New Deal is for two years with an option for a third.
BRIDGEVIEW, IL—What was widely expected has come to pass. The Chicago Fire signed head coach Veljko Paunovic to a contract extension for two years with an option for a third. Paunovic has a 31-46-25 regular season record over three years with the Fire. Last year saw the Fire go 8-18-8 in a year where anything that could have gone wrong did and a majority of it was self-inflicted by the club.
“I feel excited about this project as I was the very first day three years ago when I became a part of the Chicago Fire Football family,” said Paunovic. “I’m also very grateful for this new opportunity with the club and the values that I’m fully aligned and committed to representing in every city and field around the globe and US. I want to thank our fans for their passion, support and their devotion. My special thanks go for our ownership and GM Nelson Rodriguez who have been giving us the direction and all their support in good and bad times. It’s all about the conviction, trust, and unity. Get ready to lift the trophy this year.”
At his year-end media roundtable, Rodriguez stressed the need for continuity within the club and re-signing Paunovic was key in that regard.
“We believe the foundation we are setting and the standards we are demanding are the right ones in developing our championship program,” said Rodriguez. “Continuity is a critical element in that process and retaining Pauno for the next few years as a leader in that effort was an important off-season objective.”
THOUGHTS: Let’s get this out of the way. A lot of the blame for what went wrong for the Fire in 2018 falls squarely on Nelson Rodriguez. Paunovic was dealt an awful hand in 2018. Was Paunovic completely blameless? Of course not. He did not trust anyone except Brandon Vincent or Bastian Schweinsteiger at center back when neither are center backs (or were in the case of the former now that Vincent’s retired).
The Fire looks far from ‘lifting a trophy’ or ‘a championship program’ right now. Continuity at the Fire under Andrew Hautpman resembles that of most Saturday morning cartoons of the past—there wasn’t any. The player turnover is evidence enough of that.
Most Fire fans are going to groan about Paunovic returning—especially since Frank Klopas had a better record over his three seasons as coach and was still sacked after the third year—even though Paunovic did not deserve to be sacked for what happened in 2018 simply because most of it was not his fault.
Having said all of that, while continuity is crucial for any club, what the Fire need to make massive repairs to its foundation that that was shaken badly by mostly self-inflicted moves and non-moves.
Chicago Fire
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