Rebuilding...Again

Alright, the off season is in full swing and things are now not happening at an amazing pace! Therefor, it's time for a little off-season blogging to at least start to get back in the soccer frame of mind...

So, in this first of several year-end, year-beginning blogs, let's recap where the team is at today by reviewing who/what's In and Out.

First Up - Strikers / Attackers

Out: Brian McBride
Out: Colins John
Out: Stefan Dimitrov

I'm sure I didn't need to remind anyone that Brian McBride retired. It's also probably no surprise that the Fire have taken a pass on renewing Colins John's contract. Having reviewed my posts from this time last year, I was on record as saying that the John signing was "the most exciting pre-season move". We'll, the pre-season excitement gave way to regular season doldrums and John never looked like he was really trying.

The reverse was true of Brian McBride; he never looked like he was giving less than 150% on the field. Where will the Fire find that kind of on the field leadership this year? As you read on, you'll see that the list is thinning.

Who the Fire will find to fill the striker roll this year will be an urgent question to be answered by the technical staff. As John (our John) never misses a chance to point out, you can't win if you can't score; and you can't score enough if you only rely on shots and runs from the midfield to put the ball on goal.

Players currently on the roster who will be competing for striker or withdrawn striker positions: Nery Castillo, Patrick Nyarko, and Calen Carr.

Second lets talk...Designated Players

Out: Freddie Ljungberg
In: Nery Castillo

Say it ain't so Freddie! Certainly, FL was the best of the two DP deals the Fire did last year. He fought, he played through opposition, he dove spectacularly, and bled for the team and fans. He even scored several goals and made several assists. I'm a fan. However, Europe is once again seeking Freddie's services so, although the deal is not inked, it now seems more likely than not that Fred will end up back in Europe next year playing for Scotish side Celtic F.C. and will not resign with the Fire.

Nery, Nery, Nery...what can you say? He started his tour of duty by showing us all, and millions of viewers on ESPN (for three weeks in a row), just how many different ways there are to be caught offside. Then he suffered some training injuries, probably brought about by his extreme lack of fitness. When he was reintroduced to the lineup, it was as a midfielder - doubtless the intention was to get him as far as possible from the offsides line without sitting him on the bench. The results were dismal; few minutes, fewer touches, zero penetration, no shots that didn't pass over the goal by a good 10 feet.

What we have seen of Nery is that he has some quick moves, good enough to make a last defender - or even two defenders - miss. We have not seen him pass dangerously, nor shoot from distance (even on restarts) with any threat. My conclusion: teach him what offsides is and move him to withdrawn striker. Hopefully, Nery has been conditioning all winter and will arrive at camp a new player.

Next Up: Midfielders

Out: Justin Mapp
Out: John Thorington
Out: Peter Lowry
In: Logan Pause
In: Bratislav Ristic

First off, I felt compelled to mention the departure of Justin Mapp, even though it occurred during the regular season, because Justin's departure (during his best season in years) was precipitated by the signing of Freddie L - who's services we are now all but certain to loose. That's a bitter pill.

Thor and Peter Lowry were both selected during the expansion draft by Portland and Vancouver. So, not only will we loose their services, like Mapp, we'll have to play against them. Gaaarrg!

The one position that is not in flux this year is that of Holding Midfielder / Stopper. Logan Pause will again be in a Fire jersey for the 2011 season. He is now a frosty haired veteran and the longest serving player on the Fire squad - including the entire coaching staff and the Board Room.

And YES!! Bratislav Ristic will be returning to the team in 2011! I admit, I haven't been this amped about a new player since Marco Pappa debued. After watching the Red Star Belgrade games, I was lusting after some Serbian dynamism. Ristic proved he's got what it takes to make a difference. I think he would have been an even bigger impact last year if we had had a potent wing defender to support him. As it was, Ristic played more of a defender last season than an attacking midfielder. If we can remedy that and get him set loose in the other teams defensive third, it should be fun to watch. At least, I'm sure the body count will go up and he and Segaras may be competing for team yellow card leader.

Remaining in the lineup to compete for midfield posts: Patrick Nyarko, Marco Pappa, Baggio Husidic, Mike Banner, Corben Bone, and Victor Pineda (a 17 year old local signed from the Fire development system)

On to...The Defense

Out: C.J. Brown
Out: Wilman Conde
Out: Krystof Krol
In: Gonzolo Segares
In: Cory Gibbs

OUCH!! If Defense wins Championships, we are hurting, big time. I don't know about you, but I was not overly impressed with the fire defense last year. They were individually skilled, but had a propensity for stunning unforced errors and miscues. It's one thing to be broken down by excellent ball movement and skill, but quit another to let the ball pass between your legs, over your head, or to pass the ball directly to the other team's forward! So, in one sense, the departing players represent both some of the most skilled defenders, but also some of the most frequent offenders when it came to bone-headed play last year. Still they will not be easy to replace.

On the bright side, Gonzo is signed with the team and the Fire has acquired Cory Gibbs from the Revs. Gibbs is a veteran very reminiscent of C.J., so he's bound for the center back. Which would be good, because otherwise we will end up wasting Gonzo in the center when we really need him behind Marco or Ristic.

The other potential bright spot (for me at least) is returning second year player Steven Kinney. Yes, reports of his death (mostly be me) turned out to be greatly exaggerated. I look forward to Kinney as the counter balance to Gonzo.

Remaining on the squad to compete for defender slots: Daisan Robinson, Mike Banner, Kwame Watson-Siriboe, and Deris Umanzor.

Other notable substitutions and departures:

Out: The Kansas City Wizards
In: Sporting Kansas City

Jumping on the "Let's Sound European" band wagon, KC has dropped their name in favor of the Sporting Kansas City moniker. New Jerseys, New Logo. Since a "sporting club" necessarily competes in more than one sport, I wondered what the other sports represented in the Sporting K.C. stable might be. Turns out there really is another sport - LaCross.

Out: Community America Ballpark
In: K.C. Soccer Stadium

Finally, no more games will be played at the postage stamp masquerading as a soccer field, Community America Ballpark. Of course, with the change of venue, K.C. will loose one of the most daunting home field advantages enjoyed by any MLS franchise. Lot's of teams have rabid fans, but only KC had a special set of restarts and transition plays developed just for their crazy short home field.

Out: Best Buy
In: Moe's Weiner Wagon

Well, maybe not Moe's Weiner Wagon, but the Fire are purportedly looking for a locally based Jersey Sponsor to replace Best Buy, which will not be renewing their Jersey Sponsorship deal in 2011. Their reason for leaving? Marrisa Vanez, Best Buy's V.P. of Advertising stated "We realize the the Chicago Fire are an organization dedicated to professionalism and customer [fan] service - and those values just don't mesh with Best Buy's corporate culture." [yes, Best Buy gave me a hassle returning something recently]

Speaking of customer service...

Out: The Entire Season Ticket Holder Account Manager Staff
In: A top of the line answering machine purchased at a discount from Best Buy

Need I say more. Farewell and good luck to Julie Jawor in particular. I hope the Fire can maintain the high expectations you upheld for all your clients.

And more notables...

Out: The 24 man roster
In: The new 30 man roster
Out: The 30 game regular season
In: The 34 game regular season
In: The Reserve Squad

More games, More players, and the return of the Reserve Squad. Not bad. Our ticket package remains 20 games. Now, 17 of those will be regular season MLS games, leaving 3 bonus games. Each MLS team will play every other team twice - once home and once away. There's lots to be said for the balance and equity of that schedule, but it doesn't leave the opportunity to stack up games for regional or historic rivalries. Regardless, the extra players will be a bonus to the team, especially with the reintroduction of the Reserve Squad.

The Summary: Currently the Fire have 18 men on the roster, leaving 12 slots to fill their 30 man roster. There are some special rules, like only so many players can be foreign and some slots are set aside for home grown players (a big advantage for the Fire given their strong player development squad). But, no matter how you slice it, the Fire need to get busy very fast if they are going to field a squad capable of competing, like so many prior squads, for a playoff slot!

2010 Fire Fun

I have posted here all the pics i took this year for everyone's enjoyment. If you want any for yourself, and cant get them off this site, let me know.

Although the season did not produce the victories we had hoped to see, I know the Britvich's had a great time with friends and family.

Cant wait till next year!

AC Milan v Fire

Fire come up short v Italian power house A C Milan. Final 1 -0. CJ mishandled the ball onto Seedorf's foot. 3 yards out from goal. He won't miss from there!


- Posted using BlogPress from my iPhone

Location:Toyota Park

Fire Sign Collins John

It's official. This week the Chicago Fire closed the last, and potentially most significant, deal in what has shaped up to be a [insert over the top adjective here] preseason building spree.

Coming into the pre-season, the Fire technical staff of Frank Klopas faced a daunting number of holes in their starting eleven. Pretty much every talking head and blogger was of the opinion that, while still a strong team, the Fire would be out of contention for the MLS Cup and, instead, would need to build back their strength for one or even two years. And, really, who could blame them. Even Fire faithful were worried (not me of course) with the departure of DP Blanco, Wunderkind Chris Rolphe, Attacking Left Back "Gonzo" Segares, and Brandon Preidiux. The starting eleven had been gutted of key talent. Add to that the parting of ways with Head Coach Dennis Hamlett and the approaching dotage of C.J. Brown, and, really, there wasn't any reason to be optimistic.

Bravo to Klopas and his staff! They launched immediately to work landing, in quick succession, a new head coach, a new left back to replace Segares (Krol), a new midfield engine to replace Rolphe (Martinez), and added strike force with former Fulham player, Collins John. Not to mention executing what has been recognized by just about everyone as the best series of picks in this year's Super Draft.

Can any of these guys replace the Blanco spark? Alone, no. But together, with McBride and Thorington, and Papa...maybe so.

There are only a few days left until the openner at the new Red Bull Stadium and here's the talent list Coach los Cabos will have to select from...

McBride - Nyarko - Thorrington - Pappa - Ward - Krol - Bushe - Martinez - Pause - Conde - Husidich - Mapp - Dimitrov - Collins John - C.J. Brown - Robinson - Banner - Carr - Lowry

GO FIRE!!

Labor Negotiations "Not in a good place"

This article was posted to Ives Galarcep's blog. I've reprinted the entire article here because it's the most complete bit of journalism I've seen on this topic.

Taken from Soccer by Ives:

The 2010 Major League Soccer season may still kick off as planned, without a delay in the start of the season, but the process to get to that point is going to be a messy one after labor talks went public on Friday, leading to an ugly back-and-forth that might just be the beginning of a lengthy battle.

It started with the players union going public on Friday and breaking a public silence that had stood since negotiations for a new Collective Bargaining Agreement began. MLS officials, after initially insisting they would not "negotiate through the media", responded to the union's accusations with their own defense on Saturday. The union responded on Sunday by calling into question the validity of the league's defense.

So where exactly do we stand? Who do we believe? If anything is clear from the weekend's back-and-forth, it is that there is no clear-cut villain in this. The players union painted MLS as the bad guy with its stories of mistreated players and unfair rules, and it was a narrative that was easy to buy into because it touched a chord with fans who weren't likely to side with a faceless collection of owners and league officials in the first place. That said, you can't help but wonder how accurate the portrayal is given the league's clear insistence that it has already offered up a good number of concessions.

The truth lies somewhere in the middle. Now the question is whether the two sides can find their ways closer to that middle in order to avoid a truly messy situation. The answer is yes, but only when the sides accept that changes need to be made.

MLS has already made the first major shift in strategy in this labor situation by publicly stating that it is prepared to go into the 2010 season operating under the old CBA (a clear change in policy after the league made it clear to the union in early negotiations that it had no intention of operating under the old CBA). As writer Kyle McCarthy laid out so perfectly on Monday, this maneuver puts pressure on the player's union to either accept a deal or strike.

Is the union as strong and determined to fight this fight as it will need to be? MLS clearly doesn't believe so, which would explain the willingness to operate under a CBA the league itself was demanding be scrapped less than two months ago.

Does this all mean the players don't have gripes? It is pretty clear they do, even as MLS officials do their best to explain away every argument the players have. No, the $60 million magic number offered up by MLS president Mark Abbott as the increase the league was ready to offer players never did sound completely genuine (and joins David Beckham's initial "MLS salary" of $250 million as inflated numbers used for effect.).

Players union chief Bob Foose shot down the $60 million figure, pointing out that it included, among other things, salary figures for teams that haven't even begun playing yet. He also pointed to percentage changes in the new deal that would see a decline in the growth of player salaries from 5.9 percent a year to 4.8 percent a year.

On the surface, that figure doesn't seem so damning. After all, there aren't many employees who wouldn't be happy with a 4.8 salary increase per year. While this is true, it ignores the fact that the face and business of MLS player acquisition is changing. Rapid MLS expansion is forcing MLS to use new methods to stock and strengthen the player pool. Chief among these changes are the designated player rule, increases in the number of international players and an increase in the money used to land young talent.

Why is this a major concern for the rank and file of the players union? It's simple. Not only would the new CBA shrink the growth of player salaries (if the union's numbers can be believed), but with more and more of that money going toward Designated Players, high-priced foreign talent as well as high-priced rookie talent, the players who will be squeezed in the equation are veteran MLS players.

Consider this off-season, which saw the largest-ever Generation adidas rookie class. MLS devoted a record amount of salary to landing this year's crop of top draft talent, which on its face is a promising sign, but when that comes in the same off-season where some of the best players to ever play in MLS are being squeezed out of jobs, you can understand why the union feels so strongly about wanting a stronger CBA in place to help protect them.

Does this mean MLS shouldn't spend money to attract top young talent to MLS? No, but it does offer evidence that perhaps some changes need to be made so that top veterans are paid what they deserve. That brings us to free agency, which MLS has made into The Untouchable Option. I have yet to hear a truly clear explanation for why intra-league free agency is a non-starter for MLS. I like to consider myself a pretty sharp guy, yet still couldn't understand the evils of MLS free agency despite multiple explanations from Abbott on Saturday.

Let's think about this for a second. How exactly would free agency within MLS hurt the league as long as the league has a salary cap? It really can't, not from the standpoint where skyrocketing salaries would be a concern. As long as there is a salary cap, a maximum limit on non-DP contracts, and as long as the league's player personnel department still signs off on deals, how could free agency hurt MLS?

It could have to do with MLS wanting to maintain control of player valuations, which could come under fire if teams were able to bid on free agent players. Suddenly a veteran highly-coveted by one team could potentially earn much more than his previous team, or the league, believes he is worth. This goes against the single-entity ethos the league is built on, and allowing it would ultimately give more control and freedom to teams and take away control from the league itself (No, I don't see the problem with this either).

Could it be that there are certain teams that are simply opposed to this because it would force them to compete against other teams for the right to keep their own players? Let's consider if a certain team or two had a history of paying lower salaries, and wanted no part of having to compete with other MLS teams for its own players, could those teams have enough pull with the league to keep free agency off the table? That's entirely possible if those teams had influential ownership.

Would having some competition within MLS for top players be such a bad thing? Considering how many quality players are leaving MLS for questionable alternatives abroad (or in Steve Ralston's case, an alternative in a lower division), how could free agency really hurt the league as a whole? As far as I can tell, at worst, it would force ALL teams to start getting serious about paying top talent, and just might help keep some of the talent that is leaving year after year.

If you listen to MLS officials, free agency isn't even that necessary because, according to them, the current system isn't nearly as restrictive as it is being portrayed. While it may be true that the current systems in place do eventually lead to players being able to move around and away from teams that don't want them, the arduous process currently in place winds up badly hindering players who wind up seeing their options dwindle while they let the current process play out. This is why quality veteran players like Kevin Hartman and Dave Van Den Bergh remain unemployed just a month before the season, and why a player as respected and as decorated as Steve Ralston ultimately gave up on MLS rather than wait around for others to decide his fate.

Veterans like those deserve better, which is ultimately what is driving the players union. It isn't about the money, because the increases being discussed are marginal, but rather about the options that players, particularly the veteran players on whose backs the league was built on, can have as the league changes and grows. One veteran player said it best when he told me, "If players like Kevin Hartman and Steve Ralston, two of the best players to ever play in the league, are treated this way, what is going to stop the league from treating any of us the same way."

A new CBA could help keep that from happening, which is why the players appear more determined than ever to fight. If the league is serious about offering up new proposals that address these concerns, then a deal can and will get done, but if we see a player's strike next month, it would be pretty clear evidence that the offers being made by MLS aren't nearly strong enough.

Regardless of who is ultimately most to blame, if a strike winds up happening, both the players and the league will wind up wearing the label of villain.


- Posted using BlogPress from my iPhone

Location:Brandon's Judo Class

Players and Owners Heading for Work Stoppage??

It's all over the wires - Jimmy Conrad and Pat Onstad say the Owners are "not taking the players seriously". Which is usually union code for "strike".

The owners rep has come out and said au contrair, we are serious, we know the players are serious, but we can't make them love our offer.

Negotiations are set to continue next week. The deadline is February 25.

Is a work stoppage looming? The league will probably not survive if it happens.

Here's to cooler heads prevailing.

Something Lost in Translation

So I stated earlier that Krol was acquired from his Polish team to fill the void left by the departure of Gonzolo Segares at Left Back.

Well today I learned that, apparently, Krol has been playing halfback at camp thus far. So I'm tearing up my fantasy line-up and waiting for the season kick-off.

Of course, its possible this is all a mistake brought on by de Los Cabos' reportedly aggressive style. Perhaps Krol is on defense - Left Attacking Back, perhaps??

Yeah, I hear you, tear up the line-up...

Labor Update

By now you may have heard that the MLS Owners and Players extended the deadline to reach a negotiated labor agreement out until February 25th. The reason given was "Snomeggedon" in D.C.

No?

How about "Snowtastrophe"?

Either way, the negotiations will presumably resume once the snow is dug out.

SuperLiga 2010

Contrary to what I said earlier in the year, it turns out that the Fire have made the 2010 SuperLiga draw. As yet, no schedule is available for the tournament. Nor have any venues been announced.

However, seeing as SuperLiga games are all played in the USA or Canada, and Toyota park was the only venue to sell out every single game for SuperLiga last year, I think there's at least a reasonable chance for Chicago to host, at the very least, group play again this year.

Fingers crossed, and more later!

Conde Watch

Well, the answer to our poll is in...

Wilman Conde reported to Toyota Park for his physical right on time and is participating with the rest of the team at indoor training in McCook, Illinois.

Papa has reported as well. So has Collins John. Krol is expected in a week or so, and I'm not sure about Martinez. So, it appears that all of our internationals have gotten their visas and are at camp or on the way.

The report from camp, after the first week, is that the veterans are very impressed with the new players. Hopefully, we get some idea about de Los Cabos' style once the team moves outdoors (next week or week after).

Myself, I certainly could do with some more attack minded soccer.

Oh, and there's a film from practice up on the Fire web site. Only one player is shown scoring a goal - Justin Mapp.

Red Stars New Line-Up?

OK, its not a Chicago Red Star's training video, although red stars do figure prominently (China - Communist star - get it? - No?). No, its the next installment of "Why Don't We have Soccer Commercials Like These?"

However, if this was the Red Star's line up, I'd be buying season tickets!

Help Wanted

The USA World Cup Roster continues to thin.

Currently on the "Injured Reserve" list:  Cherundolo (thigh strain), DaMarcus Beasley (thigh), Charlie Davies (knee, elbow), Clint Dempsey (knee), Maurice Edu (ankle), Jermaine Jones (leg) and Oguchi Onyewu (knee).

Add to that Donovan (dead pan), Bornstein (Jewish and conflicted), Kljestan (hair crisis), Conway (Old), Adu (clinical shortness), Howard (twitchy), Cunningham (Really Old), Beckham (English), and pretty soon we're looking for subs in Sam's Army.....Not Pretty.  (literally...they are not pretty.)

I'm praying for a little faith healing.  Failing that, I'm part German....

Where Chicago Goes, Chivas Soon Follows

For Chicago fans, its like having two teams.  Watch them first with the Fire.  Catch the rerun with Chivas USA.  March, Razov, Thorton, Curtain, etcetera, etcetera, etcetera...

Now, however, Chivas seems unwilling to follow our lead and, instead, is trying to match us step for step;  We hire a Mexican coach - they hire a Mexican coach (Ok, I admit that one was a bit of a given).  We cut a deal for an Ecuadorian WCQ Midfielder, they cut a deal for an Ecuadorian WCQ Midfielder.

Perhaps its time to Add Chivas USA to the most dispised rivals list:

Fire Fans Most Despised Rivals list:

1. New England Revs (no explaination needed)
2. DC United (Ditto)
3. Columbus Crew (oldest regional rival, and now actually competition)
4. Chivas USA (big fat copy cats)
5. Toronto (canadian - enough said)
6. Dallas FC (no matter how much they suck, they still KEEP BEATING US!!!)
7. New York Red Bulls (hey, if a New York team isn't on the "Most Dispised" list, its incomplete)

Still room for 8,9, and 10.  Please suggest your own!

Red Bull Stadium - Jealous Much?

Here it is.  Red Bull Stadium in Harrison NJ.  Site of the Fire's fist game of the season.

Yes, that really is a transparent roof over the seats protecting them from the elements.  Yes, its really two tiers all the way around.  Yes, that's a damn nice looking pitch in there.

But - HA! - No Parking!!  I KNEW Toyota Park was better!  SNAP!

Transactions Update

I finally got the update on Collins John (see earlier post for updates on Krol and Martinez). 

Collins John, the former Fulham striker, will be joining the Fire for a trial during the Pre-Season camp in Arizona.  John, who's best career play came beside Brian McBride at Fulham, is only 24 years old.  Recently, his career has stalled.  It's certain the Fire are interested in seeing if the veteran McBride can re-ignite the spark in John, and maybe bring some EPL striking action to the MLS!

Where's Conde?

The ides of January are past and February is nigh upon us, meaning that it is once again time for teams to hold the pre-season physicals, open the first leg of training camp, and, if your a Fire Fan, begin that perennial winter pass time known as "Conde Spotting"



This year, everything's quiet on the Conde Watch.......to quiet....



Is Conde in the US yet - Visa in Hand? Or has he sold all his possessions and moved to NY?

Everybody keep your eyes and ears open, and let the rest of us know if you get a hint.

And don't forget to take the "Conde Pre-Season Poll" in the side bar.

Everything in good fun, ofcourse. I have been, and remain, a big Conde fan. I've even got a cave painting of him on my wall at home.

Two Down, One To Go

In an earlier post, we talked about three prospects being courted by the Fire technical staff. Two of the three deals are now complete; Martinez from the Ecuadorian World Cup Qualifying squad will join the Fire on loan from Club Leon, and K. Krol will come to the Fire from his Polish squad.

Details on both deals available via the Fire News links in the side bar.

The only deal still not closed is for Collins John, the ex-Fulham striker. No update on that.

Also, I still understand that Klopas is shopping Blanco's DP spot. The Fire are definitely serious.

Rebuilding Year my butt.

Labor Negotiations Extended

Following on the heals of the Owners agreement not to lockout players on the 1st of February, players and owners issued a joint statement through the Commish' today indicating that the deadline for negotiating a new contract would be extended through Feb. 12.

See the link in the MLS Headlines section in the sidebar for the official press release from the MLS.

Labor Negotiation Update

It appears that the owners have responded to the Player Unions statement instructing players to report to camp as planned by retracting the threat of a Lockout if the current labor agreement is allowed to lapse without a new agreement in place.

Sign of real progress? I have no information. At least both sides are willing to back away from nasty threats for the time being. Hopefully, that means there's still room to negotiate and compromise.

Less than 60 days to First Kick...

If you travel far enough, you will eventually meet yourself

OK, so I was googling today, looking for soccer related news, and what should pop up number six on the google search screen? Section (one oh!) Eight.

If this site is now an authority on anything, we can truly understand the sad state of affairs we find modern culture in.

But, never one to look a gift horse in the mouth, I will gladly assume the proffered mantle of punditry, write a book, and run for President in 2012. Wait, do I have to win a beauty contest first?

MLS Owner Concerns Understandable

Off the wire: Manchester United raised 504 million pounds ($813 million) through a bond issue meant to help pay off some of the club’s large debt.

A UEFA survey of 629 clubs across Europe’s 53 soccer nations showed that the clubs’ revenues rose by 10 percent last season, but spending on transfers and salaries went up 18 percent.

Clearly, owner concern over runaway labor costs is understandable. Not trying to say that without a repeat of the current contract, we'll be paying ManU salaries by March. Just passing on some interesting facts.

Hopefully, players and owners will see the value of a collaborative partnership to expand the league and share the benefits. Hopefully.

New Jerseys - Part Deux

Pictures are worth a thousand words.

Moving pictures are worth...more than a thousand words.

Great Moments in Soccer History...?

1) The Big Bang

2) Earth coalesces out of dust and rubble circling a new Sun

3) One random molecule is formed which can replicate copies of itself ad infinitum

4) An endless struggle ensues for survival, involving much clubbing of one life form by another life form.

5) Eventually, one particularly clever group of primates appoints surrogate "clubbers" to contest matters for them using a set of rules called "Soccer".

6) The clever primates greatly enjoy this development, although they are frustrated because they are forced to watch these contests on little glowing boxes which use analog technology. Bad bananas.

7) Finally, when the threat of renewed clubbing was becoming a real possibility, the clever primates took another clever step......

At Last, Enlightenment.

Contract Negotiations Update

The union told the MLS players to report to camp as planned. However, the union also made it clear that there is, as of yet, no contract. At minimum, this is a significant good will/confidence building measure on the part of the Union. At best, an agreement may now seem likely to the Union, so no squeeze tactics are necessary.

Still keeping my fingers crossed that the Players and Owners will avoid ANY sort of work stoppage.

Following the Draft come the Transactions...

Thanks to Jason for tipping me off to a possible Polish defender trade this morning. Further thanks to Ives Galercep's blog for more details.

Here is what Jason, the blogosphere, and general rumor and innuendo have Klopas and the Fire Technical Staff up to since the draft:

Transaction #1: The fire are pursuing Polish International Krzysztof Król. The deal would be a loan with his current club (who's Polish name I will make no attempt to type here). Krol is a left back, clearly intended to vie for Gonzo's vacated spot. Krol has also been part of the Real Madrid organization, although he never played with the first team.

Transaction #2: Looks like de Los Cabos' Mexican connections are paying off. The Fire appear to be cinching what looks to be a loan deal for Ecuadorean International Wing Midfielder Julio Martinez. Martinez was recently signed by Mexican side Leon. However, the Mexican Primera has rules regarding how many non-Mexican nationals can be on a team's roster and Leon has exceeded their limit. Hence, they are willing to deal the halfback. Being a natural righty, Martinez immediately competes for Rolfe's vacated slot.

Transaction #3: The Fire appear to be going after Dutch Striker Collins John, formerly of Fulham and prior team mate of Brian McBride. Collins scored 20 goals in 95 appearances for the club. Two years ago, his performance went flat and Fulham began a series of loans and trades with Collins until he was picked up by Dutch team Roeselare. However, Collins is currently available since Roeselare terminated his contract in December, siting continuing disciplinary problems. Hmmmm. Have we finally found our Rodman? Obviously, Collins is looking to play in any first division to show that he can still perform. As such, the Fire are expected to be able to make this deal without using their designated player slot.

Very exciting stuff. Woe to ye who did not renew your season tickets!

No More Postage Stamp

KC is on its way to becoming the next MLS team with a soccer specific stadium. Local government in KC has cleared way to begin construction of the Wizard's new home.

(Child) Artist's Rendering of the New Stadium

Couldn't come soon enough, IMO. I'm done watching pro-soccer played on astroturf and youth size fields.

Road Trip!

Going Street

We need to seriously pick up our pre-game parking lot pass around...



I'll be expecting everyone to be practicing thier signiture moves this spring. John, you go with the round about kick. Kris, you do the back flip kick. I'll be the human ball tee.

Can you Shoot? LA may need YOU!

Rumor from England is that, with Landon Donovan playing solid soccer for Everton, his 10 week loan may be extended past the start of the MLS season.

Will LA really consider this, given they just signed a 9 million dollar multi-year deal with Donovan? And, Beckham will probably be unavailable until after the World Cup, what with his loan to Milan?

It looks like LA may be looking for strikers this year. At least they should have the cash to pay! Oh, forgot, salary cap.

While we are talking about rumors, here's the scariest rumor / headline I read during the Christmas season when I wasn't posting to the blog....

Eric Wynalda to Coach Chicago?

Boy, am I glad that one was a rumor...

Are the Fire Shopping?

Word in the press.....the Fire are out shopping around for the Designated Player slot openned by Blanco's departure.

That's pretty exciting news. The report is that Klopas is looking for an attacking midfielder at the DP salary range. No names yet.

Also in the press - it seems to be generally agreed that, of all playoff teams, the Fire had the best draft - no contest. Pretty exciting again.

One last item. Good "vibes" comming out of the owner/player meeting today. Agreement in the offing? Fingers crossed.

Oh nelly! 68 days and counting!


- Posted using BlogPress from my iPhone

Do you FIFA?

No reason for this post, other than I like the fact Chicago Fire made the cover of a video game box. If that banner was just a little bit higher, I could pretend Wayne Rooney was actually Chad Barret. And Lampard looks kind of like McBride. My God, its the All Fire FIFA! i'm ok now... Hey, this is for the IPhone....gotta go now.....

Se' Habla Espanol?

Ok Kris - we need some translation here....



Looks like Landon is a star in Mexico! How come nobody you meet on the street knows his name? Maybe if he brought a .45 into the Galaxy locker room...

Labor Disputes and Lock-Outs

Following up on our disscussion at the bar, here is some information on the ongoing labor negotiation between the MLS Players Union and the MLS Owners.

Gleened from the soccer blogosphere:
"According to two veteran members of the MLS players union, Major League Soccer is playing hardball with the union and hasn't come close to considering some of the demands being made by the players. Guaranteed contracts, allowing teams to negotiate contacts rather than the league office, and free agency are issues the players union appear ready to fight for, but are three issues MLS is apparently not ready to budge on."

As we discussed, players want the right to free agency with other MLS teams, if their contract lapses. Right now, that is not the case. Players like Rolfe and Segares who are no longer under contract can transfer for $0 to other leagues, but they are not free to negotiate with other teams inside the MLS. This, of course, is anathama to the league right now. The last thing they want to see is a bidding war for any player.

Unfortunately, I agree with this, as unfair as it may seem (or be). I've watched one professional soccer league die in my lifetime - I don't want to watch a second.

The players would also like a boost in the salary cap. Somthing can be negotiated here, I would hope. Especially given the cartel nature of the league. Move some money from market to market and make this happen.

Finally, the players would like guaranteed contracts. I admit I'm not an expert at this.

Here's a statement from Commissioner Garber dated yesterday:

We are working hard, collectively, both the MLSPU and the league, to try to reach an agreement that’s going to be good for both players and management. We are working very hard to do that. We are meeting regularly…we met several times last week and we’re meeting again next week. But we are going to get to a point where both players and management are going to have to make some tough decisions.

We’ve been doing very well over the last ten years making this league very stable. We need to ensure we have the right kind of deal to continue to develop the game the way we have and clearly the players are going to have to try to decide what kind of deal they will accept to get the type of things they are looking for.

At the end of the day, this is still a very young sport. For 50 years, soccer has failed in this country. And here we are, about to have 18 teams, nearly 10 soccer stadiums, all because we’ve had a system that albeit different, is one that allows us to have this ability to continue to operate and grow for another day.
Don Garber

The international organization, FIFPRO came out condeming the practices of the MLS and in support of the players. However, it's not clear if the players solicited this intervention or not. Right now, it seems the union is fractured with power players like Keller and Twellman talking strike and the vast majority of lesser paid players hoping for a negotiated deal.

January 31st is right around the corner...

MORTAL KOMBAT!

The much awaited next posting in the "Why Don't We Have Soccer Commercials Like These?" series is here. (It was "much awaited", wasn't it?)

Project Runway, 2010

Behold, the new kits for 2010. Do these look like MLS Cup Championship Ready Kits? Yes, I do believe so....

Funny thing about the stars on the jersey - they are not visible if the jersey is tucked into the shorts.

The away kit definitely looks better than last year. They finally integrated the "Best Buy" on the away Jersey. With this improvement, maybe we'll even win a game in our Whites this year!

Time for me to go buy a Jersey...

An Ohio Yankee in Prince Hamlet's Court

Chris Rolfe has arrived in Aalborg, Denmark and had his first practice with his new club, AaB. AaB TV has posted an interview with Rolfe on thier web site. Here's the link.

Aalborg's coach is on the record as expecting Rolfe to compete immediately for a starting spot. GO ROLFE! GOOD LUCK!

The Starting Eleven - 2010

Ok, so a little self endulgence. I've decided to sit down and imagine the starting eleven for the upcomming season. Who will de Los Cabos put in the line up? Here are my picks. Post your picks too.

GOALKEEPER: Ok, I didn't really spend a lot of time thinking about this one. Bushy has been solid and reliable when he's not being brilliant. He had a handful of mistakes last year. I'm sure he's spent the off season watching them over and over again on film. This guy will be ready for another "Goal Tender of the Year" award in 2010.

DEFENSE: Jees - rough year for defense in 2009. We've had several significant departures. First and formost, Gonzalo Segares, Gonzo, has headed to Apallon FC in Cypress after his contract expired this year. A huge loss. Brandon Prideaux, always reliable if not beloved, having never suffered a significant injury, retired before his luck ran out. And, of course, Sumare left for France during the regular season. However, the Fire still have talent to put on the field in the defense. Here are my choices:

Center Back: C. J. Brown, does he have one more season in his old legs? CJ has the smarts, but he's been prone to injury. If he can keep healthy, he's sure to be on the defensive starter list for Cabos.

Center Back: Wilman "Conde the Barbarian" still has two years on this contract. The Fire are still unlikely to release Wilman, no matter how much he squirms, so I expect to see Wilman anchoring the Defence at Center Back again this year. Although, he would be a formidable holding midfielder if we pick-up a center back in a trade somewhere.

Left Back: Tim Ward? Danny Woolard? Danny's the natural lefty, but I'm going with Timmy, because I think Tim will earn a spot on the lineup, and I also think Woolard will be edged by the superior height of Dasan.





Right Back: Dasan Robinson. If Dasan can't stay healthy or fails to show up, Woolard is ready to step into the role of left back and Timmy will take the right. But I have a feeling Robinson is going to show and be ready to start. Of course, Dasan would prefer to take C.J.'s spot in the middle - we'll see.

MIDFIELD: Here's where the talent for the fire is perhaps the deepest, and also the most uncertain. Who will emerge as the starters for 2010? Here are my picks.

Defensive Mid: It must be Logan Pause yes? Conde, no doubt wants this position. Can he convince Cabos to move him there? I don't think so. Cabos will want the consistency at this position, given the experimentation he's going to have to do at the other spots around the field.

Wing Mids: Marco Papa and Justin Mapp. Baggio wants Justin's spot, and there is no player on the roster who is more inconsistant than Mapp. But Mapp is still very young but very experienced. He needs to show early, capture the starter spot and hold on to it. Besides, Papa is a lock and Mapp has shown that he is the perfect foil for Papa.

Maestro: Who else, John Thorington. With Rolfe's engine out of the line-up there is only one player who can bring comparable pace and endurance and that's Thor. He's proven he can score from outside the box. He only needs to show that he can pull the trigger quick. This could be a massive year for Thorington.

FORWARDS: Scoring, scoring, scoring. It was the biggest disappointment from 2009. Plus, we had scoring from virtually every quarter of the field. Minus, not very much scoring. We need McBride to get immediately back on the wagon and we need someone to step up as a second target. Dimitrov? Nyarko? Banner? Carr? Here's my pick.

Striker: Brian McBride remains the craftiest forward on the team. He's lethal with his head in the box and he can get open and muscle off centerbacks. He will be Cabos' choice for striker and I think he'll immediately start to produce.

Forward: I'm going with Nyarko. Without Blanco play making, we are going to need to stretch the field and make space for play. Nyarko has the speed to turn defenders and cause havoc. Havoc and space that can be exploited by Mapp, Papa and McBride. What about Carr? Yes, his speed is comparable to Nyarko's, or used to be. He just didn't show after his return from injury last year. But if he prepared well during the off season, his longer pro experience might just give him the edge over Nyarko.

SUPERSUBS: Who will be the super sub for the Fire this year? Here are a few ideas:

Dimitrov: With his height and quick shot, this guy looks like he's ready to do something. He is the only player with a chance of commanding the air in the box like McBride. Look for Dimitrov to enter the game for McBride on occasion.

Peter Lowery: I expect Lowery to get a fair amount of starting time this year, but look for him as a frequent 60 minute sub for Mapp or Papa. I think his superior outside shot and carnivore attitude will give him the edge over Banner and Carr as the choice for midfield sub.

Calen Carr: If Nyarko is being made to run, run, run, Carr is going to need to sub for him by 70. Expect Carr's speed to make an impact against a tired defense.

Well, that's my starting 11. Only 70 days until we see the real thing.