Don’t tell me MLS fans don’t care

By: Tom | May 26th, 2007

As an Englishman, when I first arrived in the U.S., I rather got the sense that maybe MLS fans didn’t care with the same passion about their teams as supporters did back in Blighty. Without much coverage in the press or chatter in most Chicago bars, I didn’t get the sense the Fire generated much passion.

How wrong I was.

After jumping firmly onto the Fire bandwagon several months ago, following a few years of half-hearted dalliance with the team (my initiation unfortunately coinciding with the rather muted Naperville-period), I’ve been proven utterly wrong. Travelling with a couple of hundred fans to another country to watch the Fire showed me dedication; the feedback on this blog, on Bigsoccer, on the Section 8 messageboard provides fans a way to get together and bitch and moan and cheer in the same way fans in England do in pubs, schools and also on the internet as well now.

One reader of this blog, Guiseppe, is clearly at the end of his tether with the Fire’s performances this season, judging from his comments on my previous post. Fans invest their money and/or their time and desperately want to see good football; more than that, they know that for their team to thrive, for MLS to survive, it must attract new fans, inspire new people.

Consider an email I received from a fan, Lincoln, about his experience at the Fire-Red Bulls game on Thursday with his five-year old son. I print it to show how much the current state of affairs is upsetting Fire fans.

Dad – you gonna root for the Red Bull right?

These crushing words were whispered in my ear last night by my just-turned 5 year old son. We arrived 10 minutes late to the game due to, ironically, a fire on the west side on Manhattan. The only consolation to being late being that I was not submitted to the humiliation of cheering for a team that gave up the fastest two goals in league history.

I would have had to explain that to my son as well.

The time has come for Mssr. Sarachan to be shown the door. However this time, I have to make a more strenuous suggestion to GM Guppy.

Dear John
In addition to making the call to Dave Sarachan letting him know that he need not come into work on Tuesday, please over this long holiday weekend please pack up any and all remaining Fire coaching staff’s personal belongings and turn off their ID cards.

How plainly can this be put.
The entire coaching staff needs to go.

As I sat, again I remind you with my 5 yr old son who asked me to cheer for the Red Bulls because even a 5 yr old can see how poorly the Fire are being coached, in Section 210 I had a birds eye view of Sarachan & Co., sitting as they do like crows on a telephone line (unlike respectable coaches who either stand or sit) on the top of the bench backs. This staff sits like a bunch of secondary school players on the bus and have fewer ideas than are represented by such a population.

The core of the Fire squad is solid and a simple bit of player re-purposing would make the squad stronger and more competitive. If called upon I would be happy to step in with alternate line ups.

But for now, let me tell you, as I sit on a Friday night in Manhattan writing this log… IF Guppy doesn’t relieve the staff of their job, I will make sure Section 8 makes it known how much Sarachan and his entire staff are loathed this Sunday.

From a full blown Fire faithful – sad in NY.

Help me tell my son its ok again to cheer for our Men in Red.