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Rising Out Of The Fire: Chicago Aztecs

Started on 4 August 2013 by JordTheDesigner
Latest Reply on 5 August 2013 by JordTheDesigner
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Who are The Chicago Aztecs?


Chicago Aztecs are a newly formed club that used to be Chicago Fire with the Fire Academy now being known as the Aztec Academy , an American professional football club based in the Chicago suburb of Bridgeview, Illinois. The team competes in Major League Soccer (MLS)and was founded on October 8, 1997; the event's 126th anniversary. In their first league season in 1998, the Fire won the MLS Cup as well as the U.S. Open Cup (the "double"). They have also won U.S. Open Cups in 2000, 2003, and 2006; in addition to the 2003 MLS Supporters' Shield.
The Fire maintain an extensive development system, consisting of the Chicago Fire Premier (Premier Development League and Super-20 League teams), the Chicago Fire NPSL team, the Chicago Fire Development Academy, and the Chicago Fire Juniors youth organization. They also operate the Chicago Fire Foundation, the team's community-based charitable division. Exxon Park is the Aztec's home stadium. They are currently managerless.

Who are their famous players?


Many notable players have worn the Aztec shirt, including U.S. internationals Chris Armas, Carlos Bocanegra, Frank Klopas, DaMarcus Beasley, Brian McBride, Tony Sanneh, Cory Gibbs, Ante Razov, Josh Wolff and Eric Wynalda. Some of the club's other notable American professional players include C.J. Brown, Jesse Marsch, Chris Rolfe, and Zach Thornton. The Fire also has a reputation for importing international talent, from established veterans like Pável Pardo, Piotr Nowak, Cuauhtémoc Blanco, Tomasz Frankowski, Lubos Kubik and Hristo Stoichkov; in addition to younger players such as Patrick Nyarko, Marco Pappa, Damani Ralph, Bakary Soumare, and Nery Castillo.

Section 8

There is a noteworthy fan culture for the Aztecs, existing from the date the club was founded, and building on an enthusiasm throughout Chicago sports. At matches, supporters and ultras groups occupy a standing area directly behind the north goal, in the Harlem End of Exxon Park. This area is referred to as Section 8, originating from the numbering of the corresponding section at Soldier Field and the American military designation of mentally unfit soldiers.Section 8 Chicago, the Independent Supporters' Association for the Aztec, oversees the activities of these numerous groups. While incorporating a worldwide variety of styles with a Chicago bent, groups as part of Section 8 generally fall under the ultras designation. Additionally, an associated spinoff group called "Sector Latino" congregates in Section 101 at the stadium's South end. The Section 8 Chicago ISA, an umbrella organization for all Fire fans, is a non-profit organization recognized by the state of Illinois.
Match atmosphere is known for organized displays of stadium-wide support, particularly for matches of prime competitive importance. Call-and-response cheering amongst the crowd is commonplace. Fans at Exxon Park for Aztec matches periodically choreograph tifo presentations both to show their pride and inspire the players on the field. Exxon Park remains one of the few American environments to conduct such fan-driven presentations on a large scale.
Their official mascot is Sparky, an anthropomorphic Dalmatian dog. Sparky is usually shown wearing the club's jersey but also arrives wearing firefighter attire

Former Boss Speaks About The Future Of The MLS


Former Chicago Fire general manager Peter Wilt is confident soccer will continue to grow in the USA over the next decade.

The soccer executive wrote in his blog on Pitch Invasion that he feels the quality of the sport in the States sport will get better and better due to several reasons but mainly touching on the fact that the media is allowing soccer much more mainstream airplay.

Wilt’s reasons for the continued growth of soccer in the USA included:

‘Media and society are mainstreaming soccer at unparalleled rates. Soccer bashing media members have been replaced with soccer knowledgeable journalists. American television and the internet have provided unprecedented forums for soccer coverage and discussion.

‘That mainstreaming will result in better athletes playing soccer and better coaches teaching soccer.

‘The world is getting smaller. More Americans are watching international soccer on television, more Americans are playing overseas and more foreign born players are moving to the US at a young age. Each of these developments will result in better players representing the US and more Americans following soccer as fans.

‘MLS will be twice as large as it was a decade prior. Having 20 teams instead of ten will double the number of Americans playing the sport at the first division level and will double the number of Americans (and Canadians) watching first division local teams.

‘Fans are becoming more passionate. The growth of soccer spectatorship in the last decade is not measured only by the increased quantity of fans, but also by the increased intensity of their support. More fans are caring about the sport and their favorite teams (domestically and internationally) than ever before.’

Aruna Dindane Sign For The Aztecs


In what was a very busy week in Illinois , with the unveiling of the re-branding of Chicago Fire , to The Chicago Aztecs infront of a crowd of 30,000 people at the Exxon Mobil Arena, with mmany of the fans happy that the club has rebranded in a hope of a change in fortune for their side.

Meanwhile at the launch Aztec's kits were first shown after leaving Puma , Chicago are now manufactured by Adidas with Exxon Mobile as there sponsor , here are the home away and third kits of the club:

Thee was a lot of discontent with the new third kit as fans signalled it was too much like their rivals New England home kit, however they paid tribute to the army feel of the away kit which will go down well with the Section 8 Ultras.

Later last week Aztec's organised a training camp in California where they hope to play three teams in the regional leagues before moving on to a tour of Ecuador where they will play three Quito sides.

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