The Chicago Fire announced Friday that Mike Magee would be loaned out to St. Louis FC and team manager Frank Yallop had some strong words regarding the former MVP’s future with the club. From www.chicago-fire.com:
“As Mike is now in the final stretch in his return from surgery, we thought that it would be good for him to join Saint Louis FC for the weekend to gain additional match fitness," Yallop said.
When I read phrases like “for the weekend” and “gain additional match fitness” I can only think Magee has fallen fully out of favor with Yallop and we will likely never see our hometown hero suit up for the Men in Red at Toyota Park again.
BUT, on the off chance I am wrong, Magee could be back for the home game against Orlando City on June 6. The Fire will have their first double-game week of the season with a match in DC on Wednesday, June 3. It would make sense to bring Magee into the fold to give some of Wednesday’s squad a rest and Magee his first MLS game action since August 16, 2014 against Montreal.
Magee has been sidelined with a right hip injury after tearing his labrum. Like every injury to an athlete requiring surgery, the procedure was deemed a tremendous success and rehab has seemingly gone very well.
The squad could certainly use the 2013 MLS MVP as goals have still been somewhat difficult to come by despite better attack going forward this season. With neither Kennedy Igboananike nor Guly do Prado making a strong case to hold on to the starting role, the door is still wide open for Magee to walk back in.
The Fire also announced never-used midfielder Kingsley Bryce will head to St. Louis FC with Magee. It will be a bit of a homecoming for Bryce who played at Saint Louis University where he scored 23 goals and notched 12 assists in 79 games. Hopefully the 2015, second-round draft pick can make a mark for the USL side.
Alternate theory: The Fire did not want to waste Magee’s home return in a game no one will attend since the Blackhawks will be playing a Game 7 at the same exact time.