Chivas USA Will Have a Big Fish to Fry in Ruiz
A staged photo of Douglas Sequeira appeared in Southland Spanish-language newspapers Hoy and La Opinion on Friday. The Costa Rican defender had a knife to the side of a 10-pound fish that was about to be dropped onto a grill.
Pescadito, anyone?
And while Chivas USA officials are salivating at the thought of stirring things up with a little south-of-the-border-style trash talk, Sequeira seemed annoyed that the picture got so much play the day before Carlos “El Pescadito” Ruiz returned to the Home Depot Center with his new team, FC Dallas.
“I don’t want to talk about that,” Sequeira said in Spanish after his club’s morning training session. “That was a surprise to me.”
Imagine what Ruiz thought when he picked up the papers.
According to Chivas USA officials, it’s all in good fun. Besides, Chivas USA is allowing the Guatemalan consulate to honor Ruiz at halftime for his three years with the Galaxy. Plus, such pranks are common in Mexico and, after all, the Chivas brass did promise to bring some of that Mexican tradition with it from the Guadalajara mother ship to the Major League Soccer expansion franchise.
In fact, Chivas USA President Antonio Cue and FC Dallas President Greg Elliott have a dinner bet riding on tonight’s match -- fish or goat stew.
Ruiz, who led the Galaxy to the 2002 MLS Cup title and was named league MVP in his first MLS season, said he was surprised that Chivas USA would allow a celebration in his honor.
“Maybe they’re more aware of the legacy I left ... than other people,” he said, taking a swipe at his former employer.
“I just have to say good luck to the Chivas defense,” said Ruiz, who was traded to FC Dallas on March 30 for an allocation pick, a move that enabled the Galaxy to sign U.S. national team midfielder Landon Donovan. “We’re going to give them a handful.”
Chivas USA defender Ryan Suarez, a teammate of Ruiz’s with the Galaxy, will man-mark the high-scoring forward. That is, if Suarez is at the game.
After Friday’s practice, Suarez’s wife Julie was close to giving birth to the couple’s first child, Santiago Francisco. If their son arrives too near game time, Suarez has been given permission by Coach Thomas Rongen to miss the match.
“Thomas understands there are more important things than kicking the ball around,” Suarez said. “We’re basically on call.”
And if the physical Suarez does play against Ruiz, whom he refers to as a good friend?
“I have a switch,” Suarez said. “Everybody thinks I’m crazy, but I have a job to do and money to make.
“Carlos Ruiz is trying to make me look bad, and that’s his job.”
Should Suarez miss the match, Rongen could play rookie Aaron Lopez at his spot at defender and put Jesus Ochoa at defensive midfielder.
“Hopefully it will happen Sunday,” Rongen said, with a smile, of the impending Suarez birth. “But I would support whatever he decides to do.”
The potential scoring punch of FC Dallas’ front line of Ruiz (50 MLS goals) and Eddie Johnson (eight goals in his eight U.S. national team appearances) could give the Chivas defense fits, especially since it has already surrendered five goals in two games.
“We’re in a little bit of a crawl still looking for a walk,” Rongen said. “Hopefully by the end of the season we’ll be in a sprint.”
Otherwise, it will be Chivas opponents posing for pictures with goats on a spit.
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Earlier this week, Cue acknowledged having a meeting with his front-office staff after the club’s inaugural game against D.C. United, which drew 18,493 to the 27,000-seat Home Depot Center.
“It was not about attendance; it was about improving sales,” Cue said. “We have a strong brand, but we have to work with our fans.”
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THE FACTS
Chivas USA
vs. FC Dallas
Tonight, 7, at Home Depot Center, FSNW
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CHIVAS USA TONIGHT
vs. FC Dallas, 7, FSNW
Site -- Home Depot Center.
Radio -- 830.
Records -- Chivas USA 0-1-1, FC Dallas 1-0-1.
Record vs. FC Dallas -- First meeting.
Update -- Salvador Reyes, 68, who scored the winning goal for Chivas de Guadalajara in 1957 to win the first of the team’s 10 Mexican league titles, will be in attendance today and meet with fans in ChivaTown on the north concourse before the game. Rongen said defender Alfonso Loera, who has been recovering from groin and hip injuries, will probably play in a Reserve League game Sunday against FC Dallas before playing in an MLS game.
Tickets -- (877) 244-8271.
-- Paul Gutierrez
