Coup: MLS's San Jose Earthquakes land top Argentine coach
- by Paul Kennedy @pkedit, Oct 8, 2018
Almeyda, 44, comes to San Jose after spending the last three seasons at Guadalajara, which won the 2018 Concacaf Champions League.
Almeyda's Chivas titles:
2015 Copa MX (Apertura)
2016 2016 Supercopa MX
2017 Copa MX (Clausura)
2017 Liga MX (Clausura)
2018 Concacaf Champions League
Almeyda, who will be only the third Argentine to coach in MLS after Carlos Cordoba and Tata Martino, led Chivas to a league and cup double in 2017. The Liga MX title was its first league title in more than 20 years.
He said he was attracted to MLS by his frequent trips to the United States as a coach with Chivas. It defeated the Seattle Sounders, New York Red Stars and Toronto FC en route to the 2018 Concacaf Champions League title.
His coaching career has taken him to River Plate and Banfield in addition to Chivas. After his contract expired
at Chivas after the 2018 Clausura season, Almeyda's name was mentioned as a candidate for the Mexican national team coaching vacancy. He had on Monday he had a longstanding interest in
MLS.
“When I left River Plate," he said, "I came to watch preseasons in America. I had an obsession with the United States and the teams here. The sport has grown and the league has
grown here and I believe this could be the best league in the world. There is a seriousness here, there are stadiums and good signings are coming here.”
Almeyda was capped 35
times for Argentina in a career that took him clubs to Spain, Italy, Norway and Uruguay, in addition to River Plate, at which he won three Argentine league titles and the Copa Libertadores.
Interim coach Steve Ralston will remain in his role for the final two matches of the 2018 regular season.
Earthquakes coaches
(2008-18):
1. Frank Yallop (2008-13)
2. Mark Watson (2013-14)
3. Ian Russell, interim (2014)
4. Dominic Kinnear (2015-17)
5. Chris Leitch (2017)
6.
Mikael Stahre (2018)
7. Steve Ralston, interim (2018)
8. Matias Almeyda (2018)
1. Americans Lindsey Horan and
Megan Rapinoe are among 15 players nominated for the first Women's Ballon d'Or, to be awarded by France Football. Other current NWSL players on the short list are Sam Kerr, Marta and Christine Sinclair.
2. Christian Pulisic is on the 10-player list for the new Trophée Kopa, France Football's award for the best under-21 player in the world. The heavy favorite will French World Cup champion Kylian
Mbappe, who scored four goals in 13 minutes on Sunday for Paris St. Germain in its 5-0 win over Lyon.
3. Arsenal announced
an agreement worth almost $400 million with adidas for the manufacturer to become its jersey sponsor. The five-year deal, worth double what Puma is currently paying Arsenal, will take effect with
the 2019-20 season.
Ho boy, whatsamatta, can't find any quality coaches - resident Latino expatriates living in this vast country? Jeepers, 'tis just like they can't find any quality players. Hay Dios, go figure!!!
The EQs did well when they had good management, kwhich led to quality ocaches and quality players. Now they are the MLS doormats. For responsiblity, think top down. Papering the problem over with a winning coach from Liga MX can be expected to result in just another lousy season.
How.....Whaaaaa? Short of donating the teams kidneys, how did they manage to do this? This coach checks all the right boxes---for the Galaxy. A coup for SJ, which hasn't been in the conversation for....ages. Since they were the Houston Earthquakes.