GUADALAJARA, Mexico — American midfielder DaMarcus Beasley will begin a new chapter in his professional career on Wednesday when he partakes in his first training session with new club Puebla FC. And he couldn’t be more delighted.
“The city is beautiful, everything is good,” the 29-year-old Beasley said via a club statement after passing the medical and physical exams on Tuesday. "It was an excellent idea to come to this city and I’m really very excited."
A veteran of three World Cups, Beasley vowed to work hard for his new club after seven years playing in four different leagues on the other side of the Atlantic.
“As a player, I am going to give 100 percent and give everything I’ve got,” said Beasley.
The language barrier promises to be a serious challenge for the Fort Wayne, Ind., native, but the American feels he has enough experience playing abroad to cope with the Mexican style of play.
“In the sporting aspect, I don’t see much difference between Mexican soccer and others that I have played in,” Beasley told Mexican sports daily Récord on Tuesday.
Beasley cited fellow American and ex-Puebla striker Hérculez Gómez as a guiding influence behind the move.
“I met him in the World Cup in South Africa,” explained Beasley. “He is a great friend and he speaks well of the city and the fans.”
Beasley will be hoping to make a similar impact as Estudiantes Tecos forward Gómez did in his short six-month stint with Puebla for the Bicentenario 2010 tournament. Gómez finished in a three-way tie as the top scorer in the league with 10 goals and became a firm favorite with the fans before moving on to Pachuca, where he remained until this offseason.
The task promises to be difficult for Beasley. The former Hannover 96 player joins a team sixth from bottom in the relegation table, with the club’s first priority making sure they pull away from danger.
So far this offseason, Puebla, coached by Sergio Bueno, have recruited more than 20 new players in an overhaul designed to move them away from the drop zone. More recruits are expected.
