In a roundtable discussion with reporters Friday, Chicago Fire general manager Nelson Rodriguez admitted that while he’s not happy with the team’s 1-5-4 record this season, he was aware that the young team would struggle at times. And, he said, he believes the players are learning and have shown great determination and character throughout.
“It’s taken a lot to beat us,’’ he said, noting that the team has trailed by two goals for only 22 minutes this season. “That’s not enough, but it does show me that we are progressing and we are moving in the right direction.’’
Rodriguez said he is pleased with rookie head coach Veljko Paunovic, who he said is focused on winning each game. When asked about striking the proper balance between winning now and building for the future, the Fire GM said the team is trying to do both at the same time.
“We owe our fans, we owe ourselves to try to win now,’’ Rodriguez said. “And we define competitiveness as being relentless in pursuit of victory – at all times, but not at all costs.’’
Rodriguez said his expectations for this season have not changed because of the slow start.
“My expectations are that when we hit October, we are competing for a playoff spot,’’ he said. “And we are playing meaningful games in October.’’
That is the same message he delivered to the Fire’s ownership group when they met last week in Los Angeles, he said.
Rodriguez said the team won't make excuses for its slow start, but he did mention injuries, youth, and the delayed arrival of Dutch forward Michael De Leeuw as factors in that start. Chicago had made an offer to De Leeuw’s club, FC Groningen, back in April, but Groningen felt it needed De Leeuw to finish the Eredivisie season. So De Leeuw won’t be able to join the Fire until the July transfer window opens.
With De Leeuw on the way, Rodriguez said the Fire are not looking to do much in the summer transfer window. Unless some extraordinary opportunity presents itself, the club will instead spend the time trying to identify targets for acquisition when the January window opens, he said.
In the meantime, he expects the team to keep fighting, keep learning and improving, and he looks at each game as another opportunity to turn things around, starting on Saturday evening at Toyota Park against the Houston Dynamo (5 pm ET, MLS LIVE).
“We are fully concentrated on the opportunity that Houston gives us to start a positive streak,’’ Rodriguez said.
