It begins: Cuban defector Reinier Alcantara will begin workouts with Chivas USA next week http://www.fannation.com/truth_and_rumors/view/76956
Who will we lose who will stay ? We know Suarez is gone. What about Marsch or Razov will they retire What about the players out of contract DeJair, Nurse etc.... Will they be here next year? What about the coaching staff how many will still be getting a check from Chivas next year ? Lets not forget the upcoming expansion draft. We'll lose one or 2 there as well.
i think claudio said late in the year that he wasnt retiring just yet. razov already said he wasn't retiring, but his contract with chivas is over. and will explore the market. marsch. dont know prioritiy = creative mid (klestjan's good as gone)
Suarez is gone for sure, i was told by a reliable source. Razov is gone, his contract is up. Is not retiring. I hope kljestian leaves.
As I understand it we can only lose 1 player in the expansion draft and even then we might not get picked since it's a 10 round draft, there are 14 teams in MLS. Yeah right, who'd want any players from Galaxy, TFC, San Jose, Rapids, lol. What I'd like to see happen: Dump Thorton, keep Kennedy. Dump Suarez, bringing an experienced CB in his place. Dump Curtin, leave Burling. Let Razov go, bringing a proven forward. Re-sign: Braun, Paladini, Burling, Dejair, Flores, Wicki Protect: Kennedy Bornstein Burling Thomas Zotinca Kjlestian - assuming he stays around Nagamura Marsch - assuming he stays around Mendoza Galindo Esky
Mendoza played his ass off! Great hustle all the way to the end. He really made it exciting with that feed to Braun. I found some "especulation" for you all. http://www.mediotiempo.com/noticia/68971/ordaz-bofo-y-mendoza-posibles-refuerzos-chivas/ Seems like Panchito caught the eye of Big Chivas and is being considered to help them out in the SudAmericana Tournament. Great news for him. Isn't his loan over? If he is reclaimed by Guad (even if he is only on the bench) that would mean that ChivasUSA will really be a different team. (for better or worse? That'll make for a long off season discussion)
Let Panchito go. I love his hustle and tenacity, but his final ball is always terrible. Zero vision. Maybe he'll thrive in a different situation where he's hungrier. Seems like his stay at our club has just about run its course. This would allow Bornstein to play at LB and Flores to get minutes at LM. I'm really hoping that El Sueno is a big part of our team next year.
I think that will be more than one cuban in the red and white stripes next years. Rumors says that problably Alonso will pick back for the team (He was the rookie of the year in the USL1), and look like Alcantara is also doing tryouts with the team
OUTGOING: Goodbye Galindo? Mendoza on the Move? Two Chivas USA Players to Leave for Sounders, Mexico?
Razov alluded to some lack of professionalism going on in the locker room in Nick Green's 100 percent blog. Razov is a legend, but he really showed his age in too many crucial games. Preki needs to learn more about game management and player management. Things could be worse, we could be the LA Galaxy and their two best players are desperate to leave. LOL!
It looks like Chivas USA passed on Alcantara: http://voices.washingtonpost.com/soccerinsider/2008/11/morning_kickaround_103.html#comments [FONT=Times New Roman,times,serif]Reinier Alcantara's personal representative says the Cuban defector/forward has signed with a San Diego-based sports agency and is scheduled to work out with Colorado next week and San Jose the following week.[/FONT]
http://web.mlsnet.com/news/mls_news.jsp?ymd=20081121&content_id=205863&vkey=pr_mls&fext=.jsp Yep. The roster has been dropped from 28 to 24. Senior rosters can be 18, 19 or 20, with only 4 developmental slots outside of the salary cap. We gotta let some players go. Chivas USA has to turn in their expansion draft protection list monday!
Here's how I see things going as far as players leaving, and how likely I think they're really going to go; Nurse (already back in Mexico{and they said it wouldn't last} 100%) Suarez (retirement-95%) Razov (out of contract- 75%) Kljestan ( Europe- 65%) Mendoza (wants to go back to Mexico-50%) Galindo ( rumored to Seattle 50%) Now, with Galindo it could work out two, or three different ways. It's been thrown around that Preki would like to coach Seattle (he played there during his indoor days). It's also been rumored that Seattle are after Galindo (he played with the USL Sounders before coming to Chivas) It's also been said that Galindo and Preki have had a falling out, so I think it'd be a one or the other-type of thing, Preki stays, Galindo goes or vice-versa, or they both go, but to separate teams. I think once we get past the expansion draft the picture will be come a little clearer, but two things are clear now, Chivas NEED at least one, if not two good, starting CBs, and at least one more forward/striker. If both Razov and Galindo are gone that leaves very little up top other than Eski and Braun really. As far as dead weight I'd cut; Thorton Hamilton Harris I think they speak for themselves. So if everyone I've listed were to leave, and given the new roster changes taking effect next season, Chivas would be looking to do quite a bit of rebuilding, especially if Kljestan leaves. Mendoza leaving would be sad, being that he's the last Chivas original, but not too terrible simply because I think Flores is ready to step up, he's like Mendoza three and a half years ago, only better. I'd like to see Dejair stick around, I don't think he got much of a chance to work his way into the team, but showed a lot of promise in pretty limited time. So here's what I've got; Kennedy Vaughn/Zotinca Thomas/Curtin new CB/Burling Bornstein Marsch/Wicky Nags/Victorine/Wicky Victorine/new RM Flores Dejair/Braun/new CAM/CF/ST Eski/Braun Wow, did I just write a novel here or what?
Here are our protected players: Johnny Bornstein Justin Braun Bobby Burling Alecko Eskandarian Maykel Galindo Atiba Harris Sacha Kljestan Jesse Marsch Paolo Nagamura Panchito Mendoza Shavar Thomas
The MLS Cup Final was a joke this year the Crew's style had going to sleep half way through the match. Both fan clubs were boring and what the hell was Galaxy's fan clubs doing there huh? Now had Chivas USA played in the MLS Cup Final our fan clubs La Legion 1908 and Union Ultras would have rocked the house. Anyway that just goes to show you that we need to make some changes and fast, and if Preki wants to go to Seattle then I say let him trust me he won't be missed here.
Sorry bro but several people have confirmed Preki will stay for 2009. lol. Funny thing, if he and his crew were so confident about Thorton, why was he left unprotected? I can see us going on another goalkeeper fiasco if we don't bring someone in ASAP.
I have lost confidence in Preki! 2009 is not going to be any better. we will sign a bunch of washed up players just to get us into the play offs then loose in the first round. WTF does Preki see in Attiba Harris? the only explination i have is that he banging him
Fact is they have Keller signed, and the rumor is that Eylander who was the Sounders Keeper also has a deal. So they're probably gambling that no keepers will go in the draft. So if they don't take Kennedy it's a good move.
Even if they already have 1,2,3, or 4 Keepers signed, they can always make a deal with someone that needs an up and coming Keeper that has shown that he can play in MLS and abroad. So they pick him only to trade him to that team and we are S.O.L. Any of our unprotected players can be picked that way. It's a big gamble having both Flores and Kennedy out there, because they have both shown that they can play in MLS. It is a gamble that I think we are going to lose unfortunately!!!
I fear we'll lose Flores and or Vaughn. They're almost non-replaceable in terms of youth, talent, and spirit.
I kind of feel that the whole "Sueno" phenomenon was a joke all along. Its obvious that he has talent. He's constantly being called in for the US Nats. From a marketing standpoint this could backfire on us. From a soccer standpoint, it could mean doom. Flores was a player that could play and attract soccer fans based on his golden status.