The annual offseason turbulence in Bridgeview has already begun. Since Nelson Rodriguez was hired as club General Manager, he has spent most of his time searching for a new head coach for the Chicago Fire. Having stated that he would like to have a coach by Thanksgiving, the pressure is on Rodriguez to find the right candidate for the job quickly.
Several coaches have already been interviewed and frontrunners have emerged. Tab Ramos and Guillermo Barros Schelotto appear to be two of the most likely hires. Schelotto is rumored to be interviewing for the job in the next few days. Former Red Bulls manager Mike Petke has been interviewed as well. Despite publicly stating his interest in the position, Brian Bliss no longer appears to be a top choice. However, his input and soccer connections appear to be heavily influencing the search, as the most recent reports show.
Bliss is Tab Ramos’ assistant coach with the United States U-20s, and Ramos has interviewed for the Fire job. It would be his first professional coaching position. While he does not appear to have the experience that Rodriguez is looking for, he would be an excellent teacher for younger players, and could help streamline the pipeline from Fire youth teams to the first team.
Guillermo Barros Schelotto is a very intriguing option, and one that will certainly ruffle some feathers among Fire fans. He played in Columbus on the dominant squads that were constructed by Brian Bliss between 2008 and 2010. The former Gimnasia La Plata, Boca Juniors, and Crew playmaker has been managing Lanus since retiring in 2012. He led the Argentine club to their first ever Copa Sudamericana title in 2013, a major feat. They are currently mid table in the Primera A. Schelotto has experience playing in MLS, but not managing. Those are two very different things, but having Bliss and Rodriguez in the front office could make navigating the league rules simpler for any coach they hire. Could a partnership with Bliss make his transition even smoother? And would Chicago, the only team in the league without a native Spanish speaker on the roster, finally bring in some talent from South America again?
One thing that is bothering some supporters is that Schelotto was despised in Chicago during his time wearing the Black and Yellow. The passion of the Fire-Crew rivalry may make his job more difficult than it would be at a different MLS club. While winning and coaching an attractive side would bring him support, it is easy to imagine Schelotto having an even shorter timeframe than normal to achieve results before the jaded fanbase turns on him. Fire fans are justifiably upset with the almost yearly coaching changes, and are expecting the next one to stick.
It is also worth mentioning that Chicago’s historic rivalries have cooled off in recent years- this is what happens when the team is so consistently bad. Schelotto would only be the latest in a series of Fire acquisitions from big rivals. Brian McBride was a Columbus legend before retiring with the Fire. Jeff Larentowicz was one of the most hated players in Chicago when he played with New England, and probably could never have been signed by the Fire if he hadn’t moved to Colorado first. Dilly Duka also played for the Crew immediately before being signed by Chicago. Brian Bliss is the latest hire to fit this mold, (also a Crew player, as well as TD) but his position in the front office means that most fans do not have the gut reaction to him that they would have for a player or head coach. All of these former rivals eventually earned respect, if not praise, from Fire supporters.
One thing is certain: when a team is at the bottom of the table, not every decision will be a popular one. If he is hired, Schelotto will have to make fans’ lives easier and give them something to cheer for. Otherwise he might become just another ride on the coaching carousel in Bridgeview.
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