Chicago Fire Notebook: Positive injury news, a new training facility, and Wicky weighs in on Marsch to Red Bull Leipzig

The Chicago Fire’s injury woes have ever so slightly improved.

Raphael Wicky said today that Elliot Collier is back in full team training, and will be available when the team faces the New York Red Bulls on Saturday in Harrison, NJ (noon CT, WGN-TV, CFFC Live). Collier actually began full team training last week, but Wicky said they decided to play it safe and give him one more week of recovery, rather than risk an injury setback by playing him against Atlanta United.

Defender Carlos Terán remains day-to-day with a hamstring issue. Ignacio Aliseda, Miguel Navarro, and Fabian Herbers have yet to take part in full team training, Wicky said. Herbers said on his podcast that he’s feeling good and continues to improve, but he’s having trouble hitting long passes.

New Training Facility Update

News broke this week that the Fire have begun discussions with Ald. Gilbert Villegas about building a training facility in the 36th Ward. That project is still years away, but Wicky talked about what it would mean for the club:

“It would be nice to have a big facility with multiple fields, where the Academy is there, too. When you look at these facilities either in America where clubs have amazing facilities, or universities have amazing facilities, or the top ones in Europe, it’s basically a home away from home.... When that happens, it’s gonna be great for the club. It’s gonna bring the club to even another level.”

Wicky weighs in on Jesse Marsch to Red Bull Leipzig

With Racine, Wisconsin native, former Chicago Fire player, and occasional Highbury Pub patron Jesse Marsch poised to take over as manager of Red Bull Leipzig, I asked Wicky, his old Chivas USA teammate, if he had any advice for Marsch, since Wicky played in the Bundesliga for a decade.

“I don’t think Jesse needs any advice,” Wicky said with a laugh. “He was an assistant there, he knows the league, and he has a lot of experience.”

Wicky and Marsch have remained close friends since their playing days, and they talk regularly.

“If he gets this chance, I will be very, very happy for him. And if he gets this chance, it’s because he deserves it,” Wicky said.