BRIDGEVIEW, Ill. – Much has been expected from Chicago Fire interim captain Razvan Cocis since his midseason signing last year.
After a cheekbone injury in September last year limited him to just 10 appearances, the Romanian is finally starting deliver on that promise – especially of late. The box-to-box midfielder scored a goal in the Fire’s 2-2 draw last weekend with the New England Revolution, underscoring his emergence into an integral part of the Fire lineup.
“Raz has been playing great,” Fire head coach Frank Yallop said of the 32-year-old. “He is really coming into his own now, playing like the great professional we know he is. He is playing very well. I felt sorry for him last year; he gets a fracture to a cheekbone, and he’s out for the whole year. It took him a while to get going in preseason, but now we see the real Razvan, who is dynamic.”
Cocis, who received his US Green Card earlier this month to open another international roster spot for the Fire, has two goals and two assists in 13 appearances this year as he tries to make his experience count at the sharp end of the pitch. However, Yallop believes he is capable of more offensively and admitted he is encouraging him to be more adventurous and assertive in front of goal.
“We talk about it all the time; I want him to try and push forward a little bit more to get those shots on goal like he can,” Yallop said. “He’s a great pro, works hard, runs the motion of the team, and it’s good to have him.”
That is a responsibility that Cocis, who has played in Romania, Moldova, Russia, Saudi Arabia and Ukraine and earned 50 Romanian caps, is eager to embrace.
“I’m happy with the chances that I’m creating lately and with the goals that I’ve scored,” Cocis said. “I would prefer to have scored more, for sure, and get into the spots for shots or headers when crosses come, but Frank said it well, I could score more.”
With regular captain Jeff Larentowicz out of the team in recent weeks, Yallop has entrusted Cocis with the captain’s armband in his absence.
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“It is much more responsibility for me, of course,” he said. “I have to be a leader, especially on the field. I try to talk to the players, what we need to do in the game. I am happy with the confidence the coach has in me, and I try to respond with my best on the field.”
Cocis first became attracted to a the potential of a move to MLS when he and his family would vacation in the United States. He said it’s a move he doesn’t regret.
“When I was young, MLS football wasn’t so popular. But lately when I was playing in Russia, I was very attracted by MLS and I wanted to come here,” he said. “After I signed my contract, I brought my wife and two kids here. We enjoy life in Chicago, it’s a great city, and before coming here we spent maybe three or four holidays in the US, and we liked it so much that it was one of the main reasons I moved to Chicago.”
