SuperLiga tournament no joke for Fire players, coaches
The Fire interrupts its regular Major League Soccer schedule for something completely different.
Starting Saturday, the Fire will compete in SuperLiga, a midseason invitation-only tournament that pits four MLS teams - the Fire, Chivas USA, Kansas City Wizards and New England Revolution - against four Mexican Primera Division teams - San Luis, Tigres UANL, Santos Laguna and Atlas - in a two-group tournament.
The Fire has round-robin games Saturday, Tuesday and June 27, with hopes of placing at least second in its four-team group and advancing to the SuperLiga semifinals.
Yes, it's a little confusing, but it's also relevant.
"It's an important tournament to our team," Fire technical director Frank Klopas said. "We take it very seriously and we want to win."
"It should be fun," goalkeeper Jon Busch added. "You get to see different teams that you don't normally get to play against. That'll be fun, it'll be a new challenge for us, exciting, something we're taking very seriously.
"We want to have a good run at it because you win that, you get moved on to the next tournament (CONCACAF Champions League)."
It's the Fire's first time playing in the tournament, which has been around just three years. There's a nice purse for the winner.
"There's a respect factor also," Klopas added.
"It's everything," Busch said. "It's moving on to the next round in an even bigger tournament. It's proving ourselves against some of the best teams out of Mexico and South America. ... And there's always a financial reward. That's what we play this game for."
The danger, of course, is that all the extra games will pile up, tiring out veteran players and maybe resulting in new injuries for coach Denis Hamlett and his staff to overcome.
"We deal with it," Busch said. "We have a deep roster. We have quality players regardless of whether they're in the starting XI or coming off the bench...
"We're paid to win games, regardless of whether it's in MLS, the Open Cup or SuperLiga. This is our job. You get on with it and you try to find ways to win games."
All three of the Fire's preliminary-round games will be at Toyota Park.
"That's huge," Busch said. "Staying at home and not having to travel is a big plus."
Now all the players have to do is figure out who they're lining up against.
"I hope Denis has a good scouting report," Busch said, "because I'm not even sure who we're playing."
Don't worry.
Hamlett is all over it.
The Red Stars are coming!: The Chicago Red Stars announced they'll play another game in the western suburbs, this one a friendly against Ireland at 3 p.m. July 5 at Benedictine University in Lisle.
It's the first time the first-year women's club has played a national team.
"Playing Ireland is a great chance for the Red Stars to add a midseason match against some world-class talent," said Red Stars general manager Marcia McDermott. "Holding the game at Benedictine University is also a terrific opportunity to bring Red Stars soccer out to the western suburbs, near all our great fans located out that way."
oschwarz@dailyherald.com