Hey, my new column's up. If you're lazy, the point is that we're attracting better CONCACAF players than in the past (Onandi Lowe vs. Williams/Ralph/Ziadie/Taylor, for example), which I think is going a long way toward making us the dominant league in the region. Which is necessary before we can even talk about being on par with Europe. Later, COZ
There's also one on the Fire youth development pyramid...apparently the Juniors are the biggest club in Illinois now.
Good article, and I like that we are able to see so many up and coming CONCACAF players here in MLS. Hopefully the trend continues.
I am extremely excited about the fire's developmental program. They are far ahead of everyone else in the MLS. As the league matures the Fire will be the team every club will try to emulate.
Well there was a column about it on the club site. It seems to have completely disappeared from this morning. Unless it's a game story new news is so frigging hard to find on the new site. You can't always tell if there are new articles or press releases easily if they aren't banner headline important. Awful. In any case, what it said is the Juniors now have over 900 youth players in Illinois, making them the largest youth club. There is this, however in the press releases, Elm Grove Soccer Club of Milwaukee has become another branch of the Chicago Fire Juniors pyramid. More here, as well.
Stop the press! I completely agree with a Man Utd supporter.....snicker. Just messing with ya. I have noticed that we seem to keep developing quality and have not fallen that far off the pace from other clubs who come and go. This is an excellent foundation for generations of great Fire footballers.
After long hours of painstaking investigation and detective work here is a link to the article. I couldn't agree more. And then stuff just disappears never to again see the light of day. Piss poor operation, if you ask me.
Thanks. I notice they are very careful to avoid mentioning there is really no link between the Jrs developing players for the Fire specifically.
I think that that is a very good point and one that was (apparently) not picked up by Knapp, since she says "They are ... insuring their team a pool of talented players to choose from." (Emphasis mine.)
You'll always get just enough inuendo to assure the soccer moms plunk down their bucks. But those of us that know all Fire players have MLS contracts know better.
Well I don't see why you can't consider them or the Reserves part of the club. I don't consider the team to stop at the 24 man roster. While there is no direct leap between the local devlopment programs and the big club yet the affiliation exists and the reserves have already produced a number of MLS players. It may not be as traditional as some other countries but if you ask any of those kids who they play for they'll say 'the Chicago Fire' and that's good enough for me.