Meet the Fire: Carlos de los Cobos

Ken Boehlke

Mar 01 |22:27 PM

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With the Chicago Fire season now just under 40 days away, we here at 312Sports.com feel that there is no better time than now to introduce you to the players and coaches that will be running the show in 2010 at Toyota Park. In the inaugural Meet the Fire post we will profile the new Fire head man, Carlos de los Cobos.

In November of last year the Fire decided it was time part ways with head coach Denis Hamlett. Hamlett had a successful, yet short, career in Chicago helping the Fire reach the semifinals in back to back years. But the shortage of an MLS Cup Finals appearance since 2003 left the Fire wanting more. And they believe more is coming in the form of former El Salvador National manager Carlos de los Cobos.

De los Cobos has been around professional soccer for more than 30 years, and has been a manager for the past 17 years. De los Cabos had much success in El Salvador but was not able to help them qualify for the World Cup before his departure for Chicago.

Carlos is Mexican born and spent time in his playing career with Queretaro, Monterray, Club America and a short period with Club Necaxa. De los Cobos participated in one World Cup with Mexico where they lost in the quarterfinals to the eventual runners-up West Germany. De los Cobos is expected to bring a vast amount of soccer knowledge to the Fire playing on his knowledge both as a coach at the club and international level and his time as a player.

Being a defensemen during his time as a player, it's expected that the Fire will become a defense oriented team. With players like Wilman Conde, Dasan Robinson, Logan Pause, and Tim Ward all returning, the Fire have a strong defensive unit that should benefit immensely from De los Cobos' well rounded knowledge. Calen Carr and Patrick Nyarko will boast the much needed speed that is needed from forwards in a defense first team.

Expect De los Cobos' style to be a lot different from Hamlett's, but it should be just as, if not more, effective. This was a great hire for the Fire, and we should all be expecting a very strong season in his first year.

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