Fire's Klopas puts it all on the line

To Frank Klopas, this is personal.

Klopas defines himself as a Chicago Fire guy, just as he defines himself by his Greek heritage. He's the face of the Fire, as technical director, through his activity in the community and with fans, and now as interim coach.

There's no one more loyal to or passionate about the Fire than Klopas, who played on the club's double-championship inaugural team in 1998.

After more than three seasons as technical director, Klopas is totally invested in the Fire. He acquired virtually all of the current players. Now as interim coach he will spend the rest of the season proving they were worth acquiring. He might even show he deserves the job on a permanent basis.

It's not just his job as coach and technical director on the line, but a part of his identity. And he's OK with that.

“Look, with myself and with everyone else, I know what I'm involved in,” Klopas said Tuesday after leading the team through training. “But I can tell you it doesn't cross my mind one minute. I love what I do. I love that I have an opportunity not only to be involved with the Fire but to do something that I love doing.”

Getting fired is not something he thinks about, Klopas said, adding his only concern is doing the best possible job as technical director, and now making sure the entire coaching staff does everything possible to prepare the team to be successful.

“Other than that, what happens, it's a game. I don't know. But then I could walk away with my head high and say, you know what? I've done everything possible that I could. And that I would feel good about.”

As for the players, Klopas likes what he has.

“I believe in the group that we have,” Klopas said. “I've been with them in preseason, I've been with them for a very long time. I know their capabilities.”

In Klopas the players have a coach with a much different personality than the departed Carlos de los Cobos. Klopas can be fiery and intense and direct. If they don't know already, they'll soon learn just how much this means to him.

Saying goodbye:When the Fire hired Carlos de los Cobos as coach in January 2010, management bragged about de los Cobos the person as well as de los Cobos the coach.While de los Cobos failed here as coach, he lived up to his personal billing. He showed himself to be a calm, patient individual who didn't mind taking time to meet a player's friend after a game or even to greet a reporter after training with a big smile and to ask about his family.Fire players and technical director/interim coach Frank Klopas remembered that side of de los Cobos after his dismissal.#8220;It came as a shock to everybody,#8221; veteran defender Cory Gibbs said. #8220;It's just a business. That's how it goes, you know? Carlos is a great man, a great coach.#8221;Klopas said he and director of player personnel Mike Jeffries told de los Cobos on Sunday about his firing. It was announced Monday, and on Tuesday morning de los Cobos met with his former players to wish them well.#8220;It's sad for all of us,#8221; captain Logan Pause said. #8220;Whenever you spend that much time with someone you develop a relationship, and not just professional. You develop a friendship with the guy. #8220;It takes some pretty strong character to show up in front of the group that just decided to let you go and face your former players, and he just thanked the guys and thanked everyone for the support and the opportunity. We all wished him well. He's a guy of integrity and strong character, and I'm sure moving forward he'll be successful.#8221;Describing the meeting, Gibbs said, #8220;He had a great time here, he appreciates each and every one of us and wants us to keep working hard, and he knows the wins will come.#8221;Perhaps the problem was cultural for the Mexican coach, perhaps it was the language barrier. De los Cobos' English improved but still did not come easily. Maybe his tactics had no chance in a league like MLS, and de los Cobos made it clear in the final weeks he wasn't going to change.#8220;Carlos worked very hard with his language and that stuff. Carlos worked very hard to adapt,#8221; Klopas said. #8220;Sometimes things just don't work out. It doesn't speak to what kind of coach he is.#8220;You have to make (sometimes difficult) decisions, and you move forward.#8221;oschwarz@dailyherald.com