BRIDGEVIEW, Ill. — Pável Pardo’s arrival in Chicago could move Logan Pause out of his familiar spot at defensive midfield, but that isn’t bothering the Fire captain.
Pause has been the Fire’s starting holding midfielder since Chris Armas retired after the 2007 season, but could potentially move to right back or to the bench to make room for Pardo, who signed with Chicago last Tuesday. The Mexican international will be eligible to play when the Fire host the Philadelphia Union at Toyota Park on Wednesday.
“Listen, I’ll move wherever it takes,” Pause told MLSsoccer.com last week. “I want to win, I want the best for this group and if that’s right back, if it’s on the bench or whatever, my role is just to help this team and I’ve got no problem to do that.”
Pause added that he's been a fan of Pardo, whom he's kept tabs on since his days on the Mexican national team.
“He’s just a wealth of experience and what a great player,” Pause said of the World Cup veteran. “I’ve known him from watching him for years and years and he plays the position as well as anyone so I’ve got tons and tons to learn. … But anytime you get a chance to add a player to make a team better, I just think it’s awesome. I’m happy to have him.”
Pause has experience at right back, playing there as both a fill-in and as a starter several times over the past few years. He played alongside Pardo as a holding midfielder in a training session last week, a combination that could be seen if Fire interim head coach Frank Klopas chooses to play with a five-man midfield. Pause indicated that could change up the roles slightly for Marco Pappa and Patrick Nyarko.
“In that system, it allows guys like Marco and Patrick to have more freedom,” Pause said. “I wouldn’t say that it’s putting more responsibility on Pável or myself to create, I would just say it’s putting less responsibility on Marco and Patrick to defend. It’s just give and take.”
Sam Stejskal covers the Chicago Fire for MLSsoccer.com. Email him at sam.h.stejskal@gmail.com and follow him on Twitter @samstejskal.
