PREFACE: A little later than I anticipated this week since “life-outside-soccer” stuff took precedence earlier in the week. However, while we hope that 2020 will be a better year for Chicago soccer, it may not be because the Red Stars won’t have Sam Kerr and the Fire still have Nelson Rodriguez, Veljko Paunovic, and a front office that is apparently still antagonistic towards its most ardent supporters.
McCARTY TRADE: The Athletic’s Paul Tenorio reported on Monday that the Fire traded captain Dax McCarty to Nashville SC for $50,000 in general allocation money and $50,000 in targeted allocation money. That trade, once it becomes confirmed, would leave just four players who were on the Fire roster at the start of the 2017 season: Brandt Bronico, Djordje Mihailovic, Stefan Cleveland, and Johan Kappelhof.
Rodriguez and Paunovic are quickly becoming MLS’s version of “Gar-Pax”. “Gar-Pax” is the term for Chicago Bulls general manager Gar Foreman and VP of basketball operations John Paxson who still carry on in their positions despite numerous poor decisions—especially with coaches—and overseeing a revolving door of personnel.
FIRE FO vs. SECTION 8 CONTINUES: The Fire are also disturbingly showing signs of another team’s contempt (at times) for its most supportive fans. Hot Time in Old Town reported that he front office is reportedly making moved aimed at undermining Section 8 (the Independent Supporters Group for the Fire) and remaking Fire supporter culture into a shape of their choosing— smaller, friendlier to the club’s interests, and easier to control according to Section 8 Chicago finance director Carri Alldredge last Friday.
If new owner Joe Mansueto wants to continue in the good graces of the Fire fans that are here and have stayed with the club through thick and thin, he must realize that culture in soccer does not come from the top down as the previous ownership and the current executives at the club think.
OVERALL: You can’t fill Soldier Field with even 25,000 people if the soccer side of the club does not make a concerted effort to build a better product in the lead up to March 21st and if they also continue to treat those who have been here long before the current front office came into the club with contempt and feel they would be okay with just people with goldfish memories when it comes to the history of the Fire and soccer in Chicago. These are the two elephants that Mansueto needs to get out of the room.
RED STARS: The Red Stars biggest challenge will be to find a striker to replace Sam Kerr as she is reportedly heading for greener pastures in Europe. Kerr will be hard to replace as her play was a major contributor to the club’s increased spotlight and attendance last season.
All of the Red Stars’ 26 rostered and supplemental players have either had their option exercised or offered a new contract by the team after the season.
US Women’s National Team members Julie Ertz, Alyssa Naeher, Morgan Brian, and Casey Short remain on the Red Stars as Federation players, while the status for 2020 will be announced at a later date.
Evidently, Kerr will be one of the players who will not be returning to the club. The quest to return to the NWSL Championship (and winning it) in 2020 just got harder.
