By RYAN TOLMICH
The 2014 MLS season has yet to even reach its conclusion, but the Chicago Fire have wasted little time in securing the club’s newest Designated Player.
The Fire announced Tuesday that the club has signed Nigerian forward Kennedy Igboananike from Swedish side AIK. The 25-year-old will join the club as a DP for the 2015 season pending receipt of his International Transfer Certificate and his P1 Visa.
“Kennedy is a dynamic goal scorer with a track record of producing,” said Fire head coach Frank Yallop. “He’s young and exciting, a player with incredible pace, and we look forward to adding him to our roster to bolster our attack.”
Igboananike has spent the past two seasons with AIK, scoring 19 goals in two seasons with the club, including a spectacular bicycle kick finish. Prior to joining AIK, Igboananike featured for Djurgårdens IF and Vasalunds IF, where he won the Golden Boot in 2008 for scoring 18 goals in Sweden’s third division.
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What do you think of the Fire’s signing? How will Igbonanike fit in with the team next season?
Share your thoughts below.
Wouldn’t mind a rebranding or move. I live close and thus feel obligated to but the season tix. If they moved the team and they still suck easy to stop going.
We named the team after a disaster how lame is that. How about the Galveston hurricanes or Oklahoma tornados or the St. Helens eruptions. Whenever I wear a Fire hat they ask if I or a relative work for the fire dept.
The sting would be great if Columbus didn’t ruin the colors forever
What would be the purpose of a rebrand? The Chicago Fire (the event) is part of the city’s identity, a singular, historic event, not an everyday annoyance like hurricanes and tornadoes.
I get people thinking my hat is related to the Fire Dept too, but what’s your alternative, that people go from misunderstanding the logo on your hat to… having no clue what the logo is? How is that any better?
NASL to El Paso, TX, as a Chicagoan and Fire fan, here is my take:
Fire fans are great. Passionate, knowledgeable, and ready to embrace a good club. But….
The Fire made a horrible, and potentially fatal, decision to locate themselves in a far suburb of Chicago, and 20-30 minutes away from any expressway. I live in the City, on the Northwest side, and it takes me 1.25 -1.5 hours to get to Toyota Park. By comparison I can get to Soldier Field (Bears) in 30-40 minutes; United Center (Bulls, Blackhawks) in 30-35 minutes; US Cellular (White Sox) in 40-45 minutes; and Wrigley Field (Cubs) in 15 minutes.The Fire are the only major league team in Chicago not located in the city limits. I had season tickets for two years, and it just was not worth the hassle to attend.
The location is also bad because there are no worthwhile bars or restaurants in the immediate vicinity of Toyota Park. And there is NO public transportation access, unlike all of the City venues listed above.
The Fire chose this location because it was cheap. The town of Bridgeview spent money they did not have on a stadium that has been a money loser from day one. Property taxes have steadily increased in Bridgeview, and the town now regrets this decision. The Fire simply had no vision. You only have to look at Seattle and Portland to see the enthusiasm generated by a soccer specific stadium located in the city. Whatever models the Fire relied on to locate in Bridgeview did not take into account actual traffic and public transportation considerations, let alone fan enjoyment. But then, the CURRENT AND FORMER OWNERS OF THE FIRE CLUB (AEG and ANDELL HOLDINGS) ARE NOT FROM CHICAGO.
Meanwhile, the Fire team itself sucks. We have only a handful of good players, and we have not had a big star — someone to draw in marginal fans — since Blanco. But the question is how to draw top DPs to the team when the team has limited funds; no leadership; and a revolving door of crappy coaches.
As for your other questions, in my opinion the team name, colors, logo, and mascot (Sparky!) all are fine. They were great when the Fire was winning hardware 15 years ago, and they are great now.
I doubt an NASL team would do have the clout and money to get a soccer stadium built in the city of Chicago.
Poor fire fans. I hear negative and positive things about fire fans and i get so confused about this big market team.
So is your stadium in a good location or no.
Do you guys like your team name or no.
Do you want a rebrand or new logo, yes or no.
would you accept an Nasl team in chicago, like closer to the city.
Does chicago fire have a future in their stadium.
Last but not least, will chicago fire ever get 3top dps and a real coach.
So is your stadium in a good location or no.
Nope
Do you guys like your team name or no.
Yes, 110%
Do you want a rebrand or new logo, yes or no.
Hell. No. Best crest ever. Primary jerseys need to go back to Red & White
Would you accept an Nasl team in chicago, like closer to the city?
I would accept its existence, but NASL would have to become better than MLS before I would be a season ticket holder. (i.e. this imaginary NASL team would have to win the US Open Cup every year, maybe even CCL)
Does chicago fire have a future in their stadium?
Yes…a limited one I hope.
Last but not least, will chicago fire ever get 3top dps and a real coach?
Yes, when our owner and front office starts having an ambition that matches this city.
Ditto all ACFSCF’s answers.
1. No
2. Yes
3. No
4. Maybe, maybe not
5. Long term probably not
6. When Dollar Menu sells the team, yes.
1. It’s ok
2. No
3. Yes…. To the Sting!!
4.meh
5. Yes, if the lenders don’t foreclose in the village of Bridgeview
Then again darth Rahm emmanuel is building a stadium downtown for DePaul basketball that only averages about 2,000 fans a game so why not soccer
6. No unless they sell the team to Lee Stern
“he scored a bicycle kick!” not to mention scoring only 19 goals over 2 seasons….lets throw 350k+ at him….
how does this still happen in today’s MLS?
They may have overpaid based on inconsistency, but he’s scored 18, 16, and 14 in some seasons. In all competitions last year it was 6 but the year before that was 16. 19 is the league goal count.
Year before BWP came here he had 5 for Brentford in the English third division aka League One. But a few years before that he had 22 for Charlton. If they’ve scored somewhere that hints at potential. They might have overpaid but it’s an interesting signing because he’s mid 20s and has had some scoring history.
I have more objection to some of the stiffs people want to sign, even ones with decent names with caps, who’ve never broken double figures.
fair points indeed. however, BWP is clearly the exception, and it seems like we’ve had the same discussion about numerous other players (many of whom were mentioned in the comments section already) and they never pan out…..
A Nigerian forward with relatively few goals over the last few seasons, but lots before that?
Worked out pretty well for Seattle.
anything is better than onongono. plus the reality is u score more goals in mls
Igboananike Is translated into McDonald in English and Puppo in Spanish
not funny
It’s totally funny.
Since you lack humor I’ll explain.
Puppo and Macdonald were both players no one hears of that we’re labelled DP because of the money spent. I should have said JP Anagongo bevause the money spent to acquire both Puppo and JPO in transfer fees it was what made them DPs, not their salary and defiantly not the quality. The seems to be the same exact MO the Fire has used lately and that fans didn’t want. the only thing that would make it unfunny is that it’s sadly true. Or in some people’s case a lack of humor.
Next the fire will announce how they came in second place to acquire a big name player. Mark my words
Darn auto correct and typing now I left myself open for the cyber grammar police who can’t articulate a response so they hit you with the grammar spelling
Naw, they got Dan Karell earlier today on his article. They are probably too tired to care now.
Apparently Premier League clubs, including Southampton and QPR, were interested.
Chicago deserves better
Who?
I wonder for how much. Ive always thought MLS was better than Swedish league in play if not compensation. This is a step up for him. IMHO.
http://www.dailymail.co.uk/sport/football/article-2833020/Premier-League-wages-dwarf-Europe-flight-players-England-earning-average-2-3million-year.html
According to this chart, MLS is better in compensation as well.
Wow MLS 22nd. The owners have to be loving it right now ( after hating it for 10-15 years ).
The number is average, so very skewed and screwed up due to the high end salaries.
This as much as anything just says, when judging a new player, don’t just look at the cover. Yedlin will be the exact same player in Jan, that he is today….with 10x ( ? ) the salary.
Iggy, sorry don’t know his nickname, can’t wait to see you.
You must have missed that discussion about a week or two ago, when we saw that number was artificially high because of the abnormally skewed distribution of high wage earners (the top 6 players (out of 600 players) earn 28.5% of the total MLS annual wages). http://www.stathunting.com/2014/04/11/mls-salaries-visualized/
When there is more normal distribution, the average and the median are generally closer/aligned. Even with the DPs, the median salary is $75,500 or GBP 45,180. Assuming, the Swedish league is not as skewed as MLS (which is more likely than not), then the average (and rough median) of GBP 87,111 is higher.
1. http://prosoccertalk.nbcsports.com/2013/08/13/mls-player-salaries-analysis-charts-and-tables/
You must have missed that discussion about a week or two ago, when we saw that number was artificially high because of the abnormally skewed distribution of high wage earners (the top 6 players (out of 600 players) earn 28.5% of the total MLS annual wages). ()
When there is more normal distribution, the average and the median are generally closer/aligned. Even with the DPs, the median salary is $75,500 or GBP 45,180. Assuming, the Swedish league is not as skewed as MLS (which is more likely than not), then the average (and rough median) of GBP 87,111 is higher. ()
Not sure why you’d take out those salaries. Those guys are in the league too. The MLS salary structure is unique though. Looking forward to the days when MLS is closer to the top, maybe another twenty years from now.
You’d take out those high-end salaries depending on why you care about comparing league salaries in the first place. If it’s to compare which league compensates its players (i.e., as a whole) the best, then the overall average is meaningless—imagine a league that pays one player $99B and the rest only $1/year. Median is more meaningful, or an average after removing the top and bottom 10%. (Most meaningful would be mean and standard deviation, but no one is going to report that!)
So, Slowleftarm, you are secretly reading the UK newspapers after all, I knew that eventually you would come out of the closet. I look forward to seeing you posting links to SportBild, Kicker and Der Tagesspiegel. 🙂
I watch plenty of European games and in fact I’ve lived in Europe on multiple occasions. But I also like MLS too.
ig-bo-ah-nah-KNEE-kay?
Whatever, this dude is already lapping the field for coolest name of MLS 2015.
6 goals in 26 matches in 2014..what a producer
Finally, Chicago gets a big name DP that will put butts in seats. Wait, I mean long name. Can’t wait to hear announcers trip over it multiple times a game.
i totally agree about the name thing. but if he scores goals i will end my boycott. the fire need to go get a mexican national team player so the mexican fans have a reason to get to toyota park . similar to usmnt players putting fannies in seats.
Perhaps they can guarantee playing time to Chicharito. 😉
You do wonder about some of the off years, including 2014, but he is a good age and after BWP you dismiss 18, 14, 12 goal seasons in the bank at your peril.