Fire set to see old mates Busch, Ward

Once teammates in Chicago, Jon Busch (left) and CJ Brown will be on opposite sides on Wednesday at Buck Shaw Stadium.

BRIDGEVIEW Ill. ā€“ Two former Fire players will square off against their former team on Wednesday night, including the man Chicago let go before the season in one of the most shocking personnel moves of the spring.


Goalkeeper Jon Busch is the man in question, dropped by the Fire just a week before the season began. He landed in San Jose, where heā€™ll be the man in net as the Earthquakes look to inch closer to a postseason berth with a result against the Fire at Buck Shaw Stadium.


Busch was replaced in net first by backup Andrew Dykstra, who midway through the season gave way to rookie Sean Johnson.


ā€œI like Busch and weā€™re good friends,ā€ Fire veteran C.J. Brown said. ā€œYou miss a guy like that. But I think Sean and Andrew have done well for us. The goals that weā€™re giving up arenā€™t Sean or Andrewā€™s fault.


"I think it was disappointing to lose [Busch] but I think Sean has developed and Andrew has developed also, so itā€™s a good opportunity for them.ā€


[inline_node:319435]Busch said this week he holds no grudges against Chicago about the move, but it certainly doesnā€™t hurt that itā€™s the Quakes on the verge of the postseason and the Fire needing points just to stay alive.


ā€œIā€™m old enough to know that the only thing that matters is the result,ā€ Busch said. ā€œIt doesnā€™t matter who itā€™s against. I think maybe when I was younger, especially the first time I went to Columbus, it was tough for me. But now, it just is what it is.


"Itā€™s just another game and for us. If we get our three points, weā€™re one step closer to the playoffs, and thatā€™s all weā€™re concerned about. Thereā€™s no old grudges.ā€


Former Fire defender Tim Ward will also suit up against his old teammates after he was traded to San Jose in early August for a 2011 MLS SuperDraft pick. Ward has started seven games this season for the Earthquakes.


Sam Stejskal covers the Chicago Fire for MLSsoccer.com. Email him at sam.h.stejskal@gmail.com and follow him on Twitter @samstejskal.