The Chicago Fire will be going into the 2009 MLS season as one of the top contenders for the MLS Cup title, and if the Fire is to win its first league title since its first season in 1998, Denis Hamlett will be the one leading the way.
The Fire head coach has spent the 11 seasons with the club, and the past year as head coach, and he has compiled a loaded team that should not only challenge the Columbus Crew for the league title, but also be a top contender in the CONCACAF Champions League and U.S. Open Cup.
Hamlett's time in MLS didn't begin with the Fire, but actually as a standout defender for the Colorado Rapids in 1996 before a stroke cut short his playing career after just one MLS season.
Some 12 years later, Hamlett has watched the Fire win numerous trophies as one of the league's most successful clubs and will now be shooting for his first trophy since taking over the club as head coach last year.
Hamlett is the latest subject for The SBI Questions. a new feature on SBI that consists of readers submitting questions and SBI selecting the best of them before presenting them to the interview subject. So far Juan Carlos Osorio and Peter Vermes have taken part and we are lining up another MLS coach for the next installment.
Please submit your soccer-related questions for Hamlett in the comments section below. The answers will be posted next week.
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