By ADAM SERRANO
Chivas USA may be looking to develop the best youth program in MLS, but plans for a potential "All-Southern California" Chivas USA appear to be overblown.
Following a pair of recent reports that have come out in the last week stating that the Rojiblancos are intending to field an "All-SoCal" team, General Manager Jose Domene clairified the statements in an interview with MLSsoccer.com.
“We’re trying to build a team based on youth development and not necessarily buy superstars. We want to build superstars from within, that doesn’t mean that they’ll all be SoCal players," said Domene. "If for whatever reason we end up with 11 SoCal players from our youth development, then that means that we’re very good at scouting here and our youth program worked.”
More news from around the Western Conference is after the jump:
COLORADO RAPIDS
Sanna Nyassi has been called up for two friendlies for his native Gambia, which may cause him to miss two matches. Nyassi will join the Gambian national team on May 31st and miss the club's match on June 4th against Philadelphia and will likely miss a June 11th match in Portland against the Timbers.
FC DALLAS
It may be time to start asking if George John and Ugo Ihemelu lead one of the finest backlines in all of MLS. With their shutout of the Seattle Sounders, FC Dallas set a franchise record of 489 minutes without allowing a goal while also going unbeaten in their last seven matches.
LA GALAXY
The Galaxy will be without Juan Pablo Angel for the club's match with the New England Revolution. Angel started the last two matches for the Galaxy and was removed in the 60th minute of Wednesday's 1-0 victory with the Houston Dynamo.
REAL SALT LAKE
Javier Morales has begun his long road back after starting rehab from an ankle injury, which broke a bone, dislocated his ankle and tore ligaments. Morales admitted that he had never seen an injury like the one that he suffered after a clumsy tackle by Marcos Mondaini on May 7th. While the timetable for his return is at least four months, the Argentine playmaker is confident about his ability to return soon.
PORTLAND TIMBERS
Apparently if you're going to beat the Portland Timbers at JELD-WEN field, just make sure it's not MLS compeititon. The Portland Timbers fell 2-0 in their friendly against Dutch giants Ajax on Wednesday night. It was the Timbers second loss at JELD-WEN, where the Timbers have yet to lose an MLS regular season match. Following the friendly, head coach Jon Spencer admitted that his club learned a great deal from their match against Ajax.
"I think you can always learn something from every situation. I don’t think we’ll play against anybody in Major League Soccer that has the quality of that team tonight," said Spencer to reporters after the match. "I don’t think we can punish ourselves. There is a gulf in difference, we know that. That’s one of the biggest clubs in European soccer so it’s a great experience for us as a young club."
SAN JOSE EARTHQUAKES
Star striker Chris Wondolowski was called up to the U.S. national team for the Gold Cup roster in what will leave a major hole in the offense of the San Jose Earthquakes. While the club may be pleased that their star forward is getting recognition from Bob Bradley, head coach Frank Yallop must now find out if he can replace his Golden Boot winner.
SEATTLE SOUNDERS
The Seattle Sounders continued their struggle to score dropping a 1-0 match against FC Dallas at home. In the match against Dallas, Sounders DP Fredy Montero struggled to create opportunties and was eventually substituted in the 75th minute of play. Following the match, Head coach Sigi Schmid was scathing in his assessment of Montero's performance as of late.
"He needs to score. End of story," Schmid told reporters after the match. "He needs to score. That's what he's paid to do. He needs to score. He's a good enough player. He knows that."
VANCOUVER WHITECAPS
The Whitecaps match in the Nutrilife Canadian Championship against Toronto FC was rescheduled for July 2nd.
Nowhere in his comment did he say anything about Hartman not being great his whole career and he never said that goalkeeping was the USA’s problem.
Pretty good name. I think a big problem with their name/brand is they are really only catering to Mexican/Mexican-Americans who are fans of CD Guadalajara or who aren’t fans of any Mexican clubs.
I think a move to the OC could work too, Anaheim maybe?
i want to see them do it! develop from within and become a factory for the best young players in the entire country.
He’s been great his whole career…Goalkeeping is not USA’s problem
The money filters back to the academies and pay for the players and the college kids work harder to become MLSers…
Sign the Swiss forward ? that guy stunk so bad that Vancouver didn’t want him either, he had to retire.
Yes, Dallas CB’s look good, but if not for Hartman, no one would be talking about the scoreless streak.
Anyone that hasn’t seen his save vs. Fred in the DC match should find the video and watch it.
I was at the Seattle game and he was great also.
Hartman has been great the last year and a half, and to me he’s the biggest reason for Dallas rise in the MLS rankings.
No, Montero hasn’t done much of anything. He’s failing at scoring and his GM duties apparently.
Sigi putting the majority of the blame for Sounders offensive woes on Montero is a bit Rongenesque. Did Montero take the first four corners that failed to find the Dallas goal area? Without N’Kufo the Sounders attack is spastic and confused. Did Montero fail to sign the Swiss forward?
The title says Angel out, but then the article does not add anything else. WHY is Angel out??
Maybe Chivas USA could encorporate an equally xenophobic stance and cut any player who doesn’t desire to play for the US. Because that’s fair and moral.
And Ty Marshall is called up to the Gold Cup…Where is Baudet? He would have been a perfect replacement.
Freddy M. has to score but apparently Nate Jacqua doesn’t have to. This is what happens when you drop a World Cup striker and get nobody to replace him. Freddy cant do it alone, Sigi…
That doesn’t work when a national team depends on the league.
Lets imagine the best case scenario… The Chivas USA academy starts producing the best talent in the USA. What percentage of those would go play for Mexico?
If only one American can make it…so be it. Quality on the field will bring fans out. Then teams can spend on academies. NHL isn’t where they are by having an American quota.
The rivalry would be even stronger if they move to SD…Club Deportivo San Diego…A much better namw
So that means the starting forwards will be Barrett and Kirovski…Wow…Arena plain stinks!
14k, but at 10 bucks for tickets. everyone knows that. yep, sounds like they’re flat broke to me.
I don’t see anything wrong and the clarification of Domene to his initial comments. Their plan is good and ambitious and obviously they need to crawl first and set a realistic goal before they can ‘fly’ per se. Either way I wish the intent is good and as a gaLAxy fan I wish them the best. This will enhance the sport in this country unlike other clubs who are just thinking short term and barely only lining up one american in their games…((clearing throat))
How is maintaining a solid 14k-range attendance over the last three seasons dwindling? Sure it dropped quite a bit from the first season to the second, but it’s been slowly-but-steadily climbing since.
And if they are in fact broke (and where exactly does your evidence for this come from, other than the inside of you head?) I’m sure it has more to do with the fact that they have to pay the Galaxy a ridiculously high rent to play at the HDC.
They should probably move to S.D., or (with time) develop a culture of actually challenging their stadium rivals the galaxy in the Superclasico, starts with their next match.
If their Academy holds true I think they produce so of the best youth players in the nation, secod to FC Dallas probably. They already have good prospects from their academy in : Gerson Mayen, Chris Cortez, Jorge Flores, and Bryan de la Fuente, whom all with more playing time can develop into even better players.
When the attendance was nothing to start with how can it Dwindle? It must have went from scant to nil.
“We’re trying to build a team based on youth development and not necessarily buy superstars. We want to build superstars from within.”
Translation: “After six seasons of dwindling attendance, we’re flat broke.”
this was vergara idea. he does it for chivas guadalajara and know chivas usa. lets see if we come out with a chicharito or a any good stricker
Amazing (or maybe not so surprising I guess) that a clarification had to come out when Vergara clearly said the focus would be on building the team with local young talent through the academy system.