in the conference finals and reaching the SuperLiga final this year.