“We Want To Be Successful In Year One”
Written by Patrick Echatah
A disappointing end to their seven-year Audi MLS Cup Playoffs drought, a winter roster makeover, the development of a distinct artistic identity, and perhaps even the identification of a potential location for their own stadium within the city borders in the near future.
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As the former coach of the US men’s national team takes over the Chicago Fire’s soccer operations, Gregg Berhalter and club owner Joe Mansueto have quite an ambitious list of things they want to accomplish.
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But as Berhalter was formally introduced as the team’s new director of football and head coach on Thursday, the pair seemed committed to adhering to the “make no little plans” maxim articulated by Daniel Burnham, one of the city’s principal architects and civic icons.
“We want to be a player-first club. We want to be a club that puts the player in the center of everything, and each department works around the player to help maximize their potential,” said Berhalter as he returned to MLS for the first time since a five-year stint in charge of the Columbus Crew from 2013-18.
“In terms of recruitment, we think there’s an opportunity this offseason to bring in some high-quality players, to bring in players that can perform in the top 5% of the league, real game changer-type players, and we want to do that because we have the ability to affect the roster in a positive way.
“And it starts with next season. We’re not saying this is a five-year build; we want to be successful in year one.”
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In hindsight, this appointment may appear to be a clear-cut instance, and both parties seem confident that it’s a perfect fit. However, the journey to get here wasn’t as simple and straightforward as that might imply.
Chicago Fire began with a preliminary slate of about 80 candidates for Mansueto’s replacement after former sporting director Georg Heitz informed Mansueto of his intention to return to Europe after the 2024 season.
The slate swiftly shrunk to a shortlist of three, with two domestic players and one international.
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