Top Stories

Chivas USA name Sanchez new head coach

Chivas USA were aiming for a head coach with a wealth of coaching experience and ties to Mexican soccer, and that is exactly what they have gotten with the appointment of Jose Luis Sanchez Sola.

Chivas USA announced Wednesday that they have named Sanchez Sola, also known as “El Chelis”, their new head coach. The 53-year-old Sanchez Sola joins the Goats after spending seven years coaching in Mexico, and is tasked with helping them turn things around after two disappointing seasons under Robin Fraser.

“Very honored, very grateful and committed to fulfill the goals of the institution,” said Sanchez Sola in a statement released by Chivas USA. “I know that with the support of the staff currently in place, my transition into MLS will be that much easier. We are going to take on this new challenge with lots of energy and aspirations.

“We are going to try to implement a more appealing style of soccer for our fans, without forgetting that we are a team that plays in the United States. We will look to appeal to both cultures while obtaining positive results for the club. I feel that Chivas USA, at some point, lost that flavor and technique with the ball that is emphasized in Mexico and Latin-America; we must re-establish that part and combine it with the MLS’ style of play.”

Sanchez Sola is known to be a big motivator and he coached Puebla from 2006-2010 before taking over at Tecos UAG from 2010-2011. He coached Correcaminos UAT in Mexico’s second division this year.

“The arrival of Jose Luis Sanchez Sola marks the beginning of our organization’s new journey,” said Chivas USA President and CBO Jose David in the same statement. “The owners of the club, Jorge Vergara and Angelica Fuentes, continue working toward giving Chivas USA fans the experience and results needed to have a successful team in MLS.

“‘El Chelis’ is a great motivator; he knows the culture of Chivas and will be an important piece in re-establishing the identity of the organization.”

—–

What do you think of Chivas USA appointing Sanchez Sola? Do you see him helping them turn things around? Still think the Goats would have been better suited signing someone like Jesse Marsch?

Share your thoughts below.

Comments

  1. “We are going to try to implement a more appealing style of soccer for our fans, without forgetting that we are a team that plays in the United States”

    What a dig! I hate this guy already! Lose a Marquez and get a Sanchez. Mexi-Snobs.

    Reply
  2. This guy is a great coach. Great motivator and leader and knows the game, that being said dont know if he will be successful in MLS. Why? For one the culture and language barrier and 2. he is adamant he doesnt like the physical and speed first and shooting the ball from the defense style of game. He said it in his interview in Spanish MLS media site that he didnt know about MLS cause they make the ball cry and suffer and by that he means that they hit it hard (long balls) and sometimes the ball needs to be pampered and be gentle. That’s Chelis. Great coach!

    Lastly if he is successful unfortunately with Vergara as owner in a heartbeat he will move him and take him back to Mexico to coach the mothership. Watch.

    Reply
  3. The issue I have with Chivas bringing in a head coach from Mexico is NOT the style he will be coaching. The Galaxy played a technical flowing game with short passes and surprising accurate long balls from the back. They mixed it up and didn’t become to predictable. I’m sure Sanchez will do the same. The Galaxy could play physical defense and had the players to do so, but they would not what you would call a physical team.

    The issue I have with any coach who comes into the league from outside an American frame of reference, ie., college, lower pro divisions, other MLS teams, is that they need to learn were to get quality players very cheap. You do not go to Mexico or Europe for that and if he does he will fail. You need to seek out and get the veteran player who wants to play a year or two more in the league and is willing to take a substantial cut from his previous salary, either here or from overseas to do so. He needs to find the pearls in the college ranks and look for the lower division players who can make a difference in the MLS, and he needs to figure out how he will fit the more expensive players into a system that force you to keep your overall team salary below a certain level. Most good coaches can find player, but a good MLS coach and GM will find players cheap, wheel and deal to do so and keep it under the salary cap. Does Sanchez have anyone in the Chivas office that can backstop him on this?. If he doesn’t look for some more epic fail on Chivas’ side, no matter who they bring in.

    Reply
  4. While I have my reservations, I’m more than willing to give Sanchez the benefit of the doubt and wish him success with the goats. Though not my first choice, at least it wasn’t Samson.

    Reply
  5. Here is a prediction. Chivas USA will continue to suck for a couple more years, when David Beckham and his Hollywood friend will come in and buy the franchise and move Hollywood United to MLS from the PDL or USL, wherever they will be playing.

    Reply
  6. Main problem with Chivas is that the guys they currently have don’t have much “Flair”. The team is horrible. Agudelo and that other young kid they have (Young Colombian I think, forgot his name) were the players with “Flair”..Dan Kennedy was the only bright spot on the defense end..

    And also Chivas hasn’t done any moves to upgrade that crappy defense. So they will never play that attractive soccer, since the ball will be on their end for 90 min.

    Reply
  7. Unless Chivas does a massive roster overhaul, El Chelis will be eating his words right around October, 2013. As of now, Chivas have brought in exactly 0 new players.

    Reply
  8. :”I feel that Chivas USA, at some point, lost that flavor and technique with the ball that is emphasized in Mexico and Latin-America; we must re-establish that part…”

    Other than the team Preki inherited from him, when Bob Bradley was running the show was the only time Chivas has been any good. Which makes this a helluva curious statement.

    Reply
  9. Foreign coach = fail. He’ll only go as far as the quality of his players, and Chivas USA has zero quality to speak of.

    Chivas USA need to be re-branded, and moved to San Diego/Phoenix/San Antonio/Austin.

    Reply
  10. What would happen if Bruce Arena was hired as River Plate head coach and Argentine fans would go crazy for his appointment because he doesn’t “know” the league and the way Argentine players think and etc., etc.,

    I know foreign coaches have a bad track record in MLS but it doesn’t mean we have to recycle the same coaches all the time. Other leagues with tight budgets still hire foreign coaches and I don’t see why MLS should stop.

    Reply
    • It’s not as much just that he’s foreign, it’s his comments on the league.

      Traditionally, Foreign coaches have a hard time adapting to both the style in the league, and the intricate rules of MLS.

      The coaches who run into problems are the ones who try to change the system (Chelis) as opposed to embracing and thriving in the system (Nicol, for example.

      I will credit him this though: these new comments are at least slightly more reserved than his previous “every team plays the same, including the champion” crap.

      Reply
      • It seems like Sola’s comments bothered you.

        Have you considered the fact that some things get lost in translation?

        I don’t really see anything wrong with what he said. I mean, it’s obvious he doesn’t know much about the league but highlighting the fact that MLS is first and foremost a physical league is not a reason for you to get so upset.

        When Alessandro Nesta said the same thing in a more brutal manner, nobody batted an eyelash.

      • Funny for Nesta to say that, considering he got beat for multiple goals in his few appearances last season. But yeah Nesta, just blame your incompetence on the “style of play”. Sure.

    • Oh I don’t know, how about lament the Timbers losing to Chivas all three times faced in 2012? Despite having 2 home games against them?

      Reply
      • If my memory is correct RSL has a better record against LA than Chivas over that past two years in the regular season.

      • I think the reason is that LA actually has a game strategy so you can plan against it. The crappy teams just play kick and run which can lead to some crazy results.. Everyone has learned to play against RSL because they have been so consistent in their play. That was a big problem for RSL getting goals in the last quarter of the season.

  11. You can’t implement another style, the league is still too direct and physical to implement style. Not until the salary cap is raise to get better players that actually have flair and technique can you implement a style. Only thing you can maybe implement is defensive styles at the moment. I still love my league regardless.

    Reply
    • Yet sporting KC, RSL , Seattle sounders and LA Galaxy all play technical styles, right? please Moe you sound as clueless as this guy. The salary cap have nothing to do what style you play, it’s the same reason Portland will play a technical style of soccer, it comes down to the coach.

      Reply
      • all teams are predictable, no one plays possesion style, everything is pretty much direct, it doesn’t take a fool to realize that. That’s why the team with the best defensive style will more than likely win in this league.

      • Sporting KC, RSL , Seattle sounders and LA Galaxy are not predictable, what are you talking about? Very few teams play in the world plays possession style soccer. However the team’s I named, play different types of soccer. LA Galaxy wasn’t the best defensive team in MLS, they won the MLS cup, because they played great on the ground soccer, with great players. It’s all up to the coach how a team plays, you need to watch the league more.

      • Hahaha yeah lets have the teams never press up the field and play porous defense like they do in mexico so we can have the illusion of attacking soccer. I might actually watch chivas this year so i can see them get torn apart

      • I’m not sure what you’re talking about since pressing is a staple of Mexican soccer.

        Not all clubs press in the same manner due to a multitude of reasons but Chivas is a team that apply high pressure.

        Same with Toluca under Meza and Cruz Azul under Vasquez with Vela and Aquino constantly pressing the opposing center backs. Xolos under Mohamed has taken the same approach, not so much when del Olmo was around.

        America under Herrera does it as well. Benitez and Raul Jimenez are always hassling the opposing defense and the wingbacks pinch in the pressure in the midfield.

        The Mexican NT is also known for its high intensity pressing.

        I frankly don’t know what you’re talking about.

      • @Chris…please and with their porous defense they year after year singlehandedly beat MLS and other region clubs to go represent CONCACRAP…how do you explain that genius?

Leave a Comment