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Juan Carlos Osario has been working hard in the off season to get us to the top of the MLS for the first time in nearly 10 years. I think if one man is going to do it it has to be Osario. He has the experience of working with top players in England and South America as well as having contacts in South America which could see some flashy Brazilians in our ranks this season.
He has named Denis Hamlett as his assistant who has been in the job now for 10 years. He is well liked by the public and was everyones choice for the top job before Osario came along. Daryl Shore will also help out with his dual role of goalkeeper coach and head of player development. He is another who has been with the fire for several years and everyone at the club rates him highly.
On the transfer front there has only been a few rumours although there has been one offer in for Thiago. Thiago is a good player but the prospect of several draft picks was be too good to turn down for Osario. Justin Mapp has been linked with a move to Spain as well as a make weight in a deal for Pablo Mastroeni. Pablo would be a great signing to replace Armas but we don't have enough width as it is and without Mapp it would only get worse. Another big player Ivan Guerrero is supposedly being chased by Fulham in the Premiership. He is a player I really don't want to leave but I'm hoping his last bad experience in England with Coventry will put him off the move.
Logan Pause is also wanted by Colorado. He is versatile and has been consistent every time he has put the fire shirt on so I wouldn't want to let him leave. Mike Banner who we picked up in the draft is wanted by Chicago Premiers. I think a loan would be good for him as I don't see him getting much game time with us and getting game time with men will toughen him up for the MLS.
In other MLS news, there has been an influx of South Americans to the MLS. Dallas have brought in a young Brazilian centre midfielder called Rodrigo as well as Freddy Garcia who was a favourite of mine during his time at Colorado.He is a great play maker, who I'm looking forward to see him again. New York brought in Mauricio Victorino, a centre back from Uruguay who last played for Nacional as well as Eltinho who was another Brazilian. Salt Lake have brought back to the USA, Wilmar Perez. I remember him at Columbus and he always had that real ability on the ball. All these South Americans can only improve the league and I just hope we bring in our own talented South Americans soon.
It is now official, Thiago has left us to join Houston. It's been reported that the deal was for several draft picks, which I hope were good ones. Still they may be useless with Houston's dominance of the league last season. Thiago will strengthen Houston and will bring flair to there team but he was injured a lot when playing for us although he scored some absolute beauties while in the fire shirt, especially that goal in the US Cup final which I still remember brightly. I always thought he should have been a winger though as he has the ability to guide by defenders but he lacked the strength to take challenges and hold off defenders.
I have no idea who we could sign to replace him. We could try something big and go for Dwayne De Rosario or Christian Gomez but I doubt we would have room in our wage budget for them. I would like us to sign someone with the ability to run at players and create opportunities. With still no senior international spots free, Osario may have to offload someone else before heading down to South America for a cheap replacement for Thiago or we could see what we can pick up in the upcoming waive draft.
Osario has now waived Daniel Woolard, a right back picked up in the Supplemental draft this year. He was our last pick and seeing him in the Superdraft matches last season, he looked to be good enough as defender but he lacked the speed and strength to play in the MLS. Centreback Willian Oliveira has also been waived after joining us last season, from a club in the Carribean. He once again looked solid defensively when he got on the pitch but he lacked the speed and height to be a MLS player. I hope with these two spots free, we will have room to bring in more midfielders, especially a midfielder to replace Thiago.
In other MLS news, Chivas brought in another Mexican although with him being 35 I can't see what impact he will make, and New England have gone to there motherland, the UK, to bring across the pond a defender called George Pilkington who has been playing in the English 3rd division. He would fit in New England with Dorman, a Welshman also playing in New Hampshire and New England could have picked up either a gem or another Andy Welsh with this signing.
The players have been working hard over the last month getting there fitness up for the new season. I hope Osario himself has been looking for new talents as the season is getting closer and closer. There have been rumours that Walter Conde may be used as a make weight in a deal for Sasha Victorine or even be waived by Osario. Victorine would be a good signing as he would provide is us with a big, tough and hardworking midfield enforcer although I would have preferred someone more attack minded. Still these are only rumours.
In our first outing of the season we defeated our reserve side 6-0. Armas rolled back the years to put in an energetic performance with him assisting and scoring a great diving header. Blanco showed his quality with an excellent volley as well as finishing off a great move of 16 passes. Brian Plotkin, Barret and Monteiro also scored as we demolished the reserves.
The waiver draft is coming up and my next blog update will be my preview of the draft
The waiver draft is finally here. The draft has its fair share of shocks as well as including Chicago three Willian Oliviera, Daniel Woolard and William Conde. Cobi Jones has to be the biggest shock in the draft with him available for his last MLS season. Canadian international Adrian Serioux is available after being waived by Dallas while Peter Vagenas has also joined the waiver list. The player I hope we sign the most has to be Clint Mathis. Although he has had his share of fitness problems recently, if Osario could get him fit we could have one of the MLS's best players in our ranks.
Houston, Chivas, Kansas, New York, DC United, Colorado chose to skip the draft. Salt Lake got the first pick by signing Cobi Jones for his last MLS season. It is a great coup with him sure to bring in the crowds. Columbus got the 2006 second overall pick, Ryan Pore, who's scoring rate at College level was magnificant and Columbus must hope he can recreating that form for them. I was disapointed as Dallas picked up Mathis who was the best pick in my opinion of the draft.
Osario chose Peter Vagenas as our pick. Vagenas has played for the national team and has been with Los Angeles for 6 years. He is an athletic player who is more defence minded and did a great job marking Thiago last year when we played Galaxy. Could be a good addiiton but we still have been unable to get that attacking midfielder we need.
New England picked up Adrian Serioux who will be a quality addition for them with his great long throws. Los Angeles got Carlos Mendes who was the 6th overall draft pick last year and was a player I thought New York would want to keep. Salt Lake got Ecuadorian international Roberto Mina who was really the last experienced player in the draft. Columbus got 8th overall pick from last year Sal Cacavale while Dallas got the 6th overall with Bill Gaudette.
We picked up tall rightback and accomplished Canadian youth international Kevin Harmse next. Osario said he got Harmse to play as a centre midfielder so once again he will bring depth but won't be that attacking option we need. Harmse is tall and dominates aerially but is still a bit of a rough diamond.
New England got young Brazilian winger Ricardinho while Los Angeles finished the draft by signing another Brazilian Marcelo Saragosa. Both are exciting players but Osario must have had his reasons for not selecting them.
Overall I thought we did decently in the draft despite not getting that attacking midfielder we wanted. Vagenas and Harmse are both workman like midfielders so I just hope Osario has a South American up his sleeve to solve the situation.
The Great Chicago Fire Never Ended 
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