Andrew Gutman: 'It's Been Amazing' to Join Chicago Fire

It’s been a welcome homecoming for Hinsdale’s Andrew Gutman with the Fire thus far in the preseason.

The left back, whom Chicago acquired from the Colorado Rapids in early December, was effusive in his praise of the Fire during his first media availability since the trade.

“​​It's been amazing to come back to the club that I grew up playing for,” said Gutman from Florida during the Fire’s weekly media availability. “It's something that I always envisioned happening. Thankfully this last off-season it was able to come to fruition. For me, it's always where I wanted to be, where I've always wanted to play. I'm thankful for the club bringing me back.”

“Hopefully, I'm here for the rest of my career. That's my goal. It's been great so far. Meeting the guys, meeting the coaching staff, everyone involved with the club, super welcoming. Helping me out when I need it.”

Gutman was with the Chicago Fire Academy as a youth player before a standout four-year career at Indiana University. He was offered a homegrown deal by the Fire after his collegiate career but declined in favor of joining Celtic in the Scottish Premiership. Despite the decision to play elsewhere earlier in his career, the former Hoosier wants to be in Chicago.

“When I was growing up and coming up through the Academy, there were discussions to stay. Things happened. It didn't work out. But I always in my head was thinking I want to eventually come back to Chicago. I want to be able to play for this club.

“Thankfully the guys within the organization kept good relationships with me. Every time we played in Chicago, I would still say hello and have some chats with some of the guys throughout the club.

“I never felt like it wasn't my club. I always felt like the Fire was a part of me. Like I said, this off-season everything kind of came together where there was a great opportunity for me to come back. I was in a position where I wanted to come back. I wanted the prime of my career to be with Chicago. I feel like these upcoming years are going to be probably the best level I'm going to be able to play at, and I wanted to be able to play for Chicago while doing that.”

It’s never easy to adjust to a new backline pairing and coaching system, but Gutman feels good about the changes at this early point of the preseason.

“I'm super excited about the role that [Frank Klopas] wants me to play within the club, both on the field and off the field. I think it's something that really fits who I am as a player. Hopefully I can show that this year on the field.”

The back line, it's obviously a new back line to me. I'm still trying to get to know a lot of the players. What I've seen so far is really good. I'm super excited to play with Rafa [Rafael Czichos], to play with Wyatt [Omsberg] to play, with Mauri [Mauricio Pineda], who I grew up playing with in the academy. Haven't had the chance yet to play with Carlos [Terán]. I played against him multiple times. He's just a beast of a center back.”

Frank Klopas on Coaching Changes

The Fire’s head coach brought in Paulo Nagamura and Carlos García as assistant coaches while hiring Ryan Needs as the team’s set piece coach — a position that didn’t exist at the club last season — to shake things up as the full-time boss. He explained his decisions to add these coaches during his weekly media availability.

“My main goal looking into it, I wanted to get, first of all, someone that had MLS experience and someone that can specialize more off the ball as an assistant coach, more on the defensive part, knowing we're all going to be involved and talking through this final decision, but someone to be more his specialty,” said Klopas. “I went through the process to interview different people, a lot of good candidates. In the end I felt that Paulo Nagamura, first of all a great human being, (with) a lot of experience within the League. I felt that we had a really good connection. He has really good ideas, extremely hard-working guy, very bright. For me, that was really a great moment to be able to offer him the job, but also for him to accept this opportunity to be involved in our Club….

“Carlos Garcia, it's someone that's out of the box. I was looking for someone that can bring different ideas. He has tremendous experience. Also played the game at the highest level. He's coached in different countries. He’s someone who specializes more with the ball and, again, a lot of great people that I had to interview and had to go through this process. In the end I felt Carlos was someone that would just kind of complement myself and the rest of the staff.”

The addition of a set piece coach to the staff was something Klopas had been thinking about going back to last year.

“We had talked about bringing someone that can specialize and focus on set pieces. It's a big part of the game worldwide, not just here. It's an element in the face of the game that can decide outcomes. We talked about it last year. We didn't bring someone on. But I strongly felt we needed to make that move this year and bring in Ryan [Needs] with his experience. I think it's going to be just a great addition to the club.”

Rafael Czichos on the Appointment of Ryan Needs

The Fire’s captain and center back couldn’t have been more excited when talking about the addition of Needs to Klopas’ coaching staff.

“Honestly, I know him for – what is it now, 10 days – and I already love this guy,” said Czichos during the Fire’s media availability. “The energy he brings us on the field, especially in all the set pieces, is what we need. I think we're going to be well-prepared for all the teams that will come to our stadium or to the teams we are going to travel to.

“Set pieces is something I'm really looking forward because we going to be tough to play.”