including the one they so painstakingly assembled -- are not very deep at all.
"You need a roster of 18 who can play and all the 18 have to be (capable of) starting in MLS because it's a long season and you need them all," Chivas USA coach Hans Westerhof said. "We're going to look for players in the 18-man roster who can all be starters in MLS and at this moment we can't say that."
Expansion was a difficult process for Chivas USA, who finished with a dismal 4-22-6 record. In most leagues around the world, the club's 18 points would have been good for relegation but as it stands Chivas USA's futility should only motivate the team next season.
From the expansion draft to the SuperDraft, from bringing over proven and not-so-experienced players from Mexico, the club unknowingly hit many land mines on the way toward building a roster and creating an identity.
What started off as promising quickly turned sour. From Chivas USA's expansion draft picks, only six of the 10 players selected made it to opening day and of those only Ezra Hendrickson and Orlando Perez made an impact. Francisco Gomez was hindered by injuries and started just eight matches. Arturo Torres, Thiago Martins and Matt Taylor -- the club's starting forward line in the season opener -- all fell well short of expectations.
The SuperDraft produced several promising players as Brad Guzan and Esteban Arias became fixtures in the lineup. However, Chivas USA's biggest mistake came when bringing aboard its full contingent of foreigners.
"First of all, the idea was to start a team with a Mexican identity. Therefore, we were focused on in the draft players with a Mexican background and players from Guadalajara. I think we made some mistakes there," Westerhof said. "You can't change that because they are here for a year."
When the club was formally introduced, Chivas USA officials beamed over their up-and-coming Mexican talent as well as the veterans who were supposed to provide leadership and experience. The foundation was to have been the five youngsters brought up from Chivas La Piedad, the second-division affiliate of Chivas de Guadalajara. Luis Alonso Sandoval, Isaac Romo, Hector Cuadros, Armando Begines and Francisco Mendoza were supposed to have formed the foundation of the club.
Those plans quickly soured, however, as Sandoval went AWOL in the preseason and was not permitted to rejoin the team. Begines broke his collarbone in the preseason while Martins beat Romo out for the center forward spot. Hector Cuadros was thrust into a key role as playmaker and did not respond well. Francisco Mendoza turned out to be the best among the quintet of players.
Perhaps too much was asked of these players, or maybe the change in leagues and level of competition was too much to handle.
"We learned that when we brought some players here to the States, it's a different way of playing," Westerhof said. "It's not better or worse, just different. We needed a lot of time to know that it was different."
Of the four players who originally filled senior international spots, two were gone by August. Defender Alfonso Loera was released while goalkeeper Martin Zuñiga retired.
By the time the club brought in much-needed help, the season was a lost cause but players like Juan Pablo Garcia and Hector "Pirata" Castro offer hope for the future.
"We learned that when we brought some players here to the States, it's a different way of playing. It's not better or worse, just different. We needed a lot of time to know that it was different." |
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<strong>-- Hans Westerhof</strong> |
One thing can be certain: the roster will look markedly different a year from now.
"Let's be real honest. We have to make some changes to make this team better," Chivas sporting director Thomas Rongen said. "That means some people will be here and some people won't and some new players will be coming in."
Rongen started the season as coach but after just one win in 10 games he was relieved of his duties and kicked upstairs. Westerhof, who had been overseeing Jorge Vergara's three clubs - Chivas USA, Club Deportivo Guadalajara and Deportivo Saprissa of Costa Rica - stepped in as coach.
Over the course of the season, the club made some progress. The first month was terrible as Chivas USA lost five matches and were outscored 12-5. But by July, the club was competitive and gave a glimpse of the club's upside. After some bumps and bruises down the stretch, Chivas finished the season off with four points from their final three matches.
"If you see where we were at the beginning of the year and where we are now, I think that's a gift, something we can use for the next year," Westerhof said. "We have a lot of work to do but we have almost five months for the beginning of the next season and that's a lot of time."
Luis Bueno is a contributor to MLSnet.com. This story was not subject to the approval of Major League Soccer or its clubs.
