CARSON, Calif. - Club Deportivo Chivas USA announced this Thursday that the Red-and-White will begin its 2005 preseason camp in Guadalajara, homeland of its founding institution, Club Deportivo Guadalajara, Mexico's most popular soccer club. From February 1-12, the squad led by Thomas Rongen will train at the University of Guadalajara's "La Primavera" campus on the outskirts of Mexico's second city, home in past years to several Major League Soccer teams' preseason training camps. Chivas USA's two-week stay marks the squad's second trip to Jalisco state, following a 14-day camp held from December 6-20, 2004 at Club Deportivo Guadalajara's "Verde Valle" campus.
"It's a pleasure to return to training, while welcoming a few new faces to
our team, including several players who were not with us during our two-week
camp in Guadalajara in December," said Thomas Rongen, Head Coach of Club
Deportivo Chivas USA. "The first two weeks of preseason are fundamental to
the team's development, and I can't think of a better place to start than
Guadalajara, the birthplace of our great institution."
The group of 12 U.S.-based players - chosen in the 2005 MLS Expansion Draft
and SuperDraft - will depart Southern California in the afternoon of Sunday,
January 30 from Los Angeles International Airport, and arrive that night in
Guadalajara. The team will stay in a hotel near La Primavera and, following
a day of meetings, will join a group of eight Mexican invitees to begin
training on Tuesday, February 1. Two-a-days are scheduled for the entire two
weeks, with the exception of Wednesdays and Saturdays, when the team will
play intrasquad scrimmages or exhibition matches; and Sunday, when the team
will enjoy a day off.
In addition, players and coaching staff - including Rongen and his
assistants Javier "Zully" Ledesma (former Guadalajara goalkeeper and uncle
of Chicago Cubs shortstop Nomar Garciaparra) and Martin Vasquez (former Los
Angeles Galaxy assistant and the only footballer to have played for both the
U.S. and Mexican national teams) - will partake in extracurricular
activities such as yoga sessions and Spanish and English classes. The team
also plans to visit the Estadio Jalisco - venue for the 1970 and 1986 World
Cups and home to Club Deportivo Guadalajara - to attend two matches:
Chivas-Cienciano (first-leg playoff for the Copa Libertadores) and
Chivas-Veracruz (Week 4 matchup of Mexico's Clausura 2005 season).
Provisional itinerary
[Subject to change. All training sessions are scheduled for the University
of Guadalajara's "La Primavera" complex.]
Week 1:
Sunday, January 30: Departure from Los Angeles International Airport at 4:35
p.m. PT (Mexicana # 933 nonstop to Guadalajara), arriving at 9:30 p.m. CT;
Transport from Guadalajara International Airport to La Primavera
Monday, January 31: Meetings between coaching staff and players
Tuesday, February 1: Morning and afternoon training
Wednesday, February 2: Exhibition or intrasquad match; Extracurricular
activity; Attend Chivas vs. Cienciano (Estadio Jalisco)
Thursday, February 3: Morning and afternoon training
Friday, February 1: Morning and afternoon training
Saturday, February 5: Training, exhibition or intrasquad match; Attend
Chivas vs. Veracruz (Estadio Jalisco)
Sunday, February 6: [Day off]
Week 2:
Monday, February 7: Morning and afternoon training
Tuesday, February 8: Morning and afternoon training
Wednesday, February 9: Exhibition or intrasquad match; Extracurricular
activity; Watch Cienciano vs. Chivas (on TV)
Thursday, February 10: Morning and afternoon training
Friday, February 11: Morning and afternoon training
Saturday, February 12: Training, exhibition or intrasquad match; Watch
Tigres vs. Chivas (on TV)
Sunday, February 30: Transport from La Primavera to Guadalajara
International Airport; Departure at 5:55 p.m. CT (Mexicana # 914 nonstop to
Los Angeles), arriving Los Angeles International Airport at 6:55 p.m. PT
Participants in Chivas USA's preseason in Guadalajara: Feb. 1-12, 2005
The following players are expected to take part in Chivas USA's preseason in Guadalajara:
PLAYER POS HT WT BIRTHDATE NATIONALITY
Esteban Arias ^ D 5-10 180 1982-08-26 USA
Armando Bejines D 5-11 155 1983-03-26 Mexican
Héctor Cuadros M 5-10 160 1983-03-20 Mexican
Antonio de la Torre # D 5-10 160 1977-11-18 Mexican
Francisco Gómez # M 5-11 170 1979-01-25 USA
Brad Guzan ^ GK 6-04 210 1984-09-09 USA
Ezra Hendrickson # D 5-03 185 1972-01-16 S. Vncnt & Grenadines
Christian Jiménez ^ M-F 5-10 165 1986-11-03 USA
Alfonso Loera D 6-01 175 1978-12-04 Mexican
Aarón López ^ D-M 5-11 170 1983-02-28 Mexican
Thiago Martins # F 6-00 185 1976-09-04 Brazilian
Francisco Mendoza M 5-05 125 1985-04-29 Mexican
Orlando Pérez # D 6-02 165 1977-07-12 USA
Ramón Ramírez M 5-07 160 1969-12-05 Mexican
Isaac Romo F 6-01 155 1983-03-23 Mexican
Alonso Sandoval M-F 5-07 120 1981-09-27 Mexican
Matt Taylor # F 5-11 165 1981-10-17 USA
Arturo Torres # M-F 6-01 165 1980-12-11 USA
Jamil Walker # F 5-11 165 1981-04-21 USA
Martín Zúñiga GK 5-11 165 1970-08-06 Mexican
^ Indicates player selected in MLS SuperDraft, January 2005
Indicates player selected in MLS Expansion Draft, November 2004
