BRIDGEVIEW, Ill. – Whether by luck or design, the Chicago Fire have found themselves at the center of the debate for Rookie of the Year honors in each of the last two seasons.
And while Harry Shipp and Matt Polster just missed out to Tesho Akindele and Cyle Larin in 2014 and 2015, respectively, the Men In Red once again have a candidate in the early Rookie of the Year mix in centerback Jonathan Campbell.
Fire at NYCFC: Match Preview | Game Notes
The University of North Carolina standout was a surprise pick at No. 12 at the 2016 MLS SuperDraft, with Fire General Manager Nelson Rodriguez and new head coach Veljko Paunovic using all their bargaining powers and league know-how to land a player who had been viewed as potentially more league-ready than even some defenders selected ahead of him.
And that is exactly how it has transpired, with Campbell’s surprise introduction at halftime in their opening game seeing him play every minute since. Trailing 3-1 after the opening 45 minutes to a rampant New York City FC, the Fire have conceded just two goals in the 315 minutes since, securing two clean sheets, two ties and a victory with Campbell excelling in a much-improved back line.
“The first game did come as a little bit of a surprise to me, obviously you don’t change your backline around too much, so I was not expecting that at half-time,” Campbell, 22, told MLSsoccer.com of his swift introduction to MLS. “However, I think I’ve done well since then and Pauno puts a lot of trust in me, so I don’t think it’s been a surprise since then.” Having quickly identified the need for additional reinforcements at the back, Paunovic has shuffled his back line on each occasion since the opener, opting for a three or a five before a traditional back four laid the foundations for their first win of the season against the Philadelphia Union last time out.
Campbell has been integral to the Fire’s defensive improvement alongside the ever-present Johan Kappelhof, 25, offering a calm assuredness beyond his experience and showing strength in the tackle and in the air to complement the Dutchman’s talents and make him an early contender in the Rookie of the Year conversation.
Did Paunovic expect the Greensboro, NC-native to make such an immediate impact?
“We did have those expectations, but we can say that the performances from Campbell, and from (fellow Draft picks Brandon) Vincent and (Alex) Morrell so far, exceed those expectations,” Paunovic told MLSsoccer.com Friday. “They are really very talented, very committed, they are doing very good so far and we are very happy with them, even though there is a long way for them to go.”
Campbell has already gained national recognition for his performances, scoring two Rookie of the Week nods from SBIsoccer.com, while Paunovic himself has indicated he could put himself in the USMNT picture if he continues his current trajectory.
“I truly believe that he can be not only a very good player for Chicago Fire, which we all work on that, but also for the national team,” Paunovic told reporters recently. “I think that he has that capacity to become a great player for this country.”
Despite the attention and adulation, Campbell is keeping his feet very much on the ground, and remains focused on the next game, which gives the Fire a swift opportunity to exact revenge on opening day victors NYCFC.
“I hear them, probably mainly from my mom, she’s big on keeping me up to date with those things,” Campbell said of the accolades he has been receiving. “It’s a nice pat on the back and then you move on. It’s good to hear, it’s always nice to get recognition but you always have to just move on to the next game.”
Shane Murray covers the Chicago Fire for MLSsoccer.com.
