Ownership Change, goal in mind for playoffs.
BRIDGEVIEW, IL—First day under the new ownership with Joe Mansueto, the Chicago Fire responded with one of its best scoring days this season.
The Fire scored four times in the first half and went on to defeat visiting FC Dallas 4-0 at SeatGeek Stadium on Saturday afternoon.
The new owner Mansueto was on hand for the match, he was presented with the game ball by the club afterward and even talked with the team in the locker room.
“I think Andrew Hauptman had this team for a long time and we’re extremely happy of what he did for the club,” Jonathan Bornstein said. “We know about the history that he created here and we’re extremely happy that Joe is taking the team 100 percent, We’re all excited and the players are excited that he’s talking about making good changes to the club. Obviously, going into (Chicago) is a big thing for us.”
Bornstein sees good things in the foreseeable future and believes that new ownership means a lot for the Fire.
“For me, (Mansueto) was always in the locker room before the games,” Bornstein said. “He was the one that I was associated seeing positive things with the club. I’m happy he’s taking the team and moving forward. He addressed us now and we dedicated the win to him. We gave him the game ball. He was excited and talked about his ideas, the feelings goes both ways.”
As for the players, working is what they are doing and trying to make a playoff push with a few games left on its schedule. The club isn’t letting the outside distractions both with playing and trying to win matches on the field.
“It’s easy for us, because we have nothing to do with the other stuff,” Bornstein said. “Our end, we try to stay focused and come to training each day, put in the work and try to win the games. That’s our job. It effects us in the long run, but in the immediate there’s nothing we can do to help. We just focus what the job is at hand to win the next few games.”
For the Chicago head coach Veljko Paunovic, he believes its all for the good of the club for the future and seeing the change..
“I’m very thankful to Andrew Hauptman for the relationship all these years,” Paunovic said. “We’re going to miss him here and wish him good luck for the future. I did have the opportunity to meet (Joe) Mansueto in the past. We have had interactions and believe right now being the full owner of the club is a great opportunity to move forward in a positive picture. There’s a good spirit an we’re going to keep working together.”
Seeing how the players react on the field and in practices, Paunovic has seen some of it effecting the playoff push but the players know what needs to be done. He still knows enough about the new owner at this point.
“He’s a very experienced man of great success that will help the club for sure,” Paunovic said. “Everything that happens around the club and the team effects it in some ways. It’s a way on how you channel that. We just have to think soccer and that’s something we have to build on. There’s a good spirit and expectation that’s happening with the club and seeing our fans come back is very important.”
Fire is on the verge of the playoffs with a few matches remaining ahead of them.
