The writers here have been enjoying a Holiday break but I assure you that research is being done behind the scenes and big, bold plans for 2011 are coming together.
Speaking of big and bold plans, Guillermo Rivera at Fire Confidential has laid out a nice list of them.
I turn to the Glasgow Evening Times to give you the latest update on the Freddie Ljungberg/Celtic story. Might it be possible that Freddie plays for Celtic and then comes back to Chicago? I don't have a favorite European team but Celtic comes close. I think this also says good things about MLS vs. smaller European leagues. A player like Freddie can go from MLS and back to Europe. He's not going to Motherwell either. He's going to Celtic who have perennial hopes of competing in the major European club tournaments. Ljungberg might be a trendsetter and not for the fur coat he is wearing in the article either.
Julian Posada had a profile that MLSsoccer.com covered in English and Spanish. The story brings absolutely nothing new to the table and the headline of 'Posada's hiring the Underreported Story of the Year' is probably the most 'newsworthy' bit. This comes two weeks after Soccer by Ives tweeted "Is there a more under-reported story in the MLS right now than the fact that the Chicago Fire lost Best Buy as its jersey sponsor?". Clearly the Fire are under-reported. The question is - whose fault is it? Chicago Fire communication team? Chicago sports media? This very blog? I don't know but clearly people are talking and searching out for more information. There's a vacuum just waiting to be filled...
In terms of Chicago soccer player news, Eric Lichaj got a profile piece by Ives Galarcep for his start against Tottenham where he effectively contained Gareth Bale. MLSsoccer.com reported on how his second start did not go so well...
Chicagoland Soccer News has a nice story on University of Indiana's Will Bruin signing a Generation Adidas contract. He joins a class of 9 total players, 5 of which are remarkably from Akron University. The Fire have the 9th pick in the draft so we are a guaranteed a crack at one of those players. Don't forget last year Sean Johnson was selected all the way back at No. 51.
We'll start talking draft choices soon and SB Nation Soccer is putting together a mock draft that this blog is honored to be a part of.