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Sources: Vergara’s story claiming Preki passed on Chicharito not true

When Chivas USA owner revealed on Tuesday that former Chivas USA head coach Preki was once offered Mexican national team star Javier “Chicharito” Hernandez, only to turn him down for not being good enough, the story made plenty of waves.

Sources tell SBI Vergara took some liberties with the truth when re-telling that story.

According to sources with knowledge of the situation at Chivas USA during Preki’s tenure, Chivas USA was never offered Hernandez, and Preki actually asked for the Manchester United striker when he was a struggling prospect in the Chivas Guadalajara system only to be turned down.

“Mr. Vergara’s statement is quite simply untrue,” one source told SBI on Wednesday. “The opposite in fact was true.  Preki asked Nestor de la Torre if he could have Javier Hernandez, and he was told he could not.  The only players Chivas Guadalajara were willing to allow to come to Chivas USA were players the Mexican club did not want.”

When reached for comment regarding Vergara’s story claiming he passed on Chicharito, Preki declined to comment.

Preki was Chivas USA head coach from 2007 to 2009, leading the Goats to the playoffs in all three seasons. Chivas USA has missed the playoffs in each of the three seasons since Preki leaving the team by mutual consent.

What do you think of this development? Do you believe Vergara’s story, or starting to think Vergara is trying to spread blame for Chivas USA’s struggles?

Share your thoughts below.

Comments

  1. I’m not sure who to believe. I would occasionally run into someone from the Galaxy office and he told me about a year ago that Chivas had a chance to get Chicharito and Chivas said no.

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  2. This is the story I heard from someone within Chivas USA AFTER Chicharito was sold to MAn U from Chivas.

    In 2005, when Chicharito was called Javiar Hernandez Balcazar on the Chivas books, he was an up-and-coming 17 year old, that showed great promise. There was no room on the first team roster and Chivas was making a decision to play him on the junior U-20 or reserve squad or loan him out to the 2nd Div Guadalajara team. This was the same with other young players who probably would not make the first team roster that year, they were put on a “lista”. This list was made available to Chivas USA, whose coach them was Thomas Rongen or Javier Ledesma (his replacement after Rongen was let go).

    Apparently Chivas USA did not want any of the Junior players and really didn’t do much due diligence on who they were. My source tells me that Javiar Hernandex Balcazar was on that list. He was called “Chicharito” only by friends and family then. The players were not “offered” to Chivas USA, rather it was a list of young players that Chivas CD would make available for loan to Chivas USA or any other 2nd division Mexican team.

    Probably the best chance Chicharito had in coming to Chivas USA was when Westerhof took over from Ledesma at Chivas USA in late 2005. He was familiar with all the young CD players and chose NOT to put Chicharito on loan and instead integrate him with the CD Guadalajara team when he became head coach at CD Guadalajara for a short period of time in early 2006.

    Preki did not become head coach of Chivas USA until 2007, by that time Chicharito was already making a name for himself at CD Guadalajara and probably would not have been offered to any team including Chivas USA.

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    • Interesting… I figured that, if there was any truth to the story, the “offer” of Chicharito probably occurred before he was ready for first team minutes and was entirely unknown anyway.

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    • This. Jared Borgetti told the same story when he was a guest on a ESPN Deportes radio show. When Borgetti was playing for Guadalajara, he said at one point Javier Hernandez was made available to Chivas USA but was not taken and shortly after became an part of the first team at CD Guadalajara due to an injury to their current striker at the time. So, Vergara is a filthy liar, Chivas USA did not turn down Hernandez.

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      • So Hernandez was made available to CDUSA but they didn’t take him.

        How does that make Vergara a filthy liar?

        Because he said Preki turned it down and it turned out to be someone else?

  3. this is not mexico…………the chivas usa tag was a mistake alienating all other hispanic fans who support other teams im mexico……yes he can do what he wants with his team but his approach will never work in a country like the U.S. change the name and relocate either to san diego or build another stadium/ But Chivas USA will never win in MLS with that mentality………..

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  4. Considering Preki was the only coach who actually managed to do something with that club, its pretty low for Vergara to throw him under the bus.

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  5. Chicharito wasn’t as good back then and considered quitting football. By the way Chivas sucks and get them out of the league. Chivas= Royal sh!t stain upon MLS’S underwear.

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  6. Could some one please tell me what Preki is doing living in Oak Park, IL just outside of Chicago?

    I see him all over. I think he is just chillen. Anyone have any idea?

    Turd

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  7. Chivas USA may be the most annoying professional franchise in American sports. There literally isn’t a single redeeming quality about them.

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  8. time to pull the plug on Chivas USA. Basta Ya, as they say. move the franchise to someplace that actually deserves a team, like say, Miami or St. Louis. enuff insulting our intelligence already…

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  9. Garber should send an infromant to guadalajara, in order for him to learn how this piece of sh!t is an expert at lying and black mailing. Vergara is typical business person, who knows how to manipulate the press and players. I can not believe how garber has faith in him and how easily vergara comes to the states and talks garbage. As a matter of fact, javier hernadez was about to be sold to another mexican team because he was going to through some soccer break down, but suddenly he starts tearing up the mxican league and manchester comes knocking on the door and ever since then vergara thinks he produces top word talent. What a joke of him, he should say, ” javier hernadez was about to be sold or even let go but lucky him started making goals from left to right and manchester said, give me him now or never and end of story.”

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  10. I’m continually surprised with how someone thinks a US Market is going to accept a ‘junior position’ to a Mexican club. It’s not going to happen.
    Maybe they want to play the role of league ‘bad boys’ the team you cheer against….but that role is already taken by the Earthquake. 🙂

    I think the truth is closer to what your sources are saying that what Vergara states.

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  11. Between the owner’s blatant racism and lying this could be a real embarrassment for MLS. I hope the league office is paying close attention. Seriously how do you get away with saying you will only employ people according to their race. MLS could face some legal issues. A fair question for Garber.

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    • Someone doesn’t understand the difference between racist and nationalistic. Mexicans are not a race so what Chivas Guadalajara is doing is not racist, it’s a nationalistic approach.

      As far as the Chicharito story goes, Vergara has his facts mixed although the story is not false.

      At one point, Hernandez was available to CDUSA. He wasn’t selected for whatever reason.

      It wasn’t Preki who turned him down but someone at CDUSA did.

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      • i heard that he was on his way but injuries to the Mothership cancelled his transfer to chivas USA they were short on Strikers.

        He finally got a shot to start and well the rest is History.

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