Reinforcements Long Overdue
The refuerzos are coming, the refuerzos are coming.
For weeks now, Chivas USA officials have been promising their fans that refuerzos, or reinforcements, were on the way from Mexico. And with the expansion franchise stumbling out to one victory in its first 16 Major League Soccer matches, they seemingly could not get here soon enough.
Refuerzo No. 1 will be introduced before tonight’s match against the Chicago Fire, though forward Juan Pablo Garcia, who just concluded the Mexican league season with Atlas, will not play for Chivas USA until after Mexico’s participation in this month’s CONCACAF Gold Cup is finished.
“We need some players,” said Chivas Coach Hans Westerhof.
But what of the current players feeling like lame ducks?
“They understand,” Westerhof said. “It’s professional football.”
Defender Ezra Hendrickson, who is in his ninth year in MLS, said the atmosphere has been somewhat tense.
“We can’t worry about who’s coming; we can’t let that bother us,” said Hendrickson, who has played in all 1,440 minutes for Chivas this season, though he strained his right hamstring during training Friday.
“We have to prove we belong on the field, and if we don’t do our job, then those guys will be [replacing us] sooner than later.”
With Chivas de Guadalajara’s elimination in the Copa Libertadores on Thursday, attacking midfielder Francisco Palencia is thought to be on his way as well.
Palencia and Garcia are still weeks from playing in an MLS match, but defender Luis Alvarez, midfielder Hector Castro and goalkeeper Sergio Garcia are expected to begin training with Chivas USA at the Home Depot Center next week.
All of which seemingly creates a roster crunch as all four of Chivas’ senior international slots are spoken for by goalkeeper Martin Zuniga, defenders Alfonso Loera and Douglas Sequeira and midfielder Ramon Ramirez.
Palencia and Castro would need senior spots, and with Loera waived this week before being re-signed -- thus, his contract is not guaranteed and he could easily be cut again -- and Zuniga agreeing to leave the team for a position with the organization’s new youth academy in August, space has been found. Plus, Westerhof said rookie defender Aaron Lopez will leave next month as well, opening up another roster spot.
“We know that regardless of what happens ... the big task at hand is to get a win,” Hendrickson said. “We don’t have that Landon Donovan or a Carlos Ruiz that’s going to get us that 88th-minute goal, so it’s going to take a total team effort.”
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CHIVAS USA TONIGHT
vs. Chicago, 7, FSN West 2,
Fox Soccer Channel, Fox Sports Espanol
Site -- Home Depot Center.
Radio -- 830.
Records -- Chivas USA 1-12-3, Chicago Fire 9-6-2.
Record vs. Chicago -- 0-1-0.
Update -- In the previous meeting, which was Westerhof’s debut, Chivas held a 2-1 halftime lead, but Chicago’s Nate Jaqua ended with a hat trick and the Fire outscored Chivas, 4-0, in the second half for a 5-2 victory.... Chivas will be without Sequeira, who is with Costa Rica, training for the Gold Cup.... Seven players from Guadalajara’s championship era will be at the match and will sign autographs in ChivaTown: forwards Crescencio Gutierrez, Francisco Jara and Salvador Reyes, midfielder Sabas Ponce, defenders Arturo Chaires and Guillermo Sepulveda and goalkeeper Jaime Gomez. From 1956 to 1965, Chivas won seven Mexican league titles, including four in a row from 1958 to 1962.
Tickets -- (877) 244-8271.
