Saturday's match between the Montreal Impact and the Chicago Fire has the potential to be quite the spectacle, not only as both teams are looking for their first win of the season, but there is added intrigue as Impact coach Frank Klopas faces his former team.
‘‘I can tell you that it’s another game, which it is, but there’s emotions that go into that game that are probably different than playing against other opponents because Chicago, for me, is home,’’ Klopas said. ‘‘The Fire is where I finished my career as a player and had an opportunity to start my professional career away from soccer.’’
“Chicago’s my home,” Klopas said. “It’s where I started my career. The Fire gave me an opportunity to be involved with the game. It has a special place in my heart, but now, my team is the Montreal Impact. This is where I work. I really love this city here, the fans have been great.”
There has always been pressure to win in Montreal, and fans have been supportive for the most part, perhaps giving the new coach some time to get adjusted to his new team. Speaking of adjustments, the addition of the 21-year-old McInerney from the Union (who was traded for Andrew Wenger) may just be the spark the team needed if he can play alongside Marco Di Vaio and score some goals. The defense has been weak as of late, so maybe the attacking duo will have to compensate for the Impact.
“The players have had a chance to see how he (McInerney) moves on the field and where he likes the ball,” said Klopas. “From a fitness standpoint, he’s ready. Mentally he’s ready. He has a very strong personality and mentality, so from all that, I think he’s ready to go.”
“The first win is going to be sweet, no matter who it’s against,” Klopas said, eventhough it may come against his former team.