Brian McBride ready to resume MLS career with Fire
If Brian McBride's neighbors were getting tired of seeing him this summer, there's good news ahead.
McBride found something to occupy his time this fall, finally joining his new Chicago Fire teammates for practice Friday morning just a day after flying back from the Olympics in China.
"People around Arlington Heights are probably pretty tired of seeing me run around the block," McBride said at a post-practice news conference.
McBride declared himself fit to play in Saturday night's match against D.C. United, though it's probable he'll come off the bench and only play 10-20 minutes. The 36-year-old forward has played three matches in the past 10 days, including 90 minutes Wednesday, but he said he feels good and nearly jet-lag free.
"I'm very excited, and I still have a great desire to really help this organization win a championship," McBride said of playing for his hometown team. "... To be honest with you, this is something we've been thinking about for a few years."
McBride didn't practice long Friday, but he did get a chance to introduce himself to his new teammates, including midfielder Cuauhtémoc Blanco, a rival from international games between the United States and Mexico. Now the pair will team up to attract fans from both nations to Toyota Park and other Major League Soccer stadiums.
"I got a chance to meet all the guys," McBride said. "The conversation probably wasn't long with many, but I definitely got the chance to say hello and kick the ball around a little."
It has been a long summer for McBride since he left London and his club of 4 1/2 years, Fulham. Trade talks between the Fire and Toronto FC, which held his MLS rights, dragged on for two months, and McBride admitted the Olympics would have been his final professional playing appearance if a deal had not worked out.
"It's been a long process that a lot of people have put a lot of time and effort into to make this happen," said Fire technical director Frank Klopas, the team's point man on trade talks along with interim team president Javier Leon.
McBride said he watched several Fire games on television this summer, but he didn't want to make the trek to Toyota Park until a deal had been worked out.
"I just didn't think it would be appropriate," he said.
Fire officials hope he's not the only one heading to southwest suburban Bridgeview from the Northwest suburbs for games. They plan a marketing campaign based around McBride and aimed in large part at his neighbors.
"On the field his record speaks for itself," Klopas said. "He's a competitor, he's a winner, he's a leader. He's someone who takes nothing for granted. He knows what it means to come every day and work hard. So for us it's going to be a huge addition."
Eleven games remain in the regular season, and McBride is joining a team already in third place in the Eastern Conference.