Ramon Nunez had been an integral part of the FC Dallas attack over the last two seasons and continued to be one of that club's key players until the middle of the 2007 campaign.
A falling out between player and club ensued, though, and both sought a parting of the ways.
Chivas USA jumped at the opportunity to bring the talented Honduras native into the mix. The Red-and-White acquired Nunez earlier this week in exchange for a conditional 2009 SuperDraft selection.
Nunez, who last played a game on July 4, was eager to prove his worth in his new environment.
"I was very excited," Nunez said of his reaction to the trade. "If there was one club I wanted to come to it was Chivas just because of their style of play, the organization and what it means to this league. I was very excited when I heard the news that I was traded. I'm very happy to be here and I'm ready to go."
Nunez, 21, fills several needs on his new side. A creative midfielder, Nunez is adept at playing on either flank or in the middle of the field, which provides the club some much-needed flexibility. Chivas USA coach Preki could choose to line Nunez up on the right side and slide Sacha Kljestan to his natural position in the middle. Or Nunez could play centrally, behind forwards Ante Razov and Maykel Galindo.
Whatever his role is will be sorted out both in the coming days and long-term for Chivas USA, Nunez said.
"I'm not sure yet. We haven't gotten too in depth (in conversations with Preki). I'm hoping to hear a little bit more from him and see where he sees me playing," Nunez said. "I'm pretty familiar (with the team), you know. Obviously they have a great team and a great midfield so I'm going to have to battle and work my way into the lineup. I can play left, right or middle so I have to do my best and do what the coach asks."
With FC Dallas, Nunez gave the club a reliable scoring option. He had five goals and three assists in 21 appearances (12 starts) during the 2005 season, and followed that up with six goals and four assists in 25 appearances (20 starts) a year ago.
With the Hoops this year, Nunez had three goals and two assists in 13 outings (10 as a starter), including a game-winning goal against Chivas USA on July 4 in what would be his final game for FC Dallas.
Having gone for so long without playing a game is not necessarily a setback, he said.
"I've been working hard on my fitness. For this whole month that I haven't been playing, I've been training two times a day. Fitness-wise, I think I'm good," Nunez said. "Obviously the match fitness is going to come with games and the sharpness is going to come with games as well. It shouldn't take me too long. They brought me in and hopefully I can settle in pretty quickly."
Upset with a lack of playing time, Nunez asked for a trade at the end of July. Nunez insisted that he got along fine with his former teammates and coaching staff, though.
"It was nothing major, no fights with the coach, no fights with the players. As a matter of fact, I got along with everyone very well," Nunez said. "I just felt that it was a good time to move in my career and what a better team to come to than Chivas. ... I've learned a lot and matured a lot as a player and as a person in Dallas. I'm hoping to build on that and keep growing."
The sixth overall selection in the 2004 SuperDraft, Nunez had spent most of his life in Dallas. He moved with his family to Dallas from Honduras when he was five and graduated from WT White High School in Dallas and starred for Dallas-based youth soccer clubs as a teenager. He attended Southern Methodist University in Dallas but left the school after one year.
However, leaving the area is not necessarily a disappointment.
"I'm very excited. I don't look at it as a disappointment. Obviously I am thankful for the years I was there but this is a new beginning for me," he said. "I'm going to try and make the best out of it and I'm just thankful to be out here."
Luis Bueno is a contributor to MLSnet.com. This story was not subject to the approval of Major League Soccer or its clubs.
