By Richard Snowden

For the second time this decade, the Chicago Fire has found a lump of coal waiting in its Christmas stocking courtesy of Major League Soccer's New York franchise.

Last week, Fire coach Juan Carlos Osorio, hand-picked by Fire GM John Guppy to replace Dave Sarachan midway through the 2007 season, begged out of his long-term Fire contract to take over the New York Red Bulls, causing waves of angst to roll over the Fire camp.

"Obviously, we didn’t want to see [Osorio] go," Guppy said. "We did everything we could to keep him in Chicago, but he couldn’t stay for personal reasons."

That's the official version of the story, at least. Apparently, Osorio's wife didn't care for the Windy City too much, what with its tiny (compared to New York) community of Colombian expatriates (the Osorios are, of course, Colombian). Better yet, the couple also has family in the New York area.

However, stories like this are rarely about personal reasons alone. Ostensibly, Osorio also didn't believe the Fire was paying him what he was really worth – a matter which, quite frankly, he should have addressed before signing with the team in the first place.

Of course, Osorio's ties to New York go beyond the familial. One of his first coaching gigs was as an assistant with the former MetroStars several years ago, after which he moved on to a similar post with England's Manchester City.

Osorio next returned home to spend one season as the top man at Millionarios, his first head-coaching post, after which he jumped at the chance to get his foot in the MLS door when Guppy came calling. Having turned around the languishing Fire's fortunes in mid-season, leading the club to within one game of MLS Cup, he has now departed Chicago on a sour note after serving all of half a season.

Responding to a question about whether he was unhappy with the way Osorio ditched the Fire, Guppy, who originally became acquainted with Osorio when both men worked for the MetroStars, said simply, "You can speculate."

Suffice it to say that Guppy's probably not just cheesed over having to explain to his kids why daddy had to cancel the Disney World trip he promised them for Christmas.  

In any event, the free-spending Red Bull gang will now likely make Osorio one of MLS's better-compensated coaches, having paid the recently departed Bruce Arena handsomely for his services and showing no qualms about doling out beaucoup more bucks to get rid of him. Despite the fatter bank, however, Osorio may yet live to regret his decision.

Perhaps he overlooked the New York franchise's legacy, or maybe he, like Oedipus, truly believes he is the one man who can solve the Sphinx-like riddle where so many others have failed. In any case, one thing is certain: Osorio is taking a job that has long proven its unmatched ability to leave indelible smears on even the biggest names in coaching.

Ex-Real Madrid boss Carlos Queiroz? Toast before his coffee got cold. World Cup winner Carlos Alberto Parreira? Hit a brick wall. Legendary wizard Bora Milutinovic? Got nowhere. Eminently successful Bob Bradley? Abject futility. Arena, he of two MLS Cups and more wins than any other U.S. national team coach? More of the same.

All told, MLS's New York entry has burned through 11 coaches in 12 years, leaving skid marks not unlike those found in stale underwear on the resumes of every last one. And now, with Red Bull in charge of the club, there's an even nastier wrinkle involved: The coach had best deliver a title straight out of the gate or else face the axe.

Clearly, Red Bulls GM Marc deGrandpre is convinced that Osorio, who turned a struggling Fire team around on short notice, may just be the man to deliver on such absurdly lofty expectations.

"I think [Osorio's swift success in Chicago] just goes to show that with the right chemistry and teacher on the bench, you can change things around fairly quickly," deGrandpre said on the very day he booted Arena out the door.

Most likely translation: Osorio had better repeat his feats of 2007 right off the bat in New York, because if he does not, he could very well suffer the same fate as Arena.

To say the least, it is a marked contrast to Chicago, where (including Osorio's half-season stint) only three men have coached the Fire in 10 seasons. Historically, the Fire has given its coaches a fair chance to settle in, demanding excellence while also showing the patience typically required to get results. 

And the results are telling. The Fire boasts an MLS Cup and four U.S. Open Cup titles in its 10 years of existence. New York, meanwhile, has collected nothing but dust in its trophy case after 12 seasons, piling failure upon failure with each passing coach.

Ironically, Osorio is said to have been excited to get a chance with the Fire precisely because he wanted the opportunity to establish himself as a head coach in MLS. If so, he certainly seems to have done everything in his power to sabotage that goal by packing up and heading for the Big Apple.

To be sure, it is a big gamble for Osorio, as deGrandpre has made it quite clear that his organization will demand fast results. If Osorio can get those results, he will no doubt be lionized, at least for a time. But if not, he will undoubtedly live to regret taking on the merciless Sphinx that is New York. 

WHAT SAY YOU…
What is your call on Osorio’s decision to pick up and leave the Fire?  Will he suffer the same fate as those who have gone before him at the NY/NJ MetroStars, Red Bull…whatever they call themselves?  Send your emails to soccer365opinions@365-inc.com