BRIDGEVIEW, Ill. -- If at first you don’t succeed, try again. This may be the mantra for newly-signed Fire goalkeeper Alec Kann.
“It’s good to take the next step in MLS,” Kann told Chicago-Fire.com Tuesday. “I’m excited to be a part of this club and the group of goalkeepers here.”
The Furman University product first came on the club’s radar during 2012 preseason, joining the likes of veteran MLS ‘keeper Jay Nolly, a mostly unknown Inter Milan product Paolo Tornaghi and Supplemental Draft choice Carl Woszcynski at the opening of training camp in Ave Maria, Fla.
He showed well in the limited time he got but at the end of the two-week camp, it was decided he might not be ready for MLS. He soon signed with USL-Pro’s Charleston Battery but a meniscus injury and subsequent surgeries kept him from ever making an appearance.
Fire goalkeeping coach Aron Hyde kept in contact with Kann over the last year and when the team returned to Ave Maria to begin preseason in January, Kann was there again.
“It was nice to get in as a rookie and coming in this year knowing the guys it definitely made a huge difference going forward and proving myself as a second-year guy.”
“He had a difficult year with injury and obviously the opportunity opened up where he was free again,” said Hyde. “We decided to bring him in and obviously as we went through preseason, it worked out that he was the right choice for us going into this season.
“He’s done well, he’s a good lad. He’s got a lot of potential and it’s up to him realize that now.”
With Sean Johnson away for U.S. Men’s National Team duty this weekend, Kann will move right into the Fire 18, backing up Paolo Tornaghi as the team takes on Chivas USA on Sunday at Toyota Park.
“To get right into the 18 is exciting,” said Kann. “I’m here to push Paolo this week and work with him, Aron and Sean when he returns to strengthen our goalkeeping group.”
