Agreed. Like the owner, the entire front office, the so-called "scouting" department, the coaching staff, the lack of facilities, AND the Academy. Other than that, signing a 4th MLS-caliber [or better] DMF is "EXACTLY" what this team needs! Bull. This is EXACTLY a "face saving thing." The team will now play better than it has for the past two seasons, but they are NO CLOSER to winning any silverware. This roster still appears to be fatally flawed in ways that a 4th DMF can't fix, IMO. OK, I'll bite: How does a ~6 month commitment "build the club?" How does the ongoing reliance on "Other Peoples Money" build this ownership into a Big Boy ownership? How does the signing of a World Class Player build Nimrod and Pauno into an adequate GM and Coach? In 6 months? I doubt that. I'd guess that either he gets injured [due to the inadequate facilities and poor treatment options for this club], or decides that playing in China isn't so bad, after suffering through a season in MLS. Look, I fully agree that Bastian Schweinsteiger is a world class player. Taken IN ISOLATION, its a good signing. But for THIS club, is he the right player? I dunno. I'm sure he can prove to Logan Pause fans that even DMFs can pass the ball forward, but is he the creative force that Nikolic needs to be effective? He's a great DMF, but is THAT what this team needs, when we're not even sure that they can put together 4 MLS caliber defenders on gameday? Or an MLS-caliber GK? Or, for that matter, fix the very present structural deficiencies that plague this club? And exactly how is a 6 month commitment "building the club?" After all, this was a signing that was based on one time infusions of GAM/TAM that won't be around in a year from now. Do you actually believe that Andrew will be able to ask for a raise in his allowance next year, in order to keep BS? For me, Schweinsteiger is a shiny bauble to distract Iron81 types and mouthbreathing morons, like a squirrel distracts your dog when you take him out for a walk. I actually think it would be better for this club to win a 3rd straight Wooden Spoon, so as to hasten Andrew to the seller's table.
@Khan, glad you have come out from under your curmudgeon rock to chime in. We all see of the potential pitfalls in a move like this, but, it is the first positive move the team has made in years. I will just clarify two points. "Building the club"- I meant this from a couple of perspectives. First, the team will play better, as the team is significantly more talented now and Schweinsteiger will make the players around him better. I have no doubt about that. If (as has been raised in other threads) we have a group of super young, apparently talented midfielders on the team (Fernandez, Mihailovic and Lindley, even Polster), what better teacher can we have for them than one of the world's great midfielders, and a CM who played advanced and withdrawn (as opposed to a Valderrama -type or even Beckham-type one trick pony)? Second-If (as many people on this here BigSoccer have speculated) this move, like the All Star Game coming to Chicago, is all about the league polishing up the team for purposes of a sale this summer/fall, then it will build the team in the short and long run. Of course, none of us actually know this for certain.
Sorry xtomx, I agree with most of Khan's points supplemented with some embellishments. I promise to scrub thoroughly and become presentable soon enough. Closer in the sense than if you're in Indianapolis you're closer to Columbus than if you're in Chicago, but you're still not in Columbus (thank God). Regardless of what you, or I, believe the general consensus is thumbs up on Schweinie to the Fire. It hardly improves the product on the field to championship caliber, but the Q factor jumped exponentially. MLS looks at Fire shirts selling out online and a bushel basket full of Schweinie's 4 million Twitter followers tossed in to the hopper with the previous 120k followers the Fire had and smiles a winner's smile. Of course this signing is style over substance if your goal is to produce a consistent quality side year after year. Able, or not - willing, or not - that opportunity passed Andell Inc. by years ago. Andell is almost as much a pain in the ass to MLS as they are to Fire supporters. Another Wooden Spoon isn't going to make the price of the club more (or less) attractive to a buyer. MLS needs to put buzz into THIS CLUB to make more money on the next 6-7 buyers from whom they want to collect the big money.
Jesus ********ing Christ! When I start to agree with Khan, BigSoccer becomes a place that's uncomfortable even for me.
I am not disagreeing with the analysis, but I choose (for once) to look at the positives and potentials of the move. Had we signed, say, Xavi, instead of Schweinsteiger, I would be in complete agreement with all of the "face-saving, lipstick on a schwein, we should have plowed the money into the infrastructure, the player may be broken down...." cynicism and bitching. We all have our blind spots and mine involves great German players. I am happy to admit my own biases. Why do you all think I was pitching Miroslav Klose for the better part of four years? (besides the fact that he would have absolutely ruled MLS...if we also had a CAM or decent passing wings) Plus, we just signed Bastian f'n Schweinsteiger.
How about Scweinie Dancer, Schweinie Happy People, or Red Red Schwein? I wouldn't want people to call me Schweinie either. That being said, Dan Kelly might do just that.
Been drinking Hacker Pschorr all weekend in anticipation of Bastions arrival. Did you know that the Germans pronounce the P in Pschorr? My German relatives laughed when I pronounced it as Hacker Shore. What do I know. Still excited to see Bastion in a Fire jersey. Still a bit uneasy that the date is April 1st and all.
I would say Dan Kelly could go f@ck himself, but he probably would and it would be the only thing he could do.
What are odds of seeing him play Saturday? Not sure if i can get ride to game but, might be able to get ride to metra and hop orange line down. Not sure if worth time investment. Then again I live in Indiana and might lose my ********ing mind if stuck at home on the one day i got off.
I would go to the game. At least give it a try. Spending another day in Indiana is far worse than the other options that you have.
Probably. Does the cta day pass cover the pace ride and stuff? Trying to figure out way to spend least amount of money. Well apparently there is a pub to pitch thingy close enough to a metra station that it might just make sense to do that. Sit on a bench and stare at seagulls in the meantime might not be a bad idea. Might be more interesting than the game tbh
Everyone save your dollars and get ready for a Schweinsteiger scarf coming soon. Might be available/pre-sale on April 1.
My improv teacher says that his son has been calling him "The Speeding Sausage". I corrected him by telling him that the direct translation of his name is "Pig-rider".
Have we heard when he'll first play yet? I'd like to be there, but it'll take some negotiating this weekend since it's my daughter's first birthday party Sunday.