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Chicago Fire announce Castillo as DP

Nery Castillo (ISIphotos.com) 

The Chicago Fire will be featuring a star Mexican as its Designated Player this season, but it won't be Cuauhtemoc Blanco.

It will be someone younger, and someone with a track record of scoring goals.

The Fire announced Mexican international Nery Castillo as its new Designated Player on Saturday. The well-traveled striker joins Chicago after an unsuccessful loan stint with Ukrainian club Dnipro. The 26-year-old striker has played for Olympiakos, Shakhtar Donetsk and Manchester City in recent years, but has yet to fulfill the potential he flashed as a standout for Mexico and Olympiakos as far back as 2007.

Castillo enjoyed his best period with Olympiakos, but a big-money transfer to Shakhtar Donetsk has lead to goal-less stints with Shakhtar, Manchester City and Dnipro. His lack of playing time at Dnipro led to him being excluded from Mexico's World Cup squad.

What do you think of the Fire's signing? Glad Chicago didn't bring back Blanco? Think Castillo can make an impact in Chicago?

Share your thoughts below.

Comments

  1. Not too thrilled that he was awarded DP money. How many games has he played in the last 2 years? It’s not like who rode the pine on the bench of a huge club, he couldn’t find time in Ukraine. I don’t think all DPs need to be legit superstars but at least really good players like Angel. A few seasons for Aston Villa is def. more impressive then the bench in Ukraine.

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  2. Mr. PW – I would argue that what the Fire need most is a guy who can consistently put the ball in the back of the net, not any creative vision. Nyarko, when healthy, has been creating many chances all year. Even Mapp has delivered some nice balls into and around the box. Nobody has stepped up to consistently finish the chances.

    Also, what good is creative vision when your central defenders are turning the ball over at the top of your own box? Creative vision doesn’t keep balls out of the back of your own net.

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  3. I’m Clueless??? First off, I didn’t even say it was a bad deal, I simply said it’s not a sure thing that he’s gonna be great, or even good. And to pay a ton of money like Dallas did on a Non-sure thing is a bad idea. Tell me where I went wrong…

    Second, He’s 26, wasn’t on the Mexican World Cup team and plays in the Ukrainian league, and got loaned out to a lesser Ukrainian team. What about that says Designated Player to you?

    I understand how talented he is, but his career has clearly been a disappointment seeing how old his is and how little he’s accomplished.

    you tell me what I’m missing, b/c i’m not watching the Ukrainian league every week, and neither are you I’m fairly certain.

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  4. Mike, Shakhtar won the UEFA cup in 2009. And in doing so, they beat CSKA Moscow, the team that eliminated Aston Villa from the same competition. There’s no shame in coming off the bench for Shakhtar – most their bench players are better than starters for Chicago.

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  5. LittleMaradona, you should not belittle a team without doing some research first. Shakhtar regularly plays in the UEFA Champions League and won the UEFA cup (now Europa league) in 2009. Their owner has tons of money and is completely obsessed about soccer. They brought a lot of talent from Brazil and Argentina and play attractive possession oriented soccer. Frankly, Shakhtar is better than any MLS or Mexican league team. They also have a state of art stadium that will host Euro 2012. Castillo will have a lot less competition for a starting spot in Chicago.

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  6. No, I’m saying there is no love lost between the Mexican and American national teams, and bringing in more players that are in tune with that rivalry, and bring it to MLS matches COULD be a good thing.

    Nice bait attempt, though.

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  7. He might not have been interested, but I would have been much more excited about someone like USA’s Feilhaber or Torres coming in than Castillo. Guys like Beckham and Blanco might be easy to dislike by many fans, but they brought a special vision to the game. MLS and especially the Fire need guys with creative vision, not hot-and-cold strikers.

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  8. yeah, i heard the same interview. However, you have to remember its the media he was referring to. You’ve got hate the sports media, here for ignoring soccer, and in Mexico for being always critical. That said, I hate the Mexican national team. Thats why my team is Pachuca, who dont have any Mexican internationals…go go USA! Galaxy too.

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  9. Great pick-up for Chicago. I think Castillo will tear it up in the MLS. And I’m no fan of the guy. Just recognize talent.

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  10. Not too thrilled that he was awarded DP money. How many games has he played in the last 2 years? It’s not like who rode the pine on the bench of a huge club, he couldn’t find time in Ukraine. I don’t think all DPs need to be legit superstars but at least really good players like Angel. A few seasons for Aston Villa is def. more impressive then the bench in Ukraine.

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  11. Can’t wait until someone from the Mexican media shows up at a Fire press conference and asks Castillo: “so, how’s life in Europe now?”

    (if I remember he said something like “I’m in Europe and you will never be”)

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  12. He’ll either score 2 goals with jaw-dropping moves or fight with the coach, stop playing and throw his hands in the air, and boot the ball at the ref and get thrown out.

    Like a train wreck…you won’t be able to look away.

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  13. Signing Nery Castillo as a DP is an insult to DPs everywhere. He may be an all right player, but he is not worthy of the DP moniker. Just another team for me to hate now.

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  14. O’Brien doesn’t deserve the insults he has received in these discussions. He was a quality player who suffered injuries beyond his control. In 2002 he had a great World Cup, and he played for Ajax back when Americans were few in those parts.

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  15. Clarification:
    I don’t know if Castillo is worthy of a DP signature. But the fact that MLS is signing mid twenties (not your average joe) soccer players is great.

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  16. At first I was a bit disappointed by this signing. But when I first realized how young he was (26), I’m a bit more optimistic now. He has a chance to grow in MLS.
    As opposed to other DP signings (Beckham, Henry, Blanco, Denilson, Gallardo, etc.), Castillo has a chance to prove himself in MLS and IMPROVE. All the other DP’s had to give their all or nothing. This is a good sign for MLS – signing mid twenties DP’s.
    I hope this means MLS will now bring in more young talent.

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  17. As long as you all realize that his personal life is a wreck since he lost his father and mother around the same time. It kinda tore him up, he has a lot of personal demons. Unless the article I read was fake, and I misunderstood the guys from futbol picante. Which is entirely possible, but you have understand if I didn’t misread that a lot of us wouldn’t be in the best of game shape if that was the case.

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  18. This guy is a star, and although he has had his problems I think its a good sign that he’s coming to Chicago because that tells he that he is accepting the fact that he just needs to get on the field to turn his career around. He has made some poor choices as far as picking clubs in the past and that has stunted him a bit, and in my opinion other than going to a team in mexico, or south america this is the best thing for him…..and he is exactly what the Fire needs. Right now they have two big target forwards, and a couple of really good wingers but nobody who can really get in behind defenses with speed through the middle and in MLS he’ll do that constantly.

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  19. +1
    How players can live in the Ukraine and Russia is beyond me. I couldn’t last 2 weeks in an all-Cyrillic environment.

    Also, Nery and US media shouldn’t be a problem, because English language media doesnt give a f— anyway and he generates huge buzz in the Spanish language media. Even if he pisses off the spanish-speaking press again, it really can’t create the kind of team-chemistry-destroying controversy that exists in the media-football nexus in Europe.

    End of the day, it’s MLS, and [compareably] no one cares at all. No one is going to recognize you. No one is going to follow you around harassing you. We’ll see what happens with this madman. Him and John could score a boatload of goals together or they could literally fight each other on the field and then both storm off.

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  20. “Solid” is not exactly what I’d call players like Castillo, Bravo, and Collins John. We may have a league full of John O’Briens soon.

    Hello, beach soccer!

    I’m not predicting that, but it’s possible.

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