Immediately after John Guppy parted ways from the Fire last Friday, speculation began that his replacement might be Peter Wilt, who exactly three years earlier had been fired by then-owners AEG from the same position, to the deep disappointment of most Fire supporters (as illustrated by the subsequent supporters' protest).

After a weekend in which Backdraft spent considerable time in the company of Wilt at the Fire game in Oakland and as the dust settles on Guppy's departure, it's time to provide an update on the prospect of Wilt returning to the Fire organization.

Peter Wilt attended Saturday's Fire match in Oakland against the Earthquakes, spending time with fans of both teams before and after the match, as well as cheering on the Fire during the game from the supporters' section, as he has often done since his dismissal. He was shown on the Fox Soccer Channel broadcast of the match, with the announcers speculating that a return to the Fire for Wilt would be a positive move.

Comments on our Backdraft post about Guppy's departure and at the Section 8 forums show many Fire fans are backing the return of Wilt, whose own post here last month demonstrated his continued passion for what Chicago Fire Soccer Club should stand for.

Jay Hipps of Center Line Soccer met with Wilt over the weekend, and revealed Wilt has a meeting with Fire owner Andrew Hauptman next week (though noting it was arranged before Guppy's departure). Hipps explained why he thinks Hauptman should hire Wilt:

There is no one on this planet who is more qualified to serve as GM to the Chicago Fire than Peter Wilt. We mean that quite literally; if the chairman of (insert the name of your favorite European club) came to the Fire’s owners and volunteered for the job, he would come up short in comparison to Wilt. While in charge of the Fire, Wilt demonstrated time and again that he was one of the MLS executives who had a complete understanding of the symbiotic relationship between the front office, the players, and the fans. That’s a rare thing.

Some confusion has arisen regarding Wilt's availability for the job given his current role with Chicago's Women's Professional Soccer team, who will begin play in 2008.

Backdraft spoke with Wilt today, who confirmed that his position as President and CEO of Chicago WPS would not prevent him from taking another position:

My contract with Chicago WPS allows me to take another position full time and give up my day to day responsibilities with the women’s team, while staying on as a team owner and Team President.

Most Fire fans will be more than pleased to hear that. Stay tuned to Backdraft as we continue to cover the Fire's search for a new President and GM.