CARSON, Calif. - During Chivas USA's preseason friendlies, one key ingredient has been missing.
Through its first two weeks of matches, Chivas USA is captainless. Nobody has yet worn the captain's armband under new coach Bob Bradley and that might not change anytime soon.
"The last time I thought about it was ... a few weeks ago," Bradley said following Wednesday's scrimmage against the United States national team. "It's not something that is on the front burner in terms of the work that's being done right now."
From the start of preseason, Bradley has emphasized the importance of sorting out the roster. With a slew of new players - and being new himself - Bradley said he was not discounting the importance of a captain but merely trying to deal with more pending issues.
"I know that's really important and yet I also try and create an environment where there's a strong group of players to provide leadership, not just one," Bradley said.
Ramon Ramirez served as captain last year but Bradley said the decision not to name Ramirez captain was not a slight on the player.
"Certainly, he's one of the players I am really counting on to set a good example and a good tone each day," Bradley said.
Ramirez, meanwhile, said the move did not bother him in the slightest.
"I don't have any problem whatsoever. To me, it's the same whether I wear the captain's armband or not. That's a decision for the coach," he said. "I get paid for what I do on the field, not for wearing an armband."
Still, other players said that regardless of who ends up wearing the captain's armband, Ramirez will still be held in the highest of regards.
"To me, Ramon is always going to be the captain even if he doesn't wear the armband," Chivas forward Antonio Martinez said. "He's someone who everyone looks up to ... They come in and they respect him. (Ramon) is a great guy, he fights for the team; I can't see anyone else be more of a leader than him."
A year ago, Chivas suffered through a miserable season. The club's porous defense was offset by its inept attack and the club finished with just four wins. However, that is not from lack of trying or a lack of leadership on Ramirez's part, players said.
"It was a bad season last year but it wasn't Ramon's fault," Chivas defender Ezra Hendrickson said. "He did his best as a leader ... He's an honest worker. He works hard in games and he works hard in practice. He leads by example. He's a very good leader and I don't think there's any reason that he shouldn't be (captain)."
Ultimately, the task of selecting a captain will fall on Bradley's shoulders.
"That's not my decision. That's the coach's decision and whatever decision the coach makes we'll just run with that," Hendrickson said. "We all have to believe for this team to work. Bob is the head (coach) and whatever he says we all have to buy into that."
The roster will work itself out during the preseason and apparently so will the captain situation.
"Things establish themselves," Bradley said. "Every day, the training is right and guys are pushing each other and then from that we are able to start to piece the little things together."
Luis Bueno is a contributor to MLSnet.com. This story was not subject to the approval of Major League Soccer or its clubs.
