Assistant coach Oscar Pareja, a member of the FC Dallas coaching staff since retiring as a player two seasons ago, is leaving to work with the U.S. under-17 national team. Head coach Wilmer Cabrera, who was hired by U.S. Soccer last month, offered Pareja the position two weeks ago.

Pareja, 39, came to FC Dallas in 1998 after starting his MLS playing career with New England, which he joined from Deportivo Cali.. He finished his MLS career with 13 goals and 52 assists in 189 games. He won team MVP honors twice, and was named to the league's best XI in 2001.

Both Pareja and Cabrera are former Colombian internationals

According to a source, FC Dallas has offered an assistant coaching position to defender/midfielder Bobby Rhine, who was left unprotected in the expansion draft last week and wasn't selected by San Jose.

The Quakes did claim defender Clarence Goodson. Players must be notified this week if teams are not picking up options for next season, and FC Dallas is hoping to pare down Carlos Ruiz's salary ($475,000 in 2008 if the option is picked up, which isn't likely). Way down.

FCD midfielder Arturo Alvarez ($32,819) trained briefly with French Ligue 1 team Bordeaux. He's out of contract at the end of the year, and despite some dazzling moments, finished with three goals and three assists in 27 games. He's certainly worth more. But how much more, considering it was his red card that turned around the second leg of the conference semifinals against Houston: a 2-0 aggregate turned into a 4-2 defeat?

Among those likely to have their options turned down is left back Chris Gbandi ($100,000). He was sent off in the 2006 playoffs against Colorado and you know the rest. Injuries limited him to 21 games in 2007.