Why Xherdan Shaqiri will captain the Fire in 2024
Chicago Fire head coach Frank Klopas spoke to the media for his first mid-week press conference of the 2024, addressing a number of questions surroudning the buildup to Saturday's home opener against FC Cincinnati. The Fire's captaincy change, Andrew Gutman's health, and the U.S. Open Cup were among the topics of interest.
Xherdan Shaqiri is the captain now
When the Chicago Fire announced their opening day lineup against the Philadelphia Union last Saturday, there was one particularly notable surprise: Rafa Czichos was no longer wearing the captain’s armband, and instead, Xherdan Shaqiri was granted that designation.
The change was not a one-off, as Shaqiri is now the permanent first team captain of the Fire. According to Klopas, the German center back voluntarily gave up the armband.
“Rafa came to me before the season and he felt like it was time for him to pass that armband on to someone else,” Klopas said. “I respected that decision.
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Czichos had captained the Fire in every start he made since arriving in Chicago ahead of the 2022 season. While he won’t be the official captain anymore, Klopas took care to note that his leadership qualities are still appreciated, then expressed his confidence in Shaqiri as captain.
“I know that in the past every time Shaq has had the opportunity to put the armband on, he embraces that responsibility,” Klopas added. “The more pressure you can put on him, he cherishes that, and he steps up to those kinds of challenges.”
Shaqiri started and played 73 minutes against the Union last weekend before he was replaced by Kellyn Acosta. The Swiss Designated Player struggled to find a footing in the game, though teammate Brian Gutiérrez made up for his lack of impact, influencing the game from off the left wing.
Andrew Gutman likely out for Cincy
Less than two minutes into the Fire’s season, starting left back Andrew Gutman pulled up with what appeared to be a non-contact injury. The incident initiated déjà vu to the first game of 2023 when Jairo Torres and Fede Navarro both came off in the opening half of the year, but it also dampened what was supposed to be a triumphant homecoming for the former academy player.
The extent of the injury is not yet known, but his absence for Saturday is all but certain. Gutman received an MRI on Tuesday, per Klopas, with further details expected shortly.
With the injury to Gutman, left back suddenly goes from a position of strength to one of weakness. The only natural left back remaining on the first team roster is Chase Gasper, who came off the bench and performed admirably for 73 minutes against the Union but was clearly lacking match sharpness. Jonathan Dean can also deputize there, as he did for the final phase of the season opener, while Kellyn Acosta could represent a last-resort alternative in a position where he was once a standout at the 2011 U-17 World Cup.
Fire won't play in the Open Cup
Though it is yet to be officially confirmed, U.S. Soccer is close to finalizing the format of the U.S. Open Cup for 2024. Major League Soccer had previously expressed its intent to forego participation in the historic competition, citing a congested schedule that would make it untenable. The original plan, rejected by USSF, would have seen all MLS teams field their MLS Next Pro counterparts.
Now, according to Jeff Carlisle of ESPN, just eight MLS teams will enter the Open Cup, determined by the Supporters' Shield standings in 2023. The seven best-performing MLS teams that failed to qualify for the CONCACAF Champions Cup, as well as the reigning champion, would play in the Open Cup under the proposed format. Such a field would not include the Fire, but would rather a host of Western Conference teams due to the sheer quantity of Eastern Conference clubs that qualified for CONCACAF play.
Unfortunately for the Fire, Sporting Kansas City and the Seattle Sounders are among the eight teams that would play in the Open Cup under this system. Both SKC and Seattle have won four Open Cups, tied with the Fire for the most all-time by an MLS club, and since both will have a golden opportunity to claim the trophy next season, Chicago are strongly disadvantaged in the race to claim a fifth title.
"I love the tournament," Klopas said Wednesday. "It is what it is right now. It's the league making a decision. We’re moving forward, and hopefully, that can change in the future where I think we've got an opportunity to be the first team to win five."
