The Kansas City Wizards, or as they were (humorously) known during their inaugural season “The Wiz”, are a founding member of MLS and in 2000 they completed the MLS double by winning the MLS Cup and the Supporters Shield. Since then, the only trophy they have hoisted was the 2004 US Open Cup. Since 2004, they have struggled mightily.
Preki was KC’s greatest offensive player ever, though Eddie Johnson also delighted fans with his attacking style during his brief time with the squad. They also formerly featured Alexi Lalas, Nick Garcia, Jose Burciaga Jr., Chris Klein, Mo Johnston, Peter Vermes (their current GM) and, of course, “The Ponytailed One” himself, Tony Meola.
Despite the fact they have fielded some of MLS’s greats, The Wiz also have the lowest attendance figures in the league, which is a shame because they still have guys on the roster like Jimmy Conrad, Kevin Hartman, and Michael Harrington, who all play their heart out for the fans. Of course, their stadium is tiny, so what can they do?
Oh, they could build a new stadium! Right! The final obstacles to getting a new soccer specific stadium in KC are finally being overcome. But will the team ever win it all again? Well, the signing of Claudio “The Louse” Lopez before last season turned out to be a bust, and until the offense gets going, the Wiz’s stream of trophyless seasons will likely continue to drizzle down on KC fans.
