Schwarz: Knee injury puts Nyarko's Fire future in doubt
Patrick Nyarko has always been something of an iron man for the Chicago Fire, but he hasn't had much luck this season.
Just working his way back into the lineup after a knee sprain kept him out a couple of months, Nyarko got the diagnosis this week for the right knee injury he suffered Saturday at D.C. United. A torn ACL and sprained MCL will keep him out 6-8 months.
"(Fire coach Frank Yallop) said it best, just get it all out now," Nyarko said Wednesday. "It's just been really frustrating from the team not getting results and my injuries and stuff like that. It's just been a long year, but I'm very optimistic about the team moving forward and everything."
Like Mike Magee, who recently had hip surgery, Nyarko probably will miss the start of the 2015 season.
"It didn't look good and then when he didn't move you kind of think the worst, and it was the worst," Fire coach Frank Yallop said after training. "It wasn't good, no. I feel for him because he just came back from the other injury this year, and I felt actually in that little spell he was starting to get back to the Patrick of old."
Nyarko finished this season with 1 goal and 3 assists in just 17 appearances.
The timing is good in a way, with the Fire's last game Friday night at Toyota Park. But it could be bad timing for Nyarko when he sits down with Yallop and technical director Brian Bliss to talk about a new deal. Nyarko, one of the team's highest-paid players, is out of contract after the season.
The injury also could mean the Fire won't protect Nyarko from MLS newcomers Orlando City and NYCFC in the upcoming expansion draft.
"We'll figure it out in the next week or so and see where it takes us," Yallop said. "He's been a good servant to his club. We won't chuck him on the scrap heap, that's for sure."
The fond farewell:
The Fire hopes fans attending Friday night's regular-season finale at Toyota Park against Houston (7 p.m., NBCSN) will push themselves away from their tailgates a little early and head inside the stadium for a pregame ceremony honoring veteran midfielder Logan Pause.
Pause, 33, is retiring after the season. A former team captain, he was a third-round draft pick of the Fire in 2003.
"It's an emotional week for sure," Pause said. "I've got one more training session and one more game before I wrap 12 years up. Definitely, a lot of emotion, but I'm excited to celebrate with all my friends and family that have played a pivotal role in getting here, and then celebrating with the fans on our home field is just a great way to go out."
Pause likely will remain in soccer in some capacity, possibly with the Fire.
"We want to keep good people around, and Logan's a good person," Yallop said. "We'll figure out what that is and what it entails. Let's get the season out of the way."
Follow Orrin on Twitter @Orrin_Schwarz