German midfielder Bastian Schweinsteiger - formerly with Bayern Munich and Manchester United - and Hungarian striker Nemanja Nikolic are no longer with the team, while ex-Switzerland international Raphael Wicky has taken over coaching duties, with Zdrilic arriving as his assistant.x

The MLS - like the National Basketball Association - is eyeing Florida's Walt Disney World as a potential site to bring all 26 teams together to play games without spectators. The first game could be early July.

"We're just continuing with our programs and if that happens, great," Zdrilic said of the restart option. "We're prepared for whenever we get the go ahead."

Having won 30 Socceroo caps and played in Switzerland, Germany, England and Scotland, Zdrilic has also enjoyed successful media gigs at SBS, Fox Sports and ESPN.

Covering World Cups and analysing games from a different perspective opened his eyes to soccer in a new way and led him down the coaching path.

"It fuelled my desire for knowledge and expertise," he said.

Coaching jobs with junior squads at Sydney United and RB Leipzig led Zdrilic to Chicago after former teammate Sebastian Pelzer was named technical director at the club.

The Fire have looked to take the positives out of the pandemic-enforced restrictions, the Australian explained.

"We've been quite creative with our coaching team," he said.

"Straight away a routine was set, with a meeting every morning and different tasks we set ourselves.

"The players have had a training program from day one."

To kill time and stay active during the pandemic the Australian has taken up jogging, something he had avoided since his playing career ended in 2010.

"In Germany we used to run a lot, so when I finished playing I was like, 'I'm not running any more'," he said.

"I'm about 1km away from Millennium Park (in downtown Chicago) so I try and go around the whole park and that's enough for me."