Tag: MLS

MLS 2018: Despite his disastrous tenure at Aston Villa, Remi Garde is still quite a coup for Montreal Impact.

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When Remi Garde left his position as Aston Villa manager in March 2016, his managerial reputation was in tatters. 

The 51-year-old Frenchman won just two of his 20 league matches in charge of the Villans, which culminated a win percentage of just 10%. It’s the lowest of any Aston Villa manager in the club’s history.

Yet, his unveiling as Montreal Impact’s fifth head coach in seven years is still quite a coup for the Canadian outfit and for the MLS in general.

Before his disastrous spell at Villa Park, Garde had worked up a rather impressive CV. As a player he won at least one trophy at every club he played for- including a Premier League title with Arsenal in 1997-98.

The former Lyon, Strasbourg and Gunners midfielder also saw success follow him in his early coaching career.

Garde took over from the dismissed Claude Puel at Lyon in 2011. During his time in charge of Les Gones he won two trophies – the Coupe de France and Trophèe des champions.

This resulted in him being linked to some of the biggest jobs in football – including a possible return to the Emirates to replace his mentor Arsene Wenger.

Whilst his ill-fated tenure at Villa has probably seen that opportunity fade away for Garde, the manager’s job at the Villans was at the time a poisoned chalice.

The club were rooted to the bottom of the Premier League, and the players at the club lacked the desire the 51-year-old demanded. A promise of January signings by Randy Lerner never materialised into nothing more than false pretences. You could therefore say that he had no chance of turning the fortunes of the club around.

It may surprise some that he’s decided to move halfway across the world for his new managerial venture at Montreal, but his appointment may prove to be shrewd bit of business by owner Joey Saputo.

The main issue will be the longevity of this partnership between Garde and Impact.

Montreal have a reputation in the MLS to hire and fire head coaches on a consistent basis. The 51-year-old becomes the franchises’ fifth in just seven seasons, and may need to get off to a strong start in order to keep the board happy.

On the other hand, the temptation and the glamour of European football could sway Garde back across the Atlantic Ocean should he do well in Canada. He only lasted at Lyon for three years before leaving for family reasons. Neither party likes to overstay their welcome.

The Frenchman is another recognisable manager to have joined the MLS in recent seasons as the league’s appeal continues to gradually grow. Former Barcelona and Argentina boss Tata Martino became head coach at Atlanta United last year, with Bob Bradley returning to the league to take charge at new franchise Los Angeles FC.

Garde has had all winter to prepare his team ahead of their opener against Vancouver Whitecaps this weekend. A key signing he has brought in is that of former Inter Milan midfielder Saphir Taïder to help bolster the midfield.

Last year was one to forget for Impact, with a ninth place finish in the Eastern Conference and 17th overall. But if Garde can find that formula that saw him win trophies with Lyon, he could make this Montreal side a real force in the league and regular post-season contenders.

Something that will surely have a positive impact on his dented managerial career and help him recover that early reputation of being one of the best in the business.

 

 

 

 

 

MLS: Sporting Kansas City remain unbeaten, Colorado struggle and David Villa scores outrageous goal for NYCFC.

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With six matches now played, this season’s contenders are starting to emerge. 

When you reach six matches into the season, you can begin to make an indications on who will achieve what come the end of the campaign.

However this year’s MLS is proving to be the closest one yet, and a good run will see one team climb up either table frantically.

One team which has done just that is Sporting Kansas City, who rose to second in the Western Conference after beating Portland Timbers 1-0 at Providence Park.

Dom Dwyer headed in his second goal of the campaign as the away side remained unbeaten this season with three wins and three draws.

Tim Melia made some crucial saves to deny Portland. His best was stopping Nagbe’s 25-year goal bound effort by touching it onto the crossbar.

“We are playing well,” said Dwyer after the game.

“We are passing the ball around nicely and controlling games which is very positive. We remain undefeated and today was a real solid team performance from front to back.”

Sporting KC manager Peter Vermes, who was taking charge of his 300th game, was also very happy with how his team played at a very difficult Portland side.

“We came to play and weren’t nervous. We didn’t let the emotion of the game rattle us,” he said.

At the other end of the spectrum, Colorado Rapids fell to the bottom of the Western Conference after a 2-1 home loss to a resurgent Real Salt Lake.

Defeat marked the end of Colorado’s two-year unbeaten home record in MLS, whilst RSL made it two wins out of two under Mike Petke.

Kevin Doyle headed the home side in front with a powerful header that Nick Rimando failed to keep out.

Yuri Movsisyan equalised from the penalty spot with seven minutes to go, before Brooks Lennon scored a winner for the visitors with a low strike from 18-yards.

“They sat back and we struggled to play our style,” Lennon said after the game.

“On and off the pitch, we have come together and are now benefiting from it. We are on a good run and hope to continue it.”

Another team struggling are Philadelphia Union, who lost to New York City 2-0 at Talen Energy Stadium.

Jack Harrison scored the first for the visitors with a first time left-footed strike, before veteran striker David Villa produced a moment of magic to seal the points.

The former World Cup winner and NYCFC captain lobbed Andre Blake from over 50 yards in stoppage time.

“I saw the keeper was off his line and thought to just try it,” Villa said after the game.

“I don’t know if I will score from that distance again, I tried it against Philadelphia last year and hit the crossbar so this one went better.”

Boos rung out for the home side at full-time, with Philadelphia bottom of the Eastern Conference and winless so far, adding pressure on manager Jim Curtin.

Elsewhere, Vancouver Whitecaps made it back-to back wins at home after defeating Seattle Sounders 2-1, Montreal Impact recorded their first win of the year against Atlanta United by the same scoreline, and Chicago Fire comfortably beat New England Revolution 3-0.

Also, New York Red Bulls beat DC United 2-0 at Red Bull Arena, and Columbus Crew returned to the top of the Eastern Conference thanks to a 2-1 win over Toronto FC.

Finally, Dallas and San Jose Earthquakes could only draw 1-1, and Minnesota United fought back from 2-0 down to draw 2-2 with Houston Dynamo at BBVA Compass Arena.

MLS: Vital win for Real Salt Lake, back-to back victories for DC United, and defeat on the road again for Houston Dynamo.

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Here is a round up of all the action on a busy Saturday in America’s top division. 

It’s always common that a team improves dramatically when a manager comes in at a football club. Mike Petke and Real Salt Lake are no different.

On Saturday night, RSL made light work of Vancouver Whitecaps with a 3-0 win at the Rio Tinto Stadium.

Battling against the torrential snow, the home side finally went in front after Albert Rusnak ran into the box, cut in on his right foot, and fired the ball into the bottom left corner.

The 22-year old Slovakian then provided the assist for RSL’s second of the game when he picked out a free Yura Movsisyan. The striker curled his shot into the bottom right corner for his third of the season.

Rusnak claimed yet another assist when his corner was met on the volley by Luke Mulholland as the home side finally ended their longest winless run at home in the club’s history.

It was RSL’s first win at Rio Tinto Stadium in seven matches, and first in MLS for thirteen. You could sense the relief from the players and fans at the final whistle.

Petke, who took charge of the side following the sacking of Jeff Cassar earlier in the season, couldn’t be more proud of his team.

“We want to play for the supporters. The support they show this team is amazing. Tonight was a building block, a stepping stone,” he told RSL.

“I am very happy for the players. They showed they wanted it more in that second half when the conditions were almost unplayable.”

Pekte’s team would like to replicate the recent upturn in form of DC United, who made it two wins on the bounce with a 2-1 victory against New York City FC.

Lloyd Sam (who was making his 100th MLS start) opened the scoring, capatalising on a Frederic Brilliant mistake to slot the ball past Sean Johnson in the New York goal.

Sam almost got his second but his fierce shot was parried by Johnson, but Luciano Acosta did double the host’s lead when tapped in the rebound.

David Villa scored with a low shot into the bottom right corner to set up a nervy finish but it was Ben Olsen’s side that held on for all three points.

Goalkeeper Ben Hamid made some crucial saves when the score was 0-0, and he says that DC are now challenging their MLS rivals after a tough start.

“We’ve had to roll with the punches, and we got punched pretty hard in the beginning of the season,” he told the Washington Post.

“But we’ve now started throwing some punches of our own.”

DC are level on points with New England Revolution, after they defeated Houston Dynamo 2-0 at the Gillette Stadium.

Kei Kamara and Juan Agudelo grabbed the goals for the home side, who are now unbeaten in their last three MLS matches.

For the Dynamo their inconsistent form continues. Despite a 100% home record, the team from Texas are yet to pick up a point on the road this season.

Kelyn Rowe told the press after the game: “We knew we had to come out hard. They are a good team, but we were at home and we had to make a stand.

“We did a very good job defensively. We made sure they didn’t have any clear cut chances.”

Elsewhere, Chicago Fire defeated Coloumbus Crew 1-0, and LA Galaxy picked up a crucial 2-0 win over Montreal Impact.

Toronto FC and Atlanta United played out an entertaining 2-2 draw, whilst San Jose and Seattle shared the spoils with a 1-1 draw.

Portland won at winless Philadelphia Union 3-1 and FC Dallas picked up three points after defeating Minnesota United 2-0.

MLS Daily: Diego Valeri is proving why he is so instrumental for Portland Timbers this season.

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The Argentine has netted five goals in five MLS games in 2017. 

Diego Valeri is certainly the most exciting player in the American top flight currently.

Yes, that is a bold statement. Especially when you consider the starts Josef Martinez and Erick Torres have both made in the MLS this year.

But the Argentinian playmaker has been doing this for Portland year after year since his arrival in Oregon back in 2013.

A former Porto loanee, this guy is the real deal. He is someone who will once again be a contender for this year’s MVP in the MLS, an award he won back in 2015.

Why? For one he brings goals to the team. Valeri already has five goals in as many games this term, adding to his previous 37 over a four-year period. He is currently second on the MLS goalscoring charts this season behind Houston’s Torres.

He is also crucial in providing assists for his team. He may only have one so far this season, but he is very good at unlocking defences and playing killer balls into either the channels or into the box for forwards. Overall, he has provided 36 assists during his time at Portland.

The Argentine scored without doubt the goal of the week last time out, with a superb volley against New England Revolution.

He spoke to Portland Timber’s media team after they drew 1-1 to their Eastern Conference opponents, and admitted the result was disappointing.

“We played deeper then we wanted,” he said.

“They are a good team but the result is bad. We did enough to win.

“We will take the positives from this game though and prepare for Philadelphia next week.”

With over 100 appearances for the club, Valeri is a icon at Providence Park. The Timber Army adore their playmaker.

His 42 goals for the Timbers is just three shy of Fanendo Adi and John Bain’s all-time record for goals scored at the club.

Adi has benefited hugely from having the 30-year old behind him. The Nigerian striker joined a year later than Valeri, but his goalscoring record speaks for itself having matched his Argentinian teammate’s tally in 12 months less.

In fact, since both made their debuts for Portland, Adi is second in the MLS goal charts and Valeri is first for assists. That shows how much of an influence they have had on the league these past few seasons.

Portland need him to stay fit if they are to replicate their 2015 MLS Cup win. Without his goals and assist this season, Portland would not be top of the Western Conference. He galvanises the team, and helps players play at their best when they are alongside him, learning from him and using his assets to strengthen their own.

Valeri is heading towards the prime years of his career. Watch this space, he could cause a storm in the MLS for the next few campaigns.

 

MLS Daily: Columbus win again, Minnesota grab first ever MLS victory and Galaxy thrashed in Vancouver.

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29 goals have been scored in the MLS this weekend. 

Columbus Crew continue their impressive start to the season with a 2-0 victory against Orlando City at the Mapfre stadium.

Justin Meram scored twice for Gregg Berhalter’s men, as they stretched their winning run to three successive matches.

The Iraqi international netted his first with a low shot into the bottom right corner inside the opening 15 minutes. He then doubled his and his team’s lead in a similar fashion on 76 minutes.

“He’s flying,” Crew SC captain Wil Trapp told mlssoccer.com.

“He’s on another level when he’s confident. He’s been contributing in every single game this year. I think him signing that new deal and getting his footing underneath him and being able to move forward without anything hanging over his head has really been good.”

Minnesota United finally had something to cheer about after a tough start in their debut season in MLS.

A brace from Christian Ramirez, along with goals from Kevin Molino and Johan Venegas helped the Loons to a 4-2 victory over free-falling Real Salt Lake.

RSL, who will now be managed by Mike Petke following the result in Minnesota, have not won a match all season.

“It’s tough when you’re away and don’t finish your chances,” Yura Movsisyan told the Desert News. “It comes back to bite you, and that’s what happened. The last few weeks have been difficult. A new season starts next week with a new coach.

“It won’t matter who you are, whether you’re a designated player or not. If you train well and impress the coach, you’ll play. If not, you shouldn’t.”

Another team struggling for consistency is LA Galaxy, after they were beaten 4-2 in Vancouver.

Despite Romain Alessandrini’s brace which gave the visitors a 2-1 lead at half-time, the Whitecaps scored three second half goals to grab their maiden win this season.

Galaxy sit tenth in the Western Conference, and captain Jelle Van Damme admitted that losing from a winning position was not good enough.

“There were too many mistakes today. We weren’t playing well but we were leading and this cannot happen. You cannot lose a game 4-2 when your leading 2-1 with 20 minutes to go.

“We have to react next week. We have to relax, regroup, start over and do better.”

Elsewhere, Bastian Schweinsteiger scored on his MLS debut as Chicago Fire drew 2-2 with Montreal Impact, and New York City returned to winning ways after they beat San Jose 2-1 at Yankee Stadium.

Erick Torres grabbed a hattrick as Houston Dynamo thrashed New York Red Bulls 4-1. In the capital, DC United won for the first time this season, beating Philadelphia Union 2-1.

Toronto were held to a 0-0 draw in their home opener against Sporting KC, whilst Seattle’s match against Atlanta also finished goalless.

 

MLS Daily: Bradley Wright-Phillips is worthy of his new deal at New York Red Bulls.

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The former Charlton Athletic striker has become a sensation across the pond. 

Bradley Wright-Phillips has been rewarded with a new lucrative contract at New York Red Bulls following his impressive spell in the MLS.

It’s nothing more than what the striker deserves. The Red Bulls have relied on him heavily for their goals, making him a vital asset for the team. The deal marks another positive chapter in the 32-year old’s career, one that originally took a long time to get into gear.

Wright-Phillips struggled to make a name for himself in English football, and following spells with Manchester City, Southampton and Charlton Athletic, he decided upon a move to America in an attempt to rebrand himself.

His father, former-Arsenal striker Ian Wright, was always going to be a tough act to follow. From the outset, many wondered if he would ever reach the same level as his dad, but finally we seem to have an answer.

Whilst he may not still be a household name here in the UK, he has more than certainly stamped his mark on the Red Bulls and the MLS.

He is the club’s all-time top goalscorer in America’s top division with an impressive 70 goals in 111 games, an average of one goal every 63 minutes.

Wright-Phillips has also broken plenty of records and received many accolades during his four-year spell in the States.

On 23 April 2014, he scored a hattrick in a 4–0 win against Houston Dynamo, which meant he became the first Englishman to score three goals in an MLS game. He also won the golden boot that season after scoring 27 league goals.

Subsequently, he was signed on as a designated player in 2015, and a year later secured his second MLS golden boot award after netting 24 goals during the campaign. He is the only player ever in MLS to score 20+ goals in more than a single season.

Whilst he lost his DP status in 2016, is it just deserved he get it back this season. He is a club legend, and he will be for some time. That goal record is as impressive as any in world football, and at 32 years of age, you can expect him to possibly extend it to 100+ goals in a Red Bulls shirt.

He is a typical striker who gets into the right positions at the right time to score goals. He is good with either foot and with his head. He causes all kinds of problems for the opposing defence throughout the 90 minutes, and that’s what makes him such a crucial weapon in Red Bulls’ arsenal.

“I’d like to thank Jesse Marsch, and everyone at the club for the opportunity to continue wearing this shirt and playing in front of the best fans in MLS,’ BWP said to the media.

‘I am very proud of what has been accomplished in my time here, But my sole focus is on trying to win MLS Cup.”

The Red Bulls won the Supporters Shield back in 2013 and 2015, but are yet to go all the way. However, with BWP still leading the line for this season and beyond, that could well change in the not too distant future.

 

 

 

 

MLS Daily: Minnesota United thrashed yet again on the road.

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Adrian Heath’s side have conceded 18 goals in just four MLS games this season. 

Minnesota United are quickly becoming the whipping boys of the MLS.

Following on from their 5-1 defeat to Portland on the opening weekend and their 1-6 home loss to Atlanta United, the Loons went down 5-2 to New England Revolution yesterday.

Adrian Heath’s side again conceded early as Juan Agudelo met Chris Tierney’s cross with a free header inside four minutes.

Collen Warner equalised for the away side, but New England were soon ahead once again through Kei Kamara.

Lee Nguyen made it 3-1 from the penalty spot, with Agudelo netting his second just before half-time with a low shot.

Brent Kallman halved the deficit when he struck home a half volley three minutes into the second half, but another penalty was converted this time by Tierney to make it 5-2 to the hosts.

Twice Minnesota conceded just minutes after getting themselves back into the game. No team can expect to win games when they give away cheap goals so soon after scoring.

Offensively the Loons aren’t so bad. They have scored in each of their four matches so far. However, it is their fragile defence that is causing a lot of the problems.

They have conceded an average of 4.5 goals a game so far, and only have the single point so far this season from a possible 12.

Does Heath need to invest in some quality defenders? They are certainly missing a leader on the pitch. Someone that will keep the line, someone that will make sure that the defence is solid and will keep clean sheets. Whether that means signing a DP then so be it. They need to change something otherwise they will not survive in the MLS.

They may have been missing nine players through internationals and injuries, but the Head Coach was not impressed with his side in the opening 45.

“The first half was really, really poor defensively,” Heath told MNUFC.com after the game.

“Every time they attacked it looked like they were going to score.

“I thought we were a lot better in the second half, but it was a little bit too little, too late.”

As for the Revs, it is a first win of 2017 and another home opening victory.

Jay Heaps’ side are now unbeaten in 11 home openers, and after two tough away defeats at Colorado and Dallas, this could be the platform on which New England build upon this season.

New England’s Diego Fagundez praised teammate Agudelo after the game. He told press after the game that “If he makes good runs we will reward him and thats what we did. We can beat anybody in the league if we play like we did again.”

Agudelo added: “The mind set was really strong from the team. The coaches told us to come out flying at home. We wanted to win it inside the first 15 minutes and that’s exactly what we did.”

Elsewhere, Portland Timbers’ 100 percent start to the 2017 season is over after they lost 3-2 away at Columbus Crew.

Crew now overtake New York Red Bulls at the top of the Eastern Conference, after Jesse Marsch’s side drew 0-0 at home to Real Salt Lake.

MLS Daily: Kenwyne Jones should step in for injured Josef Martinez at Atlanta United.

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The former Sunderland and Stoke City striker has been waiting for his golden opportunity. 

Atlanta United were dealt a blow in midweek, after Josef Martinez went off injured while on International duty with Venezuela.

The in-form forward is top of the goalscoring charts in the MlS this season with five goals in just three games.

Martinez came off after falling when taking a shot, and Venezuela’s Head Coach Rafael Dudamel has suggested a minimum of 10 days rest for the player to recover. He will have a MRI scan tomorrow to determine the severity of this injury.

If 10 days proves to be an accurate assessment, that will mean the 23-year old will be more than likely to miss Atlanta’s match against Seattle Sounders next week.

However, Head Coach Tito Martina has got other weapons within his arsenal, one of which is the vastly experienced Kenwyne Jones.

The Trinidad and Tobago captain has a wealth of Premier League experience after spending a decade in and around England’s top flight with Southampton, Stoke City, Sunderland and Cardiff City respectively.

Jones may not be the most prolific of strikers, but he does cause defenders enormous problems with his strength and aerial power.

He is a completely different type of striker in comparison to Martinez. Jones isn’t the fastest, and at 32 years of age, that isn’t going to change anytime soon.

He also isn’t as potent as the Venezuelan. In the last 10 seasons, the Trinidad international has only hit double digits twice in terms of goals scored. The last time being the 2014-15 season for Cardiff.

But his positioning, especially inside the penalty box, is excellent. He will often find himself in the right place at the right time when the ball is flirting around the oppositions goal. It’s a trait that is very difficult to teach.

He may not score bucket loads of goals, but he scores important ones.

The 32-year old’s hold up play and ability to start counter attacks almost goes unnoticed. He is an excellent team player, who can head the ball on from a goal kick or throw-in to create an opportunity for a teammate to test the keeper or even score.

Martinez has shown plenty of promise so far for the new MLS side, but there is no reason why Jones can’t either. He has been waiting in the shadows at the Mercedes-Benz Stadium for his chance to prove his worth to the manager, the fans and the city.

Whether he fits into Martina’s formation and tactics is another matter, but one that can’t be discussed without the Argentine giving him a go.

Perhaps he will use an alternative formation which would make Jones’ a greater asset. A switch from 4-2-3-1 to a 4-4-2 might suit the Trinidad striker better. He could get isolated on his own up top so a strike partner that would run onto his flick ons or run down the channels to provide crosses for the 32-year-old wouldn’t be such a bad idea.

It’s whether Martina takes a gamble on changing what is a winning formation.

Many in Atlanta will hope Martinez will be fit in time for the Sounders match, but they shouldn’t worry too much if it is Jones starting at CenturyLink Field.

MLS Daily: Real Salt Lake in need of a revival after sacking Jeff Cassar.

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Daryl Shore will act as Interim Head Coach until a replacement is found, and will manage the team against New York Red Bulls on Saturday. 

The sacking of Jeff Cassar on Monday evening ended what can be best described as a turbulent last six months at Real Salt Lake.

After nearly a decade at the Utah based club, the 43-year old became the first managerial casualty of the 2017 MLS season.

RSL are winless so far this campaign, with one win and two defeats to their name, but their torrid run actually stretches back to the end of last season.

A 2-1 win at home to Colorado Rapids on the 26th August was the last time this side tasted victory-that was 11 games ago.

The poor run saw them slip from second in the Western Conference to sixth. They were then beaten 2-1 to LA Galaxy in the knockout round.

With the dismissal of Cassar, RSL will hopefully rediscover their form from years back, when current Orlando City boss Jason Kreis was in charge.

Kreis led the club to the Play-Offs consecutively between 2008-2013, winning the MLS Cup in 2009.

Cassar was assistant manager to Kreis back then, before taking over when the latter left for New York City FC.

The 43-year old stuck to Kreis’ successful 4-4-2 in 2014, which resulted in another Play-Off finish, but things began to unravel a year later.

Trying to implement his own style, Cassar switched to a 4-3-3 formation. With the wrong personnel to fit the formation, and a lack of goals being scored, RSL failed to make the Play-Offs in 2015. That was followed by the painful 2016 season as mentioned above.

It’s quite clear that a revival is needed at the Rio Tinto Stadium.

The club, unlike others, is struggling to acquire high calibre players such as Andrea Pirlo, David Villa and latest MLS newcomer Bastian Schweinsteiger. With better players coming through, and the leagues standards continuously improving, there has never been a more crucial time for designated players to come in and make a real difference for their team. Unfortunately, those at RSL aren’t quite to the same level as those at New York City or Orlando.

The spine of the side also presents fears of a bleak future. Goalkeeper Nick Rimando and midfielder Kyle Beckermann, both part of the successful 2009 side, are coming towards the end of their careers at 37 and 34 years of age respectively. Javier Morales, the heart of RSL’s flowing attack, left at the end of last season.

Those players will ultimately need replacing with good, young talent. However, according to transfermarkt.com, RSL have the second oldest squad in the league. This is just an example of what needs to be addressed.

Saying that, one thing the club can pride itself in is it’s impressive youth development. Homegrown players like defender Justin Glad have intergraded well into the first team setup and are now vital for the team going forward. More of the same will mostly definitely help the team in future seasons.

In terms of a replacement for Cassar, Toronto’s Assistant Coach Robin Fraser is one of the favourites for the job. The former Chivas USA manager has previous ties to RSL and could be good for what the club are looking to do, which is to rebuild from the ground up.

Other names mentioned include Wade Barrett, Mike Petke and sensationally Sigi Schmid.

Whoever comes in will have a lot to do if they want to make this club great again, and fans may have to wait a few years down the line before they see their club competing for major honours once again.

MLS Daily: Bastian Schweinsteiger’s move to Chicago Fire is a scalp not just for the club, but also the league.

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The former Germany captain has won the World Cup, the UEFA Champions League, multiple Bundesliga titles and the FA Cup during what has been a hugely successful career.

Chicago Fire have today announced that they are signing Bastian Schweinsteiger from Manchester United.

The 32-year old midfielder will complete his move to the United States after he’s obtained a VISA and passed a medical.

After a torrid two seasons at Old Trafford, the former German international will be hoping to reignite his career over in the MLS; a league that will only benefit from his imminent arrival.

Unlike big names from the past like Steven Gerrard and Didier Drogba, Schweinsteiger is still at an age where he could play for another five seasons if he wanted too, should he stay fit.

This makes him perhaps the biggest marquee signing from Europe for some time. The former Bayern Munich man could easily become the new face of MLS, should he rediscover the form that made him one of the best holding midfielders on the planet.

He will also boost the interest in the league both in the United States and in Germany. Fans will flock into stadiums to see him play. German networks will want to show live matches and provide additional coverage to a larger worldwide audience. His face on the advertising boards will only be a huge plus for the MLS marketing team, as it continues to compete with the Chinese Super League.

Moving to Chicago of all teams will give Schweinsteiger the chance to really showcase his talent for the whole world to see. Where he was fifth or even sixth choice at Manchester United, he is going to be number one on Veljko Paunović’s team sheet.

The Chicago Head Coach has spoken to the media about Fire’s new signing, and claims he cannot wait to start working with him.

“His immense expereince at the highest levels of this sport will be a great benefit to this squad of players,” Paunović said.

“Bastian will help with our team’s organisation and have an impact on our build up play towards the final third thanks to his vision, creativity and ability to score goals.”

Chicago Fire’s General Manager Nelson Rodríguez added: “This is a very big day for our club and I believe for the MLS after acquiring one of our sports great champions.

“Bastian isn’t just here because of his pedigree, but also because we believe he represents our club’s values.”

The signing of Schweinsteiger further showcases just how far the MLS has come in recent years. It finally looks like players aren’t moving across to America for a final ‘pay-day’. They actually believe the MLS is becoming a competitive league that wets their appetite.

Manchester United fans weren’t been too pleased with the treatment the German received at the Premier League club, especially under Jose Mourinho. He failed to make a single appearance in the league this season, meaning he leaves after playing just 18 times in a Red Devils shirt since his arrival back in July 2015.

Germany Head Coach Joachim Löw said in his press conference today that the midfielder was not given a chance to show his full potential at United, and that is was a shame he couldn’t light up the Premier League just like he had the Bundesliga

Across the pond however, fans are beginning to feel rather excited about their new man. Jerseys with the German’s name on the back are already selling, and people are calling it the ‘greatest signing in Chicago Fire’s history.’

Schweinsteiger could make his debut at Toyota Park on Saturday 1st April, where Chicago Fire host Montreal Impact.