Chicago Fire midfielder Ivan Guerrero was selected by the San Jose Earthquakes in the 2007 Major League Soccer Expansion Draft today. Guerrero was one of 10 players chosen by the Earthquakes, who will join Major League Soccer's Western Conference for the 2008 season.
The 29-year-old joined the Fire as a Senior International on February 5, 2005, from Peñarol of Uraguay. During his three seasons in Chicago, Guerrero recorded three goals and 16 assists in 74 games played (71 starts). In 2005, the midfielder served as Chicago's lone representative in the 2005 MLS All-Star Game, as well as being named the 2005 Fire/Honda MVP and Fire Defender of the Year. His team-high nine assists during the 2006 season were good enough for eighth overall in MLS on the season. Guerrero also served as an integral part of the Chicago side that won the 2006 Lamar Hunt U.S. Open Cup crown, appearing in all four matches and recording an assist against D.C. United in the semifinals.
The native of Honduras obtained his Green Card on June 29, 2007 and therefore no longer occupies a Senior International roster spot.
"Ivan is a very hard working player and a great professional," said Fire head coach Juan Carlos Osorio. "It was very unfortunate that an injury kept him off the field for us in the final eight games and the postseason, but he is a very good player and we wish him the best with his new club."
"We would like to thank Ivan for his three years of service with the Fire. He has been a tremendous player that has shown great professionalism and character throughout his time with the team," said Fire president/CEO John Guppy. "We wish him nothing but the best as he moves forward in his career."
A stalwart for the Honduran National Team, Guerrero has notched three goals in 77 career appearances for the "Catrachos" over the past eight years. Guerrero played for Honduras in the preliminary and semifinal rounds during CONCACAF Qualifying for the 2006 FIFA World Cup in Germany and the semifinal and final rounds of CONCACAF Qualifying for the 2002 FIFA World Cup in Korea/Japan, as well as appearing in the 2005 CONCACAF Gold Cup.
San Jose selected a player from six of the Eastern Conference teams and four from Western Conference teams. The Colorado Rapids, Kansas City Wizards, and Real Salt Lake were the three teams that did not have a player selected in the draft. San Jose, Major League Soccer's 14th team, will begin play in the Western Conference in the 2007 season at Buck Shaw Stadium in Santa Clara, Calif. Below is the complete list of players selected in the 2007 MLS Expansion Draft.
1. Ryan Cochrane (Houston Dynamo)
2. Clarence Goodson (FC Dallas)
3. Ned Grabavoy (Columbus Crew)
4. James Riley (New England Revolution)
5. Joseph Vide (New York Red Bulls)
6. Ivan Guerrero (Chicago Fire)
7. Brian Carroll (D.C. United)
8. Jason Hernandez (Chivas USA)
9. Gavin Glinton (LA Galaxy)
10. Chris Pozniak (Toronto FC)
