The 2014 Chicago Fire season was the club's 16th year of existence, as well as their 17th season in Major League Soccer and their 17th consecutive year in the top-flight of American soccer.
Chicago Fire began the regular season on March 9, 2014, with an away match against Chivas USA. The Men in Red concluded the regular season on October 24, 2014, with a home match against Houston Dynamo. Chicago finished the season with a 6–10–18 record and missed the playoffs for the fourth time in the past five seasons. With 18 drawn matches, the Fire set a new MLS record for most ties in a season, beating the previous record of 16 ties set in 2011 by Chicago Fire and New York Red Bulls.
After 12 years with the team, midfielder Logan Pause retired at the end of the season. Pause spent all of his professional career playing for Chicago Fire. On November 3, 2014, he was named Vice President of the Chicago Fire Soccer Club.
Squad at the end of the season As of October 24, 2014. Source: Chicago Fire official roster
No. Name Nationality Position Date of birth (aged) Previous club Goalkeepers 25 Sean Johnson GK Atlanta Blackhawks 28 Kyle Reynish GK New York Cosmos Defenders 3 Hunter Jumper LB University of Virginia Cavaliers 4 Bakary Soumaré CB Philadelphia Union 5 Lovel Palmer RB Real Salt Lake 6 Patrick Ianni CB Seattle Sounders FC 13 Gonzalo Segares LB Apollon Limassol 16 Greg Cochrane LB Los Angeles Galaxy 18 Steven Kinney RB Carolina Dynamo Midfielders 7 Alex M FC Wohlen 8 Grant Ward M Tottenham Hotspur 11 Sanna Nyassi M Montreal Impact 12 Logan Pause M University of North Carolina Tar Heels 20 Jeff Larentowicz M Colorado Rapids 21 Chris Ritter M Northwestern University Wildcats 22 Matt Watson M Vancouver Whitecaps FC 30 Răzvan Cociș M FC Hoverla Uzhhorod 54 Benji Joya M Santos Laguna Forwards 9 Mike Magee F Los Angeles Galaxy 14 Patrick Nyarko F Virginia Tech Hokies 15 Matthew Fondy F Chivas USA 19 Harry Shipp F University of Notre Dame Fighting Irish 24 Quincy Amarikwa F Toronto FC 88 Robert Earnshaw F Blackpool 99 Florent Sinama Pongolle F FC Rostov
Player movement
In
Per Major League Soccer and club policies terms of the deals do not get disclosed. DatePlayerPositionPrevious clubNotesRef December 13, 2013 Lovel Palmer D Real Salt Lake Acquired in exchange for allocation money December 18, 2013 Chris Rolfe F Chicago Fire Re-signed with the club after initially having his contract option declined and later opting out of Stage Two of the 2013 MLS Re-Entry Draft January 6, 2014 Kyle Reynish GK New York Cosmos Signed via free transfer January 9, 2014 Harry Shipp F University of Notre Dame Fighting Irish Signed as a Homegrown Player January 13, 2014 Chris Ritter M Northwestern University Wildcats Signed as a Homegrown Player January 15, 2014 Jhon Kennedy Hurtado D Seattle Sounders FC Acquired together with the 13th overall selection in the 2014 MLS SuperDraft in exchange for Jalil Anibaba, the 8th overall selection in the 2014 MLS SuperDraft and a conditional third round selection in the 2015 MLS SuperDraft January 15, 2014 Patrick Ianni D Seattle Sounders FC Acquired together with the 13th overall selection in the 2014 MLS SuperDraft in exchange for Jalil Anibaba, the 8th overall selection in the 2014 MLS SuperDraft and a conditional third round selection in the 2015 MLS SuperDraft January 24, 2014 Logan Pause M Chicago Fire Re-signed with the club after having initially having his contract option declined and later opting out of Stage Two of the 2013 MLS Re-Entry Draft January 24, 2014 Giuseppe Gentile F University of North Carolina Charlotte 49ers Acquired via the Waiver Draft February 14, 2014 Orr Barouch F Bnei Yehuda Returned from loan February 25, 2014 Marco Franco D University of California-Irvine Anteaters Signed after being selected 13th overall (first round) in the 2014 MLS SuperDraft February 28, 2014 Greg Cochrane D Los Angeles Galaxy Traded for a conditional 2016 MLS SuperDraft pick March 5, 2014 Matt Watson M Vancouver Whitecaps FC Traded for a 2014 MLS International Roster Slot July 5, 2014 Matthew Fondy F Chivas USA Signed as a free agent July 14, 2014 Răzvan Cociș M FC Hoverla Uzhhorod Signed as a free agent July 29, 2014 Sanna Nyassi M Montreal Impact Acquired in exchange for Dilly Duka August 15, 2014 Robert Earnshaw F Blackpool Signed via free transfer August 28, 2014 Collin Fernandez M Chicago Fire Academy Signed as a Homegrown Player, will not be added to the first team roster until 2015 September 9, 2014 Florent Sinama Pongolle F FC Rostov Signed as a free agent
Out DatePlayerPositionDestination clubNotesRef November 25, 2013 Arévalo Ríos M None Contract option was not picked up November 25, 2013 Paolo Tornaghi GK None Waived December 9, 2013 Corben Bone M Philadelphia Union 2014 contract option was declined; selected with the sixth pick in Stage One of the 2013 MLS Re-Entry Draft by Philadelphia Union December 9, 2013 Joel Lindpere M None 2014 contract option was declined December 9, 2013 Daniel Paladini M Columbus Crew 2014 contract option was declined; rights traded to Columbus Crew in exchange for the fourth round (61st overall) pick in the 2014 MLS SuperDraft December 9, 2013 Maicon Santos F None 2014 contract option was declined December 9, 2013 Michael Videira M None 2014 contract option was declined December 9, 2013 Shaun Francis D San Jose Earthquakes Out of contract; selected in Stage Two of the 2013 MLS Re-Entry Draft by San Jose Earthquakes December 9, 2013 Wells Thompson M None Out of contract January 15, 2014 Jalil Anibaba D Seattle Sounders FC Traded together with the 8th overall selection in the 2014 MLS SuperDraft and a conditional third round selection in the 2015 MLS SuperDraft in exchange for Jhon Kennedy Hurtado, Patrick Ianni and the 13th overall selection in the 2014 MLS SuperDraft February 20, 2014 Kellen Gulley F None Returned from loan and was re-signed by the club after initially having his contract option declined, subsequently was waived in the preseason February 20, 2014 Brendan King M None Waived by the club February 24, 2014 Federico Puppo F LDU Quito After being out on loan since July 2012, a mutual agreement was reached to terminate the contractFrank Yallop at the press conference - "they are still our property" (34:07) February 24, 2014 Austin Berry D Philadelphia Union Traded in exchange for allocation money March 6, 2014 Yazid Atouba M None Re-signed with the club after being out of contract, subsequently was waived in the preseason April 2, 2014 Chris Rolfe F D.C. United Traded in exchange for allocation money June 11, 2014 Orr Barouch F None The club and the player have mutually agreed to part ways June 30, 2014 Giuseppe Gentile F None Waived, after being loaned to Charlotte Eagles earlier in the season July 29, 2014 Dilly Duka M Montreal Impact Traded in exchange for Sanna Nyassi August 22, 2014 Jhon Kennedy Hurtado D Chivas USA Traded in exchange for allocation money October 24, 2014 Logan Pause M None Retired
Players selected in the 2014 MLS SuperDraft, but ultimately not signed by the club: midfielder Zach Bolden (selected 61st overall, fourth round, from University of Denver), The Fire currently have 28 signed players, plus Orr Barouch who seems set to re-join the team in Tucson after rehabbing an injury. The team also has nine unsigned players... midfielder Kadeem Dacres (selected 65th overall, fourth round, from University of Maryland, Baltimore County) and midfielder Bryan Ciesulka (selected 75th overall, fourth round, from Marquette University). Trialists released in the preseason: defender Rafael Alves, forward Vini Dantas, goalkeeper Kyle Renfro, defender Andrae Campbell, forward Daniel Jackson, midfielder Freddie Braun (winner of the Open Tryout), "Former Fire PDL midfielder emerges from field of 160, invited to preseason phase one." defender Tim Ward goalkeeper David Meves defender Parker Walsh and forward Grant Ward.
Loans
In DatePlayerPositionLoaned FromNotesRef February 5, 2014 Benji Joya M Santos Laguna One year loan with transfer option March 22, 2014 Grant Ward M Tottenham Hotspur Acquired on loan
Out Per Major League Soccer and club policies terms of the deals do not get disclosed. DatePlayerPositionLoaned ToNotesRef July 9, 2013 Álvaro Fernández M Nacional Was initially loaned for the 2013 season; current status not yet announced by the club June 6, 2014 Alec Kann GK Charlotte Eagles Loaned for the rest of the season with the option to recall June 13, 2014 Victor Pineda M Indy Eleven Loaned with the option to recall July 3, 2014 Juan Luis Anangonó F LDU Quito Six-month loan September 12, 2014 Marco Franco D Indy Eleven Loaned through end of 2014 NASL season with option to recall
Technical staff
Standings
Conference tables
Eastern Conference
Western Conference
Overall table
Results summary
Results
Match results
Preseason Kickoff times are in CST (UTC-06)
Major League Soccer
Kickoff times are in CDT (UTC-05)
U.S. Open Cup
Kickoff times are in CDT (UTC-05)
Friendlies Kickoff times are in CDT (UTC-05)
Statistics
Appearances and goals
|colspan=14|Players who left the club during the season: (Statistics shown are the appearances made and goals scored while at Chicago Fire)
Leading scorers
+MLS Regular SeasonRankScorerGoalsAssists1 Quincy Amarikwa852 Harry Shipp763 Mike Magee744 Jeff Larentowicz635 Robert Earnshaw306 Juan Luis Anangono207 Patrick Nyarko138 Grant Ward129 Sanna Nyassi11 Matt Watson11 Lovel Palmer1112 Florent Sinama Pongolle10 Benji Joya10 Jhon Kennedy Hurtado1015 Greg Cochrane0216 Alex01
+U.S. Open CupRankScorerGoalsAssists1 Quincy Amarikwa212 Juan Luis Anangonó203 Jeff Larentowicz11 Alex115 Patrick Ianni106 Harry Shipp027 Matt Watson01
Updated to match played on October 24, 2014.Source: MLSsoccer.com statistics - 2014 Chicago Fire
Recognition
MLS Player of the Week Week Player Report10 Harry ShippPOTW
MLS Team of the Week WeekPlayerPositionReport2 Bakary SoumaréDReport10 Harry ShippMReport13 Bakary SoumaréDReport14 Harry ShippMReport17 Sean JohnsonGKReport18 Sean JohnsonGKReport Lovel PalmerD22 Jeff LarentowiczDReport25 Bakary SoumaréDReport30 Lovel PalmerDReport33 Sean JohnsonGKReport
Team annual awards Forward Quincy Amarikwa won the Golden Boot award for scoring the team-leading eight goals this season. Goalkeeper Sean Johnson was named the Defensive Player of the Year for the second year in a row. Johnson was also named the team's Most Valuable Player. The winners were selected by the local media members.
First-year defender Lovel Palmer was voted Section 8 Chicago Supporters Player of the Year.
Patrick Nyarko's strike in the match against New York Red Bulls on May 10 was voted the team's 2014 Goal of the Year.
Kits
TypeShirtShortsSocksFirst appearance / Info Home Red / Navy Red Red Home Alt. Red / Navy Navy Red MLS, March 23 against New York Away Navy Navy Navy
Primary kit The club unveiled its new 2014 primary kit on March 4, 2014. According to the release, the jersey design was inspired by the City of Chicago fire trucks which feature a dark top, a band and red throughout the bottom half. The light blue represents the primary color of the Chicago flag.
Third kit On October 8, 2013, the club unveiled the third kit to be worn in the 2014 season. The municipal-themed design named "Heart on Your Sleeve" incorporated the city flag as well as the iconic Chicago skyline. The winning design was selected via a fan vote online.
Miscellany
Draft pick trades Picks acquired: 2014 MLS SuperDraft 13th overall pick, Jhon Kennedy Hurtado and Patrick Ianni from Seattle Sounders FC in exchange for Jalil Anibaba 2014 MLS SuperDraft fourth round pick from Real Salt Lake in exchange for Kwame Watson-Siriboe 2014 MLS SuperDraft fourth round pick from Columbus Crew in exchange for Daniel Paladini
Picks traded: