Approaching a big star for a potential move can be a tricky business. When does a player want to make the move? Will he laugh at the offer on the table?
Chicago Fire head coach Veljko Paunovic went through it all recently, bringing German star Bastian Schweinsteiger to the club. So far, so good, and in a recent interview with FIFA.com, he explained the process -- and early returns -- have been a pleasant surprise.
“We were looking for a long time for the kind of player we needed, but also the personality we needed," Paunovic explained. "And we always felt Bastian could be that guy -- we just weren’t sure if we could get him. But from the first meeting we had, it was clear that not only was he completely right for us, but that he also genuinely wanted to come here.
“Now, having him here, he’s everything I could have hoped for and more. His attitude, commitment, desire to win and to influence the others with his experience, ideas and knowledge about the game, it’s incredible. I can’t put a value on it. We are blessed to have a player like him here with us.”
Paunovic talks the evolution of MLS, why he opted to go to the Fire instead of waiting for the Serbian senior national team job, and soccer in his home country in the full interview on FIFA.com.
