Give And Go: Chicago Fire's Denis Hamlett

Led by two players, Brian McBride and Cuauhtemoc Blanco, who once battled on opposite sides of CONCACAF's greatest rivalry, the Chicaco Fire are yearly playoff contenders who are itching to add to their title count. Goal.com got the latest on the team's status from their coach, Denis Hamlett

Luis Bueno: How far are you from being where you want to be come the season opener against FC Dallas?

Denis Hamlett: We're getting there. We're two weeks out. (Saturday) was a good test for us because we really haven't played an MLS team since back in Bradenton. It's always nice to go up against MLS teams because they are in the same mindframe as you are as far as fitness and getting themselves ready for the first game... We're getting there. We have the big game against LA in Phoenix and then we'll go home and sort of get ourselves in the routine and be ready for the first game.

 

How important is it to have Brian McBride here from the start of the season?

It's massive. What Brian brings to our team are things you can't really measure. His professionalism, his leadership, just the way he goes about his business every day. I think our younger guys have benefited a lot from him being here from the get-go. I know I have as a coach and I know my coaching staff has because the guy is the ultimate professional. You see it in the way he approaches the game, the way he approaches the training sessions. That's something you wish most of our guys could pick up from that and learn from him.

 

At the start of the season, you want to be the last team standing to hoist that cup. Like you said, we've been there the last three years, we've been close. We feel like with the experiences of being to the conference final the last three years and being close that we have gained some experience from that. Our guys have matured some more and we've brought in some younger guys that I think are going to help us. More importantly, our group is hungry and they understand what it takes to get there and now maybe a little bit more work throughout the season to put them in a better spot so when you get to the playoffs you have maybe home-field advantage because I think that's one thing that's been the difference from the last time we made it to the cup. In '03, we had home-field advantage all the way through and we got to the cup. The last three years we haven't had home-field as we've finished second, third or fourth. And we get there, and sometimes that makes it a little bit different. Now during the season, that means that instead of a loss it's a tie or instead of a tie it's a win and now you sort of bank those points and put yourself in a situation where you can have home-field because I think that plays a huge part.

 
How do you assess the Eastern Conference?

 

Our whole league is going to be competitive, from top to bottom, especially in our conference. We have great rivalries with Columbus and New York and D.C. Kansas City is a team that's moved up and Torono has improved. We feel that every game is going to be very competitive. It's going to make it where you have to come in from the first game ready to play and make sure you give it everything because every game will be competitive and every game you are going to be fighting for points. It's all about having a good start and I think we've worked hard this preseason to put ourselves in a good spot so we can start the season off ont he right foot.

 

 

It's great. I've said from the get-go with Cuauhtemoc, he's such a team player and such a competitor. Within our group he's well respected because of what he brings to the table. The guy wants to win and when you have those qualities, as a coach it makes my job easier in terms of getting out there and trying to get the message across which is to win games. Because when your superstar wants to do that, then the next superstar in Brian McBride it kind of filters down and it breeds confidence to the team. I'm excited that he's with us.

 

 
If you look at a guy like McBride and the way he does his business, you think he can go another three or four years. Same with 'Temoc. They are such competitors. The key is you have to take one game at a time, one season at a time and hopefully give it your best and come out on top and then after the season re-assess everything and make the right decision. We've got a group of guys who are hungry and want to get to the cup and want to be champions. It's been a bitter taste in our mouths the last couple of years with how we've finished the season. We're looking forward to the season starting and getting off on the right track.