Westerhoff Will Become Coach of Chivas USA

Veteran Dutch coach Hans Westerhoff will be named coach of Chivas USA this week, The Times has learned.

Westerhoff will replace fellow Dutchman Thomas Rongen, who was ousted as coach of the Major League Soccer expansion team on Monday and replaced on an interim basis by one of his assistants, former Mexico national team goalkeeper Javier “Zully” Ledesma.

Ledesma, 46, the uncle of Chicago Cub shortstop Nomar Garciaparra, played professionally in Mexico for Chivas de Guadalajara, Morelia and UAG.

His tenure as interim coach might last only one game -- against the Kansas City Wizards at the Home Depot Center on Wednesday night -- assuming that Westerhoff’s U.S. entry and work visa are approved in time for him to take charge of Saturday’s match against the Fire at Chicago.

Neither Rongen, who will remain with Chivas USA as its sporting director, nor Antonio Cue, the team’s president and co-owner, would identify the new coach Monday afternoon.

“He is not American, that is as much as I am going to tell you,” Cue said at a Home Depot Center news conference.

“I am as anxious to tell you as anybody is. I can tell you that the contract is signed, but we’ve had problems in the past with this visa process, it’s a difficult process, and until that’s finalized we’re not going to say anything.”

And from Rongen: “I don’t know who the next coach is going to be.... It’s a very well-kept secret.”

Among the names offered by those speculating on a possible replacement were those of former Mexico national team coaches Javier Aguirre and Manuel Lapuente, Mexico women’s national team and former Cal State L.A. coach Leonardo Cuellar and Mexico assistant coach and former Galaxy goalkeeper Jorge Campos.

According to sources, however, Westerhoff, who is in his 60s and is technical director of all three of owner Jorge Vergara’s teams -- Chivas de Guadalajara, Chivas USA and Costa Rican champion Saprissa -- was the man selected.

Westerhoff and Rongen have a close relationship, and Westerhoff already has agreed to retain Ledesma and Martin Vasquez as his assistants.

Having served as coach of Chivas de Guadalajara, he knows the parent club’s players well and is likely to bring at least two more of them to Los Angeles to bolster Chivas USA, whose 1-8-1 record led to Rongen’s removal.

Rongen, 47, said he was disappointed to lose his job but understood the reason.

“I came here first and foremost as a head coach to produce a winning team,” he said. “After being in this business for many, many years, I know that ultimately you will be judged on your results.

“I’m also very proud that we’ve laid the foundation, and I’m very excited about the new opportunities I’ve been given within this club to help salvage this season, to get to the playoffs, which is our most important task right now, and to able to help to create future Chivas talent.”

As sporting director, Rongen, who previously coached the Tampa Bay Mutiny, the New England Revolution and D.C. United in MLS and left as coach of the U.S. under-20 national team to become Chivas USA’s coach, will continue to be the club’s link with MLS and U.S. Soccer.

He took the Chivas USA position knowing that it was temporary and that he was destined to become the team’s sporting director.

“Ultimately, we would have made that change for me to go in that direction anyway,” he said. “It’s a little earlier than I anticipated, but that’s the nature of the beast. I understand that results ultimately will dictate the fate of a coach.

“I have no problems with the respect that this organization has shown me, and I’m going to repay that by being here and helping this team turn around its fortunes.”