Chicago Fire FC's future is once again in limbo following Thursday's announcement that they've parted ways with head coach Raphael Wicky amid another season that has the Fire struggling near the bottom of the Eastern Conference table.
Where does Chicago go from here? What will it take to get the club back on a winning trajectory? The Extratime crew took a stab at answering those questions on their latest episode, starting with a sharp assessment of the current roster from co-host Andrew Wiebe.
"I'm not sure that anybody on this team has been a game-changer in a positive way," Wiebe said. "It's been a comedy of errors at times for the last two years, when we've talked repeatedly in the show like, 'The Fire have just figured out ways to shoot themselves in the foot over and over and over and over.' And well, that's not Raphael Wicky's fault necessarily, his players are the ones making those plays, he is the one setting things up and putting the team out there. So, who's gonna take responsibility in this business? It's going to be Raphael Wicky, and that's what's happened."
But the issues extend far beyond the manager, Wiebe said. Barring a mathematical miracle, they'll finish this year making the Audi MLS Cup Playoffs just twice from 2010-21.
"They haven't made the playoffs in like 10 of 12 seasons," Wiebe added. "The rot is much deeper than Raphael Wicky, but he was always going to be this first domino to fall and so he has fallen."
Co-host Charlie Davies, recalling since-dispelled rumors to bring in Robert Lewandowski and contrasting that with current Fire target man Robert Beric, took issue with how the front office has built the team – even after a much-ballyhooed move back to the Windy City following a stint in Bridgeview.
"I think moving to Soldier Field for the Chicago Fire, you would expect, man, we're going to be dominant at home and we want to have an entertaining team with stars," Davies said. "That's what you want to show off being in Chicago. It's an incredible city, and they've done everything but that."
Beric is one of three Designated Players in Chicago, with midfielder Gaston Gimenez and attacker Ignacio Aliseda the others. They've all delivered in spurts, but not consistently – and defensive miscues in crucial moments have proven fatal.
"I just don't understand the idea behind some of their signings and how they've built this team," he added. "And when you look at how they built this team, that does fall on the GM and Raphael Wicky. So from that standpoint, I think they made the right decision in going a different way, and now you have to assess before the season even ends: What direction are you going in Chicago? Who are you going to be? Are you going to be an Eastern Conference powerhouse ... and sign a big-name, a star?"
For more on the Fire (and the rest of the league), listen to the latest Extratime episode here.
