CHICAGO - The Chicago Fire announced that the club has elected not to exercise its option to extend an agreement with Slovakian forward and senior international Lubos Reiter. The release of the 31-year-old striker now leaves the Fire with a pair of senior international spots open. Costa Rican forward Andy Herron and Honduran defender Ivan Guerrero occupy the Fire's two other senior international spots.
"We would like to thank Lubos for the professionalism he showed throughout a challenging season with the Fire," said Fire President/CEO John Guppy. "Balancing Fire commitments with those of the Slovakian National Team was certainly not easy. At the same time, several young players on our team stepped up and performed extremely well. We felt it was in the best interests of the club to allow Lubos to leave the Fire. We wish him nothing but the best in future."
Reiter, a member of the Slovakian National Team, played in 14 games (9 starts) for the Fire in 2005, scoring three goals and adding two assists. Reiter also scored the game-winning goal on July 13 against the Western Mass Pioneers of the United Soccer Leagues Second Division in Lamar Hunt U.S. Open Cup play, his 24th minute volley helping the Fire to a 3-1 win in the competition's third round.
The Fire acquired Reiter on a transfer from Sigma Olomouc of the Czech Gambrinus Liga (First Division) on Apr. 5, 2005, using a portion of the allocation it received from the departure of U.S. international DaMarcus Beasley. Reiter has scored nine goals in 28 career appearances with the Slovakian National Team.
