Fire adds defender, forward to roster
The Chicago Fire on Wednesday announced the club has signed defender Tim Ward and forward Stefan Dimitrov. Both players will be available for selection on Saturday, March 21, as the Fire kickoff their 2009 MLS season against FC Dallas (7:30 p.m., Channel 32). Per team and league policy, terms of the contracts were not disclosed.
Ward comes to the Fire as a former Generation adidas and U.S. U-17 Residency product. The Wisconsin native was selected in the first round of the 2005 MLS SuperDraft and played for former Fire head coach Bob Bradley during his rookie season in New York with the NY/NJ MetroStars. In 2006, Ward was traded to Columbus were he spent two seasons before once again being traded, this time to Colorado for the 2008 season. Ward's international experience includes representing the USA at the U-23, U-20, U-18, and U-17 levels. While with the U.S. U-20 squad, he played in the Busan Cup in South Korea, and at the Milk Cup in Ireland. In 2004, Ward led the U-20 team in appearances with 17, starting in 14. Ward played one season for St. Louis University in 2004 before singing an MLS contract in 2005.
"Tim is a player that has competed at a high level starting at a young age," said Fire Technical Director Frank Klopas. "His size and athletic ability will help him on the right side of the back line, as well as moving forward into the midfield".
Dimitrov joins the Fire after three years at Concordia College. He scored the most goals in the NCAA Division II Men's Soccer 2008 regular season with 23 and added one assist in 17 games played. Through his senior season he logged seven multi-goal games scoring at least one goal in 13 of 17 games played. Dimitrov was voted to the 2008 Daktronics NCAA Division II Men's Soccer All-America Second Team and named the 2008 East Coast Conference Offensive Player of the Year. Dimitrov holds permanent resident status.
"Stefan is a player that shows good potential and upside," said Klopas. "He is a target forward that puts himself in good positions, is good with his back to the goal, and also has the speed to get behind the opposition's back line."