Six Chicago Fire player development alumni were named
Thursday to the initial list for January’s MLS Player Combine to be held in Ft.
Lauderdale, FL.
Headlining the Fire contingent at the annual combine is
goalkeeper Jimmy Maurer (South Carolina), who backstopped the club’s USL
Premier Development League side to the 2009 North American Final, winning the
league’s Goalkeeper of the Year accolades in the process.
Joining Maurer are defenders J.T. Murray (Louisville), Rich
Balchan (Indiana) and Greg Klazura (Notre Dame). Murray, who will feature on
the backline for the Cardinals in Friday’s College Cup semifinal against North
Carolina, joined Balchan on this past summer’s PDL side. Klazura previously
spent time with the clubs Super-20 and U19 teams in 2008.
Offensively, midfielder Jimmy Banks (Wisconsin-Green Bay)
and Salvadoran youth international Efrain Burgos Jr (Cal Poly San Luis Obispo)
round out the initial six Fire representatives for January’s combine. Both
players featured for the PDL side this past summer.
Jeff Crandall is the Team
Writer for the Chicago Fire. Follow him on Twitter @JefeCrandall.
