Some Chivas USA players spent their offseason traveling with families while others added on to their existing clans. But few had quite the eye-catching offseason as Jonathan Bornstein.
The 2006 MLS Rookie of the Year sent a ripple of shock and surprise from across the pond when rumors surfaced about a purported interest from an Israeli side in Bornstein, who is Jewish.
The only snag was Bornstein went it alone, without the knowledge of club officials.
"It was a good experience and I learned a lot from it, not just about the soccer but about going about going somewhere else," Bornstein said.
For Bornstein, the trip to Israel was not about switching clubs -- the UCLA product called the excursion "window shopping" -- but with no contact with club administrators and coaches or even U.S. national team officials, nearly everyone found out about Bornstein's trip to Israel the same way, through Israeli media reports.
The trip to Israel was merely part vacation, part soccer, Bornstein said.
"It was just about me seeing what kind of options were out there. ... My girlfriend (and I) got to go out there and see the city of Tel Aviv and see Israel. Obviously with me being Jewish, Israel is an option," Bornstein said. "I didn't think it was going to be anything for the future. I just kind of went out there to see and it got kind of blown out of proportion a little bit."
When rumors surfaced online about Bornstein's purported links to Maccabi Tel Aviv, the rumors also included Derby County's Benny Feilhaber. Like Bornstein, Feilhaber is Jewish. But Feilhaber's situation only fueled the rumors, as the U.S. national team midfielder and former Hamburg player was reportedly on the outs with Derby County.
Though Bornstein is close with Feilhaber -- the two have been teammates on three different teams -- he said he was unaware the two would meet up in Israel.
"Benny was there and didn't expect him to be there," Bornstein said. "It kind of got turned around a little bit."
When Bornstein came back to the United States he talked to various and numerous people, many of whom were not too pleased.
"I'm sure when they found out through the pictures and media and everyone else, they were upset," Bornstein said. "I spoke with (Chivas USA coach) Preki and I spoke with (U.S. national team coach) Bob (Bradley) and I spoke with a lot of the (Chivas USA) administration. I had to explain what happened because everyone had a lot of misinformation. Once I spoke with them they were disappointed with the way I went around it. I made it very clear that I'm happy to be here. It wasn't about going somewhere -- it was about seeing what's out there."
And what is out there for Bornstein? In terms of Israel, he said he'd prefer a move to a larger league.
"It's a good league. I'd never really seen the league. I saw one game and it's just like anywhere else in the world. Soccer is soccer and they put in their work," Bornstein said. "In terms of Israel, it's a small country and I'd like to keep my options open for maybe something bigger. Hopefully something else will come around."
Still, the 23-year-old recently purchased his first house and playing professionally with Chivas USA suits him just fine, he said.
"I'm happy to be here. I have no intentions of going anywhere," Bornstein said. "It was just kind of a little vacation for me and my girlfriend."
Luis Bueno is a contributor to MLSnet.com. This story was not subject to the approval of Major League Soccer or its clubs.
