Exclusive Interview: Former Fire Defender Jared Montz

We recently had the opportunity to ask former Fire defender Jared Montz some questions. The questions range from the current Fire roster to the USMNT to his soccer academy to the future of MLS. We hope you’ll enjoy the interview as much as we did! Make sure to check out both of Jared’s websites once you’re done reading through the interview, they are both very good resources for young athletes. 

Help Wanted: Section 8 Calls on Timbers Army for Support at the USOC Final

Timbers Army has dressed in red and helped bolster the Fire section in Seattle before

Apparently the bond between Timbers Army and Section 8 is about to grow stronger. Someone posted a Craigslist ad in Portland asking the Timbers Army to wear red (preferably Fire gear) and go to the USOC game in Seattle to support the Fire. The full ad can be read on the MLS Rumors story.

First of all, it is a very cool idea. I mean Section 8 and Timbers Army have a good history, and TA has helped support the Fire in Seattle before (Pictured above). CenturyLink Field is 2,070 miles from Toyota Park – and the flights to Seattle average around $300 for the time of the match. Clearly many of our most die hard of supporters won’t even be able to make the trip out to the west coast during the middle of the week, but we still need someone there to make noise and support our club – who better to ask for a favor than the group who hates the Seattle Sounders most? The feud between Seattle and Portland runs deep, quite possibly even deep enough for TA members to travel to Seattle, don Fire regalia, and cheer on our Men in Red – all to see their rivals lose some hardware.

Of course we all wish we could be there to cheer on our Fire, but the truth is most of us have class or jobs or both, and we can’t just leave in the middle of the week to travel across the country – much as we’d love to. So, in our absence maybe TA will step up and help us out. Make some noise Timbers Army!

Timbers Army is one of the most menacing supporters groups in MLS.

Orr Barouch Starts for Israel U-21, Fire Look to Stay Hot Against San Jose, and a Look Forward to the Rest of the Season

Orr Barouch played 68 minutes for the Israel U-21 side today.

The English U-21 club defeated the Israeli U-21 side today 4 goals to 1. More importantly however, is that Chicago Fire’s own Orr Barouch was in the starting XI for the Israeli U-21 side, and played close to 70 minutes in the match. According to the Chicago Fire twitter page, Barouch helped set up the only goal for the Israeli U-21’s.

Back here in the States, the Fire are preparing to go back to battle this Saturday in San Jose. It’s been said over and over during the last couple of weeks, but this club needs to get 3 points every time they step onto the pitch right now. It’s that simple. Chicago and San Jose have faced off twice already this season, with a US Open Cup match going to Chicago in San Jose back on May 24. Only four days later the two sides met again in MLS action, this time in Toyota Park. Oduro and Gibbs both scored for the Men in Red, but they couldn’t do better than a draw. Most of you will remember the epic Cory Gibbs diving header that equalized that match, late.

Fire Hitting Top Form at Right Time – But How Are They Doing It?

The arrival of Sebastian Grazzini has really given a jolt to the attacking third.

It is the best feeling in the world. Our Chicago Fire look to be hitting top form at the most perfect time of the year. As we close in on the final few matches before the MLS Cup playoffs, the Fire have started to really roll, taking away six points vs. Toronto FC and Colorado. A two game winning streak is not something to normally get overly excited about, but if you’ve watched the last few matches – any of this season really – there is a hope that better things are just over the horizon. On top of that, the Men in Red secured a chance at their record tying 5th US Open Cup last night, beating Richmond 2-1 at Toyota Park.

It is always a joy to watch your team hit top form (as a Fire and Chelsea fan, it can be hit or miss) but when a team that has performed the way the Fire have this season, you have to ask how they are turning it on all of a sudden. Of course there are a number of reasons, but here are a few.

A Little Richmond Kickers Knowledge Ahead of Tuesday’s Tilt

Richmond keeper Ronnie Pascale is on a bit of a run lately.

I know a lot of people probably don’t follow the USL Pro very often. Don’t know much about the Richmond Kickers? That’s okay, we’ll give you all you need to know about the club right here – that way you’re prepared going into Tuesday’s all-important match.

Who are they? The Richmond Kickers were formed in 1993 as a member of the USISL. In 1995, the Kickers won both their league championship as well as the US Open Cup – beating the El Paso Patriots (USISL Pro) in the final.

The Kickers have had many MLS players on their roster at one time or another, most notably DC United’s Dwayne De Rosario, who netted 17 goals in 35 appearances in a Kickers kit.

They’ve won three league titles and the one USOC title in their short history.

What to watch out for:

• The leading goalscorer for Richmond this year is Englishman Matthew Delicate who has put 10 in the back of the net this year.
• Their keeper, Ronnie Pascale, has not allowed a goal since July 30 against Pittsburgh Riverhounds.
• 23 year old defender Henry Kalungi is definitely their iron man, having played 2236 minutes so far this season.
• So far against MLS teams in the USOC this season, Richmond has outscored SKC and Columbus 4-1.

Looking Ahead – Fire Welcome Colorado and Richmond to Toyota Park this Week

Frank Klopas has some decisions to make about how to handle his lineups over the next few days.

The Chicago Fire have a very important two game stretch coming up over the next few days. On Saturday the Men in Red will take on defending MLS Cup champion Colorado Rapids and then will have a quick turnaround before their Tuesday tilt with the USL Pro side Richmond Kickers in a US Open Cup semifinal matchup. Both matches are very important to the team, and both will present their own unique set of challenges. It will be of the utmost importance for the Fire to come away from these two matches with victories. The Colorado match presents an opportunity to build on their win last weekend against Toronto FC and continue to make a push for the final playoff spot. A victory in the Richmond match will see the Fire through to the US Open Cup finals and put them one win away from a shot in the CONCACAF Champions League next season. 

Fire Need to Focus on USOC

On Saturday Chicago will face Colorado at home in a match that could either crush our playoff hopes or keep us alive for one more game. Let’s face it, we’re basically already out of the running this season with only 24 points in 25 games. Don’t get me wrong, there’s still a chance, but it will be a very hard fight. The way I see it, the Fire should take it easy against the Rapids on Saturday in order to play strong against a surprisingly tough Richmond Kickers side in Tuesday’s USOC Semifinal. Richmond have done amazingly well so far, beating KC (2-0) and Columbus (2-1) in the last two rounds and scoring 12 goals in only 4 games during USOC play. It’s obvious that Richmond are serious about winning. The Open Cup will be their biggest accomplishment this year, hell, this decade. The way the Fire season is going, the Open Cup will be our biggest accomplishment of the year as well. And damn it, the Kings of the Cup need to defend their crown. Five years is long enough. I just hope the fans can be patient through Saturday night if Frank Klopas does decide to rest some of our key players for the Semifinal on Tuesday.

If you haven’t seen it yet, check out this video of the Fire USOC goals.

Setting Records, Missed Opportunities, Offside Goals, and Tired or Saving Up for Sunday? A Recap of Chicago Fire v. DC United

That expression says it all...

The 15,000 + who showed up at Toyota Park on Thursday night were treated to a record breaking performance – one I’m sure none of them hoped would happen. The scene was a familiar one to Fire supporters as the Fire let a 2nd half lead get away and the result was a record breaking 15th draw. Of course it wouldn’t be a proper Fire match without some controversy, so let’s get into it.

Heading into Thursday’s match saw the Fire sitting at 2-7-14, with only 20 points and in the cellar of the Eastern conference. Their 14 draws tied FC Dallas (2010) for the most in one MLS campaign. We were all hoping for a full three from this match, especially after the strong road performance we saw against RBNY over the weekend – but deep down we all knew the result before the first touch. As I have said over and over, this was the Fire’s 15th draw – more surprising than that however, it was the 20th time in 2011 (across all competitions) that the Fire scored one goal or fewer. I can’t even think of an adjective fitting enough to describe how anemic that is, so I am not even going to try. 

No More Eddie Johnson to MLS? Orr Barouch Called Up by Israel U-21. And More on the Marco Pappa Rumors.

Fire forward Orr Barouch has gotten the call from the Israel U-21 side.

Yesterday, MLS announced the return of former MLS and USMNT striker Eddie Johnson from Europe. There was lots of speculation around the internet – including here – about where Johnson would end up, but now it seems that is no longer necessary. According to this report from the official league website, Johnson will no longer be returning to MLS. It has been rumored that he was unhappy with the amount of money being discussed for his services.

In more exciting news, Fire forward Orr Barouch has received the call to play for Israel U-21 in an upcoming friendly versus England. We’ve seen some great things from Barouch this season, and this will be a great opportunity for him to represent his country as well as work on his skills some more. He will reportedly leave to join the Israel U-21 side after the USOC semi-final match against Richmond Kickers.

And finally, according to MLSSoccer.com beat reporter, Sam Stejskal, Marco Pappa has not yet been contacted by FC Twente. With rumors swirling around about Pappa’s possible departure from Toyota Park to join the Dutch side, Stejskal tweeted, “Just spoke to Marco Pappa, he said he has not been contacted by FC Twente.” As we approach the closing of the Dutch transfer window on September 1, these rumors could continue to swirl and keep Fire supporters on edge for a couple more weeks.

Looking Ahead – Kings of the Cup

Can the Fire be the Kings of the Cup for a fifth time?

Exactly two weeks from today, Chicago Fire will step onto the pitch with the goal of getting one step closer to their fifth US Open Cup title – a feat that has only been done by two other teams in the long history of the tournament. The match will be held at Toyota Park against the USL Pro side Richmond Kickers.

Before you start chuckling about the Fire being matched up against a USL Pro side in the semi-finals of this tournament, keep in mind that the Kickers went into Livestrong Sporting Park and knocked off MLS side Sporting Kansas City 2-0 in the quarter-final round.