Wed Mar 26 17:14:19 2008

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'08 Season Preview: Fire look to make poetry under Hamlett

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Bridgeview, IL (Sports Network) - To be or not to be? That is the question Chicago Fire fans have for new head coach Dennis Hamlett heading into the 2008 season.

Will the team be the bottom-of-the-table club it was midway through the '07 campaign, or will it be the team that got hot in the second half, earned a playoff berth and advanced to the Eastern Conference finals?

The second-half surge from a year ago started with the addition of Mexican legend Cuauhtemoc Blanco and Colombian coach Juan Carlos Osorio just after Independence Day. This season, Blanco is back but Osorio defected to New York, with long-time assistant Hamlett taking over.

"I'm taking this opportunity," Hamlett said. "I'm going to run with it and do the best I can. I waited 10 years for this opportunity."

"It hasn't been too different," Chris Rolfe said of the transition to Hamlett's coaching style compared to that of past coaches. "(Hamlett) has always had his hand in the things that were going on here. Now he's running the show but a lot of the stuff is familiar because the things that he has learned as an assistant coach have come from (past coaches) Bob Bradley, Dave Sarachan and Juan Carlos Osorio."

The team's poor form in the first half of '07 was aided greatly by the injury bug, which claimed striker Rolfe and midfielder Justin Mapp, among others.

Heading into '08 the club is healthy and looks as deep as it has ever been, with a lot of talent, especially in the offensive third. Blanco, Rolfe and Mapp highlight that group.

"We have some special players in the attacking third of the field and we want to showcase their abilities," Hamlett said. "We want to be a team that is hard to play against."

Having Blanco - who scored four goals and seven assists in just 14 regular season games last season - from the start will be a major boost.

"I think we are happy to get him right from the get-go," Hamlett said. "Last season (the 35-year-old) came in after a long season in Mexico and with the (Mexican) national team. He played a lot of games and this year he needed to get some rest in the offseason. I think he had a great impact the last two months of last season and I expect him to have that same impact over the whole 2008 season because that is the type of player he is."

The team will probably start the season in a 4-4-2 base formation, which could change, depending on opponents and players' form.

Rolfe, who scored six goals in just 19 games last season, will probably man one of the forward positions with either Chad Barrett, Andy Herron, Tomasz Frankowski or Calen Carr beside him. Rolfe is obviously the key to that group, but he could be moved to the midfield, where he played sparingly last season.

"We were happy to get him back at the end of last season after that ankle injury because he is a special player," Hamlett said, "especially around the goal. I expect big things from him this season because of his ability."

"I want to put together a full season and try to be healthy," Rolfe said. "I want to get off to a good start and make sure we're ready to go at the beginning of the season."

Behind the forwards will be Blanco in the central attacking role.

"I expect him to have a very good year," Rolfe said. "He was only here for half the season last year and it can be a tough transition. He knows what to expect this year and I'm sure he knows how to be effective."

The other players competing for playing time in the middle are Mapp, rookie Stephen King, Logan Pause, Bakary Soumare and John Thorrington.

"(Mapp) is in the same category as Chris Rolfe," Hamlett said. "Another good young American player that we expect big things out of this season. Again, he has special qualities in the final third of the field that are special and it can help us be a better team. We expect big things from both those guys."

The backline will be led by Colombian Wilman Conde, who had a trade request denied this offseason. Veterans C.J. Brown, Diego Gutierrez, Gonzalo Segares Dasan Robinson and Brandon Prideaux will also compete for minutes.

"I feel that there is competition in the midfield and in the back so that is good," Hamlett said. "As a coach you want to have that at every position to keep your group sharp."

In net will be Jon Busch, who takes over for Matt Pickens after his transfer to Europe this winter.

"We feel comfortable with the guys we have," Hamlett said of the goalkeeping situation."We feel that Jon Busch is a guy that we are very comfortable with. He's been very sharp this preseason and has been playing very well."

Rookie draft pick Dominic Cervi is also an option, but he has yet to sign an MLS contract, leaving him in limbo.

"That is a decision that he has to make," Hamlett said. "We feel confident with Busch and Nick Noble, the guy we drafted last season who has been very sharp this year. Obviously if Dominic would sign and be part of it, it would make things even better."

The Fire will have the chance to show what type of team they will be, or not be, when they open their '08 campaign on March 29, hosting Real Salt Lake at Toyota Park.