Commentary
Chivas USA goes back to the past
- by Ridge Mahoney @ridgemax, Dec 13, 2012
By Ridge Mahoney
Every year or so, it seems, comes time to write about the new direction taken by Chivas USA.
An MLS team wearing the colors of a beloved
Mexican enterprise didn’t thrill the souls of most Guadalajara supporters who live in Southern California, so since its expansion season of 2005 it has tried to re-brand several times: as a
partly Mexican Latino club; as a populist team contrasted with the elitist Galaxy; and most recently, as just another MLS team that happens to wear Chivas-esque jerseys.
Nothing has
worked, so in the past few months, it has turned again, and apparently completed a full circle Wednesday with the confirmation that Mexican-born Jose Luis Sanchez Sosa (“El
Chelis”) has been hired as head coach. His six years of coaching experience in the Mexican league includes a long stint at Puebla, which he led to promotion from the Liga de Ascenso (second
division). His last two stops were as head coach of Estudiantes de la UAG in 2011 and Correcaminos UAT this past season.
“We are going to try to implement a more appealing style of
soccer for our fans, without forgetting we are a team that plays in the United States,” Sanchez Sola said in a statement. “We will look to appeal to both cultures while obtaining positive
results for the club.”
Predecessor Robin Fraser failed on all counts and was dismissed with a 15-32-20 record during his two seasons in charge, which followed a
dismal 2010 campaign (8-18-4) mentored by Martin Vazquez. A few months ago, the team announced Vergara – along with his wife, Angelica Fuentes – had taken
full control.
Specifics weren’t provided but several sources indicated that former partner Antonio Cue, unable to sustain the seven-figure losses incurred by the
team every year, had simply run out of available funds. Those sources also confirmed league officials had taken an active role in assisting operations of the franchise – which has one of the
smallest staffs in the league – during the season, but that once Cue had been ousted, Vergara took command and directed the hiring of Sanchez Sola with the apparent intent of renewing its
Mexican roots.
“The arrival of Jose Luis Sanchez Sola marks the beginning of our organization’s new journey,” said team president and chief business officer Jose
David. “The owners of the club, Jorge Vergara and Angelica Fuentes, continue working toward giving Chivas USA fans the experience and results needed to have a successful team in MLS.
‘El Chelis’ is a great motivator; he knows the culture of Chivas and will be an important piece in re-establishing the identity of the organization.”
The team’s
problems go deeper than its struggles on the field; it qualified for the playoffs four straight years under Bob Bradley (2006) and Preki (2007-9), but never got past
the first round and seldom ignited the kind of widespread excitement and energy MLS had hoped for when it introduced Vergara and his American-based partner Cue as operator-investors.
Vergara famously claimed at the time his team would “teach the gringos how to play soccer.” But neither Guadalajara youth team coach Hans Westerhof nor veteran MLS and
U.S. Soccer coach Thomas Rongen could implement that plan, nor could a squad that included a few backup players that had deceived Vergara by beating a makeshift San Jose Earthquakes
lineup in an offseason friendly.
Bradley, assisted by Preki, revamped the team and got it into the playoffs, and when he departed to coach the U.S. national team, Preki maintained the
postseason presence though he squabbled with team management over personnel moves. Vazquez, the first man to play for Mexico and the USA national teams at the senior level, tried to meld those two
soccer cultures to disastrous effect. Fraser, a former U.S. international defender who cut his teeth as a Real Salt Lake assistant coach, implemented major changes but few panned out.
Despite those four playoff appearances, Chivas USA hasn’t fully recovered from those initial stumbles and miscalculations. It is vividly disproving the axiom that “a rising tide floats all
boats.” As much of the league steams ahead, Chivas USA takes on water.
After he visited Chivas USA in March, MLS president Mark Abbott denied rumors that the team
was in financial trouble and could be bought out by the league at some point. Those rumors resurfaced in the past few months, but Vergara’s takeover and hiring of Sanchez Sola indicates that the
team will stay for the time being at Home Depot Center, where its lease has two more years to run.
While he has acknowledged an intent to find another home for his team, Vergara has not
made any public statement about a possible destination. It doesn’t seem likely MLS would approve a Chivas USA setup in another market so his limited options seem to be: a) find a suitable
location in Southern California, be it a new facility or an existing one such as the Los Angeles Coliseum or the Rose Bowl; or b) sell the franchise license back to MLS, which would then re-sell it to
another ownership group.
With eager ownership groups in several cities, including Orlando and San Antonio, MLS must consider eliminating stragglers like Chivas USA if it insists on
delaying expansion plans once it adds a 20th team in New York City. But for better or worse, in 2013 it’s back to the past for los Rojoblancos del Norte.
“I feel that Chivas
USA, at some point, lost that flavor and technique with the ball that is emphasized in Mexico and Latin America,” said Sanchez Sola. “We must re-establish that part and combine it with the
MLS’ style of play.”
This is deja vu all over again. He needs to read all the statements from previous Chivas coaches who talked about "style" over winning. Nobody in the US cares about style, they care about winning. MLS fans will only love the Mexican style if they have a winning record. It's been 7 years and we're still waiting for them to "teach the gringos how to play soccer." In reality they need to move this club to San Diego, San Antonio or Florida. You'll always bee the poor sister in LA, even if you're not a poor loser.
They need to get out of LA. San Diego is the logical choice. What's the problem? It's a no brainer. They would be succesful in San Diego! Move!!!
Chivas Guadalajara should have moved then consultant Johann Cryuff (before parting ways) to Los Angeles and rebranded them as his former NASL club the AZTECS.
It will now require the total football of the 1970's masters to get the interest back to the "poor side" of LA.
The Mexican bravado has failed time and again. Chivas' parent club are struggling as well. MLS will not settle for a Mexican "B" side in their league.
Time to change the rodeo or just shoot the horse.
Forget LA. Even with new stadium, Chivas will NEVER get out of shadow of Galaxy. Go to San Diego!
Re-brand the team entirely and go pro-American with colors, concept, logo and all! Give the people of LA, especially those who are priced out of Galaxy games, or don't connect with the them, another option. If the price is right, the product is decent and you are not made to feel like an outsider (hence the targeting of Latinos that has failed), people will support the franchise. It's not rocket-science! Branding something as a foreign likeness just limits your potential base of patrons. Stupid move from the start. Ownership, with their franchise license in hand, should have embraced the fact this is America and that America loves winners, not "we are bringing what we believe you should like from a foreign country here". Stay and do the right thing. (ooooh, here comes the hate mail)
San Diego is the answer. There are plenty of Chivas fans in Tijuana and the Baja who would travel there, not to mention the rest of San Diego county.
Chicago Fire had recently fired one former Mexican league coaach! In order to play Latin style atacking soccer the new coach has to be both the expert in ofensive playmaking and he has to know MLS.He also will have to know very well local US talent because he can have only 8 foraigners on the roster. And foreign coachs do not know the American talent, so they are blindfolded when they will have to select American players! As a result even the best coach in the world would need at least 2 years adjustment to learn all this. The perfect candidate has to be a former high class ofensive playmaker from Latin countries ( not Italy) who was playing recently in MLS for a few years and not too expensive. I know one such former player.
Yes, absolutely. The team should re-locate to San Diego immediatley. Guarenteed succes there. Near Tijuana and Baja. Makes perfectg sense. Will never succeed in LA. Especiallly with Galaxy getting back to back titles. They OWN that town!
Rediculous. There is more than 4 million in the city of LA alone, times that by almost three for the greater LA metropolis. San Diego County has less than 30% of that total. Even the dumbest fans won't support a perpetual loser, and based on what happen with the SD Clippers, I don't think one can just move the franchise and expect people to lay down dollars for a red & white striped jersey, no matter what it represents in another country.