Fire’s Rolfe make immediate impression
The volley cracked off the crossbar during the Fire’s training session Wednesday said it all: Chris Rolfe is back.
Three years after leaving Chicago for Denmark, Rolfe made the nine-hour flight from Copenhagen on Monday, surprised that word had leaked out in time for a small welcoming party to form at O’Hare International Airport.
“It’s good to see some familiar faces, and obviously coming out here, just driving in and seeing the stadium, I got some butterflies,” Rolfe said after his first training session with his new/old club following his transfer from Aalborg BK. “It’s a good feeling.”
It’s a good feeling also for Fire fans, who know Rolfe to be a hardworking and talented player on the field, a good guy off the field.
The Twitterverse was ecstatic when news of his return leaked, but fans should keep their expectations realistic. Rolfe makes the Fire better, but don’t fit him for savior’s clothes. This is a roster good enough to return to the MLS playoffs after a two-year hiatus, but winning MLS Cup is another matter, especially the way Sporting Kansas City is playing.
“I have goals left over from my first stint here,” the 29-year-old Rolfe said. “There are a lot of things I want to accomplish, and I think that’s going to drive me and help me to help the guys here succeed.”
Rolfe will have to reacquaint himself with most of his teammates. Only captain Logan Pause, Marco Pappa, Gonzalo Segares and Patrick Nyarko were here when he left in 2009. MLS is a more athletic, more fast-paced league than the Danish Superliga, so Rolfe will have to adjust to that too. He will be available for selection Saturday at Toronto FC (2:30 p.m. NBC Sports Network).
When he does play, look for Rolfe up top, alongside Dominic Oduro.
“He’s a forward,” coach Frank Klopas said. “He looked good. He’s got very clean feet. His ability to combine in tight spaces and he’s very composed in front of goal, somebody you can play to feet. He’s very quick and also has the ability to take players on 1v1.”
That’s exactly the kind of player the Fire needs for an attack that has stagnated in front of its opponent’s goal in the early part of the season.
Will he start eventually? Klopas was noncommittal.
“It’s the first day in,” the coach said. “He’s a quality player. We’ve got to evaluate every day. It’s what you do in training and the games. That’s the kind of team we’re trying to build.
“I know he can help our team. We’re thrilled to have him here with us and his attitude is fantastic.”
The deal to reacquire him happened in a matter of days, Rolfe said. Ultimately, after three years proving to himself he could play in Europe, he decided he was ready to come home.
“Overall it was good for me, on and off the field,” said Rolfe, adding he is healthy and fit. “I was there by myself and it really helped me to develop as a person and as a player.”
Though it didn’t work out perfectly — “You have a lot of time to think over there when you’re by yourself. I just reflected on a lot of things, a lot of things regarding the future, the past, my passion. I really had a lot of time to think.” — Rolfe has no regrets. It was a learning experience, and he’s the better for it. The Fire hopes it will be better for what Rolfe brings back also.
Follow Orrin’s soccer reports on Twitter @orrinsoccer.