Summary: For Frank Klopas and Chicago Fire it has been a season of attrition, overcoming adversity and making that key trade which sprung striker and MVP-candidate Mike Magee from Los Angeles in a deal that seems to have transformed the Eastern Conference as much as a team that was in need of a leading man and goalscorer. The team now finds itself on the brink of the playoffs for a second year running, however this version of the Fire seem more prepared and balanced to deal with the mentality that comes with elimination matches even though the team won more regular season matches a season ago. Here to examine those talking points among several other is the head coach of the Fire, Frank Klopas, who weighs in on the Magee trade, what it meant to the club and why this edition of the team seems more mentally prepared for the playoffs than it did a season ago. It will be a huge ask for Chicago to win away at New York as the Red Bulls seek to claim a first MLS trophy in the Supporters Shield and the task will get no easier with Jeff Larentowicz out due to a suspension for yellow card accumulation and that leaves an important question in central midfield where Tim Cahill will certainly figure to loom large. However, there are options there to be utilized and then there are options to consider for Frank Klopas himself this off-season as he examines his options and reputation here in Major League Soccer as both a manager and technical director. We discuss his little known winning percentage successes in MLS and what he would most likely prefer to do if the decisions in Chicago were left to him.
