The Chicago Fire were once a powerhouse in Major League Soccer. Chicago won the MLS Cup in its first season in 1998 and finished twice as the runner-up in 2000 and 2003.
Now, the Fire are languishing at the bottom of the Eastern Conference. They're also the only team without a road win in 2015. It is easily the most sorry franchise in the league.
To make matters worse, Chicago's prized offseason acquisition, Shaun Maloney, is nearing a move to Hull City in the English Championship. Head coach Frank Yallop (via Orrin Schwarz of the Daily Herald) confirmed that a deal was close:
Yallop confirms Maloney transfer to #hcafc all but done #cf97
— Orrin Schwarz (@Orrin_Schwarz) August 20, 2015
Yallop says #cf97 got a good deal from #hcafc but still sorry to see Maloney go
— Orrin Schwarz (@Orrin_Schwarz) August 20, 2015
Maloney left for personal reasons because of the "setup not being right," according to sports agency Global Premier Management:
Personal reasons for Maloney leaving Chicago.