# 2008 Chicago Fire season

The 2008 Chicago Fire season marked the club's 10th anniversary and their 11th consecutive season in Major League Soccer (MLS), solidifying their position in the top tier of American soccer. The season began with an impressive 3-1 away victory over Real Salt Lake on March 29, 2008. Under the leadership of Denis Hamlett, who was promoted to head coach for the first time, the Fire delivered a strong campaign, finishing 2nd in the Eastern Conference and 3rd overall in the league standings. The season concluded with a narrow 2-1 defeat to the Columbus Crew in the Eastern Conference Final on November 13, 2008, ending their hopes of a fourth MLS Cup Final appearance.

## Roster
### Squad

* Players in bold have had senior international caps for their respective national squads.
Note: Flags indicate national team as defined under FIFA eligibility rules; some limited exceptions apply. Players may hold more than one non-FIFA nationality.
| No. | Pos. | Nation | Player |
| 0 | GK | USA | Tyler Kettering |
| 1 | GK | USA | Jon Busch |
| 2 | DF | USA | C.J. Brown (Vice-captain) |
| 3 | FW | USA | Calen Carr |
| 4 | MF | MLI | Bakary Soumare |
| 5 | MF | USA | Brian Plotkin |
| 6 | DF | USA | Brandon Prideaux |
| 7 | MF | USA | Logan Pause |
| 8 | MF | USA | Diego Gutiérrez |
| 9 | FW | POL | Tomasz Frankowski |
| 10 | MF | MEX | Cuauhtémoc Blanco (Captain) |
| 11 | MF | USA | John Thorrington |
| 12 | FW | GHA | Patrick Nyarko |
| 16 | MF | GUA | Marco Pappa |
| 17 | FW | USA | Chris Rolfe |
| No. | Pos. | Nation | Player |
| 18 | MF | USA | Mike Banner |
| 20 | FW | USA | Brian McBride |
| 21 | MF | USA | Justin Mapp |
| 22 | DF | COL | Wilman Conde |
| 23 | MF | PAR | Líder Mármol |
| 24 | DF | USA | Daniel Woolard |
| 25 | DF | CRC | Gonzalo Segares |
| 26 | FW | CRC | Andy Herron |
| 28 | GK | USA | Nick Noble |
| 29 | MF | USA | Peter Lowry |
| 32 | DF | USA | Dasan Robinson |
| 33 | MF | USA | Stephen King |
| 34 | DF | USA | Austin Washington |
| 36 | MF | USA | Kai Kasiguran |
| 70 | MF | FRA | Saad Karim Hadji |

### Transfers
#### In

* Patrick Nyarko Drafted 7th overall in 2008 MLS Superdraft
* Dominic Cervi Drafted 12th overall in 2008 MLS Superdraft
* Peter Lowry Drafted 26th overall in 2008 MLS Superdraft
* Dwight Barnett Drafted 38th overall in 2008 MLS Superdraft
* Stephen King Drafted 40th overall in 2008 MLS Superdraft
* Austin Washington Drafted 54th overall in 2008 MLS Superdraft
* Andy Herron Rights acquired from Columbus Crew for 4th round pick in the 2010 Superdraft
* Tomasz Frankowski Signed from Wolverhampton Wanderers
* Brandon Prideaux Acquired in waiver draft from Colorado Rapids
* Líder Mármol Signed as free agent.
* Brian McBride Free agent
* Saad Karim Hadji Free agent

#### Out

* Matt Pickens To Queens Park Rangers
* Iván Guerrero Lost to San Jose Earthquakes in the Expansion Draft
* Jim Curtin Traded to Chivas USA
* Chris Armas Retired
* Paulo Wanchope Retired
* Jeff Curtin Waived, later signed with D.C. United
* Osei Telesford Waived, later signed with Puerto Rico Islanders
* Chad Barrett Traded to Toronto FC in Brian McBride deal
* Brian Plotkin Waived, later signed with Columbus Crew

## Statistics
### Appearances and goals

    Last updated on June 5, 2008.
| No. | Pos | Nat | Player | Total | Total | MLS Season | MLS Season |
| No. | Pos | Nat | Player | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals |
| 0 | GK | USA | Tyler Kettering | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 1 | GK | USA | Jon Busch | 30 | 0 | 30 | 0 |
| 2 | DF | USA | C.J. Brown | 3 | 0 | 3 | 0 |
| 3 | FW | USA | Calen Carr | 9 | 2 | 9 | 2 |
| 4 | MF | MLI | Bakary Soumare | 28 | 0 | 28 | 0 |
| 6 | DF | USA | Brandon Prideaux | 27 | 0 | 27 | 0 |
| 7 | MF | USA | Logan Pause | 27 | 0 | 27 | 0 |
| 8 | MF | USA | Diego Gutiérrez | 20 | 0 | 20 | 0 |
| 9 | FW | POL | Tomasz Frankowski | 17 | 2 | 17 | 2 |
| 10 | MF | MEX | Cuauhtémoc Blanco | 27 | 7 | 27 | 7 |
| 11 | MF | USA | John Thorrington | 23 | 5 | 23 | 5 |
| 12 | FW | GHA | Patrick Nyarko | 9 | 1 | 9 | 1 |
| 16 | MF | GUA | Marco Pappa | 6 | 0 | 6 | 0 |
| 17 | FW | USA | Chris Rolfe | 26 | 10 | 26 | 10 |
| 18 | MF | USA | Mike Banner | 11 | 0 | 11 | 0 |
| 20 | FW | USA | Brian McBride | 11 | 5 | 11 | 5 |
| 21 | MF | USA | Justin Mapp | 30 | 2 | 30 | 2 |
| 22 | DF | COL | Wilman Conde | 22 | 1 | 22 | 1 |
| 23 | DF | PAR | Lider Marmol | 2 | 0 | 2 | 0 |
| 24 | DF | USA | Daniel Woolard | 8 | 1 | 8 | 1 |
| 25 | DF | CRC | Gonzalo Segares | 23 | 2 | 23 | 2 |
| 26 | FW | CRC | Andy Herron | 17 | 0 | 17 | 0 |
| 28 | GK | USA | Nick Noble | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 29 | MF | USA | Peter Lowry | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 32 | DF | USA | Dasan Robinson | 2 | 0 | 2 | 0 |
| 33 | MF | USA | Stephen King | 20 | 2 | 20 | 2 |
| 34 | DF | USA | Austin Washington | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 |
| 36 | MF | USA | Kai Kasiguran | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |

## Competitions
### Overall

| Competition | Started round | Current position / round | Final position / round | First match | Last match |
| MLS | — | — | | March 29, 2008 | |
Updated to match played July 21, 2009 Source: Competitions

### Major League Soccer
## Standings

| Pos | Teamvte | Pld | W | L | T | GF | GA | GD | Pts | Qualification |
| 1 | Columbus Crew | 30 | 17 | 7 | 6 | 50 | 36 | +14 | 57 | MLS Cup Playoffs |
| 2 | Chicago Fire | 30 | 13 | 10 | 7 | 44 | 33 | +11 | 46 | MLS Cup Playoffs |
| 3 | New England Revolution | 30 | 12 | 11 | 7 | 40 | 43 | −3 | 43 | MLS Cup Playoffs |
| 4 | Kansas City Wizards | 30 | 11 | 10 | 9 | 37 | 39 | −2 | 42 | MLS Cup Playoffs |
| 5 | New York Red Bulls | 30 | 10 | 11 | 9 | 42 | 48 | −6 | 39 | MLS Cup Playoffs |
| 6 | D.C. United | 30 | 11 | 15 | 4 | 43 | 51 | −8 | 37 | |
| 7 | Toronto FC | 30 | 9 | 13 | 8 | 34 | 43 | −9 | 35 | |
| Pos | Teamvte | Pld | W | L | T | GF | GA | GD | Pts | Qualification |
| 1 | Columbus Crew (C, S) | 30 | 17 | 7 | 6 | 50 | 36 | +14 | 57 | CONCACAF Champions League |
| 2 | Houston Dynamo | 30 | 13 | 5 | 12 | 45 | 32 | +13 | 51 | CONCACAF Champions League |
| 3 | Chicago Fire | 30 | 13 | 10 | 7 | 44 | 33 | +11 | 46 | North American SuperLiga |
| 4 | Chivas USA | 30 | 12 | 11 | 7 | 40 | 41 | −1 | 43 | North American SuperLiga |
| 5 | New England Revolution | 30 | 12 | 11 | 7 | 40 | 43 | −3 | 43 | North American SuperLiga |
| 6 | Kansas City Wizards | 30 | 11 | 10 | 9 | 37 | 39 | −2 | 42 | North American SuperLiga |
| 7 | Real Salt Lake | 30 | 10 | 10 | 10 | 40 | 39 | +1 | 40 | |
| 8 | New York Red Bulls | 30 | 10 | 11 | 9 | 42 | 48 | −6 | 39 | CONCACAF Champions League |
| 9 | Colorado Rapids | 30 | 11 | 14 | 5 | 44 | 45 | −1 | 38 | |
| 10 | D.C. United | 30 | 11 | 15 | 4 | 43 | 51 | −8 | 37 | CONCACAF Champions League |
| 11 | FC Dallas | 30 | 8 | 10 | 12 | 45 | 41 | +4 | 36 | |
| 12 | Toronto FC | 30 | 9 | 13 | 8 | 34 | 43 | −9 | 35 | CONCACAF Champions League |
| 13 | LA Galaxy | 30 | 8 | 13 | 9 | 55 | 62 | −7 | 33 | |
| 14 | San Jose Earthquakes | 30 | 8 | 13 | 9 | 32 | 38 | −6 | 33 | |
* ↑ As winners of the 2009 Canadian Championship

### Results summary

| Overall | Overall | Overall | Overall | Overall | Overall | Overall | Overall | Home | Home | Home | Home | Home | Home | Away | Away | Away | Away | Away | Away |
| Pld | Pts | W | L | T | GF | GA | GD | W | L | T | GF | GA | GD | W | L | T | GF | GA | GD |
| 30 | 46 | 13 | 10 | 7 | 44 | 33 | +11 | 7 | 5 | 3 | 23 | 17 | +6 | 6 | 5 | 4 | 21 | 16 | +5 |
Last updated: July 21, 2009 Source: Major League Soccer Pld = Matches played; Pts = Points; W = Matches won; T = Matches tied; L = Matches lost; GF = Goals for; GA = Goals against; GD = Goal difference
| Round | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 10 | 11 | 12 | 13 | 14 | 15 | 16 | 17 | 18 | 19 | 20 | 21 | 22 | 23 | 24 | 25 | 26 | 27 | 28 | 29 | 30 |
| Stadium | A | H | A | H | H | A | A | H | A | H | A | A | H | A | H | H | A | H | A | H | A | A | H | A | H | H | A | H | A | H |
| Result | T | W | W | L | W | W | W | L | W | L | L | L | T | T | W | T | T | W | W | L | W | L | W | L | L | W | T | T | L | W |

## Matches

Win  Tie  Loss