The team started out poorly but did get it together more so towards the end of the season still, the top man last season is gone. Nelson Rodriguez, Chicago Fire President and GM stated "4 years ago, Pauno and the staff accepted the challange to help establish a football culture at the Fire. We are immeasurably thankful." His staff have also been involuntarily separated, from coaches to trainers to equipment managers. A pair spared are Eddie Rock Sr. Dir. Soccer Ops. & Alex Boler Sr. Mgr. Team Ops. Veljko was the 8th full time HC of the team and brought it to their 3rd best record overall in 2017, 16-11-7, and the first trip to MLS Cup Playoffs since '12. Named Head Coach of the MLS All-Star Team in 2017 with a quartet of his players to face Real Madrid at Soldier Field, he now moves on. In '16 & '18 Paunovic brought them to the semis of the Lamar Hunt US Open Cup.