Chivas USA is an organization with a Mexican heart, club president and co-owner Antonio Cué said Monday. The team's roots, traditions and philosophy come from Guadalajara and, if Cue has his way, reinforcements will come from Mexico as well.
But one thing seemingly supersedes even tradition and that message came across loudly when Chivas USA named Bob Bradley head coach.
"It's all about winning," Cué said. "We have brought in someone who has already proven himself to be a winner and having him on our side is very important."
Bradley has the most wins of any coach in league history. His 114 MLS regular-season wins are tops all-time, while his 13-12-3 postseason record includes two trips to MLS Cup. Bradley replaced Hans Westerhof, who left the Chivas organization altogether.
But Bradley was born and bred in the United States. He made his name first as a collegiate coach, then as a very successful MLS coach. His experience with Chivas de Guadalajara is virtually non-existent.
That prospect, however, did not appear to faze Bradley. In fact, he seemed well-versed in the ways of Chivas.
"We all owe the fans a winning team," Bradley said. "The heart and the tradition from Mexico must always be there but ... beyond that you must wear those colors the right way. You must play for Chivas so that the supporters can see that and be proud of that. That's what has been made clear to me and that's what we will try to build from here on out."
For a team that won just four times in 32 games last year, Bradley could be a breath of fresh air. If nothing else, Bradley's presence will change the negative atmosphere the seemingly followed the club in every game last year.
"The first year for Chivas was a learning year and I think that everyone has taken the time to think about what the first year was like and to decide how to move forward from here," Bradley said. "I am excited to be part of this and I hope to work with everyone here to make Chivas a successful club and to hope we can keep that going for a long time."
Bradley enters the club with a bit of a luxury. The team is scheduled to train until Dec. 9, ample time for him to get to know the players and for the club as a whole to prepare for next year's preseason.
"We'll try to get as much work done between now and Dec. 9 that we can," Bradley said. "It's a good start. I get to know them and they get to know me. It helps make sure that we're all on the same page for the start of training camp."
Bradley met with the players after training Monday. He spoke briefly with most but had a lengthy talk with Francisco Palencia and said he would meet with others, including team captain Ramon Ramirez, in the upcoming days.
Despite the obstacles in Bradley's way, Cué said the club had a commitment to winning.
"We need to see results. We demand results from coaches and we have to keep in mind that we had 22 losses last year," Cué said. "At the minimum I expect to make the playoffs. I want people to know that we are committed to make this team a winner."
Luis Bueno is a contributor to MLSnet.com. This story was not subject to the approval of Major League Soccer or its clubs.
