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Chicago Fire Waive Midfielder Marko Maric

By Tweed Thornton
On the left in red is Marko Maric. We don't blame you if you don't know what he looks like.
On the left in red is Marko Maric. We don't blame you if you don't know what he looks like.

Today, the Chicago Fire sent out the shortest press release I've ever seen from the club. Outside from the standard information, here are the contents:

The Chicago Fire Soccer Club announced today that the club has waived midfielder Marko Maric

The Croatian midfielder appeared in one match for the Fire before suffering an injury against the Portland Timbers April 14. Maric spent the remainder of the season on the Injured Reserve.

Many of you are probably wondering why this didn't happen earlier.  I know I am.  Maric's signing should not necessarily be viewed as a waste though.  The Fire are in a rebuilding year and with the salary budget just being handed to the team, they had the cash to spend that couldn't be used elsewhere and can't be stored for later.  Maric was a hope-you-catch-lightning-in-a-bottle type where you hope a player with an injury history gets healthy and performs.  No one should need to be reminded of John Thorrington's success in Chicago.  Perhaps Maric's worst attribute was holding onto an international spot when the team could have signed someone else or the club could have kept Bratislav Ristic.  Coincidentally, a year ago on September 14, 2010,  Bratislav Ristic signed with the Chicago Fire in the first place.  After the break, we breakdown Maric's time with the Chicago Fire.

  • March 2, 2011: The Maric Era begins with the club signing him after some promising time in pre-season
  • April 14, 2011: Maric enters against the Portland Timbers as a halftime substitute for Michael Videira.
  • April 14, 2011: Maric is on the field for one minute when Portland's Jorge Perlaza scores a goal to make it 3-0 Portland.
  • April 14, 2011: Orr Barouch enters the game for an injured Maric in the 63rd minute of play.
  • May 4, 2011: The Chicago Fire place Croatian midfielder Marko Maric on the disabled list with a left deltoid sprain 
  • September 14, 2011: 28 year-old Marko Maric is released by the Chicago Fire

Things did not work out in Chicago but we wish Marko Maric the best in future endeavors.

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