It’s been quite the whirlwind month for the Fire’s newest signing.
After enjoying a training stint with the club prior to this summer’s CONCACAF Gold Cup and having been closely monitored by head coach Frank Yallop and the technical staff throughout the tournament, Daneil Cyrus sealed a loan move from TT Pro League side W Connection to the Fire on the last day of the MLS secondary transfer window.
Since then, the Trinidad and Tobago international has spent the better part of the last four weeks in paperwork limbo. Despite acquiring his International Transfer Certificate on Aug. 12, the 24-year-old was forced to remain in his native country to await the receipt of his P1 visa. Upon receiving his passport, his entry into the Fire fold was halted yet again after being summoned by Stephen Hart to face Mexico in an international friendly on Sept 4. in Sandy, Utah, a 3-3 draw in which Cyrus featured 90 minutes.
“JJ [Joevin Jones] and the guys wanted to know if my loan deal was for next year,” said Cyrus, who communicated his frustration with the long-drawn-out process to reporters on Wednesday.
You couldn’t blame his teammates' inquisition.
In the time between the announcement of Cyrus’ purchase on Aug. 6 and Monday – his first official day of training with the club – the Men in Red played seven games, bowing out of the Lamar Hunt U.S. Open Cup and taking just five points from 18 available. Although he’s only had a few days to get his bearings, the Trinidadian leaves no doubt as to which area of the field he would prefer to ply his trade in should his services be required heading into the final stretch of the season.
“Anywhere the coach would want me to play, I will play, but I prefer playing center back,” Cyrus added, “because of my vision to see the field, but as well as right back. My strength is my speed, so I don’t mind playing right back as well.”
Whether Cyrus impresses enough to guarantee a spot in Yallop’s starting lineup for Friday night's clash with New York Red Bulls (6 p.m. CT; UniMás) remains to be seen. What is certain, however, is that at 6-foot-4, his stature alone will supply the back line with a different, and perhaps more imposing presence.
“It’s nice to add a player,” Yallop said via Monday via teleconference. “It took a while with the permit and all the red tape and paperwork we had to get through and waiting. It’s been kind of frustrating, but he’s here now. He’s a young international player who’s done well for his country, and we’re trying to integrate him into MLS once we get him training with us and get him playing games. I expect him to see the field for sure. I don’t know exactly when. We just have to make sure he’s up to speed on everything, but there’s no time like now, because we need to get a result Friday.”
For now, Cyrus is hoping to take the experience gained from his brief spell with Sporting Kansas City on loan in the summer of 2011, and fine-tune his game to adapt to the physical demands of the league to make for a better adjustment in the Windy City.
“Of course it’s a conversation that I had," Cyrus said when asked if he'd held talks with the coaching staff about extending his stay with the club beyond 2015. "The environment is nice, Chicago is a very lovely place, the team is a very big team in the league over the years,” he said. “I don’t mind making a permanent move.”