Fire interviews Klopas and Hamlett

Chicago Fire fans, if you have gotten over Juan Carlos Osorio's departure and are now focused on who will replace him, you should have your new coach soon.

According to sources in Chicago, Fire president John Guppy held/is holding interviews with leading candidates Frank Klopas and Denis Hamlett today. Guppy should make a decision very soon and the early favorite is Hamlett.

Why Hamlett? The way he handled being passed over when Osorio was hired during the summer was very impressive and he has certainly paid his dues with a club he has been with since year one in 1998. He has the respect of the current squad and his hire will help make for a smooth transition from Osorio.

So why is Guppy going through an interview process if Hamlett is a front-runner? It's a little thing called due diligence. Guppy must put together a list of candidates and go through the interview process to make sure the club isn't missing out on a very good candidate. I also can't imagine that the club's new owners would be keen on just handing over the coaching job to an assistant without a thorough coaching search taking place beforehand.

Anyone hoping for a search as quick as the last one shouldn't hold their breath. The reason the last Fire coaching search was so short was because Guppy basically had his man before he even fired former coach Dave Sarachan. That doesn't mean this search will be a long one, just not super-quick.

What say you Chicago fans (or anybody else)? Would you like to see Hamlett hired? Are you still holding out hope for Peter Nowak (It isn't happening). Do you like Frank Klopas as a head coach? Would you like to see Cuauhtemoc Blanco as a player-coach (okay, I'm kidding). Tell us what you think.

Comments

[Uncle Dave]

PLAYER COACH BLANCO! NICE HAHA!

[kpugs]

So their lining up the next Red Bulls coach eh?

Do they let anyone from RBNY take part in the interviewing process? It only seems fair.

[James]

Klopas? Hamlett? This shows a lack of ambition and imagination from the Fire organization. Lets face it, these guys have been available to the Fire and to every other club for a long, long time and better candidates were chosen ahead of them. Guppy and cohorts should take their time and make an inspired choice.

[Mark]

Hamlett has been around for a long time, so it's probably time for him to get a chance as a head coach. Klopas has only interviewed with Chicago, so I don't know where you are coming from with the other clubs have had a chance comment.

[Ives]

James, the coaching scrap heap, both in MLS and the rest of the world, is littered with "inspired" choices. I'm not saying Hamlett is the best candidate in the world, but in this case, with this job and this team, it is hard to argue that strongly against him.

[EDB]

Hamlett didn't show alot when he was the intirm coach and he was passed up 2x so I hope its not him.

I really hope the list includes more then just those 2.

[Ives]

EDB, I'm sure there are other candidates. These are just the first two to interview.

[Pablo Chicago]

"The way he handled being passed over when Osorio was hired during the summer was very impressive..."
Yeah, that was real impressive.
The only reason why Hamlett is the front runner is because the rest of the field hasn't shown up yet.
If Blanco has anything to say in the matter, we can expect to see a couple south of the border candidates.

[MikeR]

It's clear to me based on the relative success of Sarachan vs. Osorio that this Chicago team needs a coach that will kick some butt, not a "players coach" kind of guy. I remember Armas decrying Sarachan's firing; it really sounded like Chris just didn't want to deal with a new guy who might not be the players' buddy.

Hamlett doesn't strike me as the kind of coach the Fire need, but then again I don't know much about him. After Sarachan, and Dusty Baker with the Cubs, I'm sick of the "players coach" kind of guy. If that's who Hamlett is, I don't want him.

[Ka-chewy-chomp-chomp]

The best fit for Fire Head Coach is Klopas. His knowledge, passion, and ideas for this team are unmatched, and this will be the first time we've had a Coach with an attacking approach to the game.

[Matt]

To take nothing away from Osorio, he didn't single handedly turn around the Fire. They had a half dozen guys lose playing time to injury in the first half of the season.

Just as Sarachan was fired, several came back, Blanco came in (Sarachan's hire) and Wilmer came in (Osorio's hire).

I've said it before, Coaches only matter so much. Sarachan had a decent record last year without big stars.

I've found that most "brilliant tactical" foreign coaches find they aren't quite as smart when the find out that they don't get to spend 10 times as much on payroll as the rest of the league like they did at Madrid, Liverpool, Sao Paulo, etc.

Let's see how Osorio does in the coaches graveyard of New York. Maybe he thinks they will change the rules for NY as the do for LA and give him additional money, allocations, etc because it's another "jewel" of MLS.

[Matt]

BTW, I'm betting Chicago has a better record that NY next year. Any takers?

[papa bear]

Ives, you seem to be the only one who thinks Hamlett has any shot. Luis is pretty confident that it's just a formality that he's being interviewed at all.

he's been passed over so many times in Chicago (and elsewhere) I seriously question if he has what it takes. (his interim stint sucked too)

Klopas...can continue doing whatever it is he's doing. He sucked as an indoor coach and shouldn't be given a shot at the Fire head coaching position.

I hope whoever it is likes to play a possession game and not the garbage 'brit-ball' long ball crap.

Matt: Chicago will finish at least 7 pts ahead of NY next year. I doubt anyone is taking you up on that bet.
The better bet will be: will Osorio break the trend and actually last more then 10 months?

[fuego fever]

why can't Hamlett have a chance Papa bear? I wouldnt bank anything on what Luis says. Wasnt he the one who wrote how Osorio would coach the Fire in 2008? I am pretty sure he was the last to know Osorio was leaving so who cares what he thinks?

Lets hire Lavolpe. Okay, okay, maybe not him. Jorge Campos? Lubos Kubik?

[Haig]

I have a gut feeling that Dennis Hamlett would be a great choice. He's a Fire guy all the way, has a hard-ass defensive attitude, is fluent in Spanish and English, and is a smart bastard, too. He's been a bridesmaid far too long. He would also be a hit with the Fire faithful. As a Metro fan I almost don't want to see him get the job, but I respect him and I think he would keep Chicago at least in the top five, maybe better.

[Mike]

I couldn't care less how long Hamlett's been with our club. He's been a "team player" but not enough passion to get onboard or be invited to interview anywhere else but here (Chicago). There have been plenty of coach searches in the past 3-4 years, Hamlett only gets an interim look with his existing employer. Wow, impressive.

Nobody "deserves" a shot just for being around the longest, that's crap. I want the best candidate we can realistically get and afford.

I'd prefer Mariner over Hamlett, personally. Mariner has been there to help draft and lead his club to several MLS Cups recently.

So far our two candidates are underwhelming.

[Tim]

From a die hard Fire fan:
I dont care if Hamlett paid all his dues and then some, that doesnt make him a good coach and the fact that hes been passed twice and no success from being interim coach is proof. Remember, back in the Sarachan age, Hamlett had alot of say in coaching and in my opinion did more coaching than DS, NOT that impressive!

Klopas! I will sell my tickets if he's coach! The only thing he has ever coached is indoor soccer!

We need fresh experienced blood for the coaching job and Guppy's job depends on it!

[Paul Lorinczi]

I agree with Mike....

Just because he has been around for so long, does not make him the candidate.

Matt...I disagree that Osorio did not have an impact.

Talking to several players in Chicago, he said the atmosphere was night and day to Sarachan and the team responded. Osorio worked the team hard and is known for his training expertise.

One of the bigger names on the team said he is the best coach he has ever played for.

Sarachan was predictable and did not challenge his players in training.

[Ives]

Listen guys, I'm not saying Hamlett will get the job but I will say that he's being seriously considered despite what some may believe.

What I don't get is people trying to judge Hamlett based on his stint as interim coach. The team was a mess when he took it over and didn't get any of the reinforcements until after Osorio took over. What are people basing his "poor stint as interim coach" on exactly? A friendly against some Polish squad?

I can understand the lack of excitement from some Fire fans over the first candidates to emerge, but some people are taking the Hamlett bashing a little too far. It will be interesting to see how the search goes.

[John]

1. All these arguments against Hamlett (been passed over several times, been a long-time assistant) apply to well to Osorio (who took a job as a freaking FITNESS coach in order to get a gig in the premiership and people then used that as a ding against him..."if he was any good, why would he be working as a fitness coach?") and Soehn (who I believe interviewed for 7 jobs in MLS before he got to replace Nowak.

The only real test of how good Hamlett will be is if he gets a chance to be a head coach for more than 3 games. But he's clearly had a chance to learn from a wide range of coaches and has shown himself to be very adaptable. And here's one more thought: when Kevin Payne decided DC United needed to replace Ray Hudson, he had a list of 3 coaches (and only 3) he considered: Peter Nowak, Juan Carlos Osorio, and Denis Hamlett. Payne didn't pick any of them on the basis of rep (b/c Osorio wasn't coaching in MLS and was doing fitness work and Nowak had never coached at all). He is supposed to have picked that group on the basis of intelligence, leadership abilities and communication skills, and thinking big picture (ie: assembling a team, being more than just competitive). That doesn't mean Hamlett will be great but if there's such a thing as "guilt by association" than it speaks well he was on that short list.

[Steve]

The real scoop behind why the Fire coaching search is taking so long is the Fire's front office is so busy planning its 10th anniversary celebration including commemoration of its MLS Cup, Supporters Shield, and 4 US Open Cups. I'm sure the Energy Drink New Jersey fans understand now.

What?

Really?!

That stinks.

I'm sorry.

So is JCO going to EDNJ actaully a charitable donation?

Couldn't help myself. Seriously, hire Hamlett or hire Mariner from NE and be done with it.

We dont need a 'sexy' foreign coach. Osorio was a good one and I think EDNJ will benefit from having him but is anyone fearful of the Galaxy now that they've hired Gullit? Seriously?

[Fuego Fanatico]

Still not over it. Coming to this site is like seeing an ex-girlfriend happy with another guy.

I'm still bitter.