SAN JOSE, Calif. ā With his team in the ascendancy and expectations exceeded thus far according to GM Jesse Fioranelli, Matias Almeyda added another integral piece to his San Jose Earthquakes āfamily,ā Mexican winger Carlos Fierro.
āI see him very content, very happy,ā Almeyda told reporters Tuesday evening following the Quakesā 1-1 friendly draw against La Liga outfit Real Valladolid. āI know that heās a player that is going to add [to this team]. I repeat, Carlos is not a savior. Heās going to be just another player on this team. Surely, at some point in time, heās going to be a key player.ā
Comfortable on either flank, as a center forward or behind the striker, Fierro bolsters a San Jose side that is flexible by design and has become surprisingly efficient as of late. The 24-year-old ā who became the franchiseās sixth Mexican-born player, and first since Rafael Baca in 2013 ā is once again reunited with El Pelado and his idiosyncratic tactics after reaching the summit together at Chivas Guadalajara.
āWhat I like about him is the bond he creates,ā Fierro said of Almeyda's coaching style. "The first thing he does is create a family. [He wants] the team to be transparent and for there to be a lot of confidence.
āThat one looks after their teammate, that no one should let anyone die,ā he added. āThatās what I admire about him, followed by his way of working. I believe you guys are aware of it: how day in and day out he works with his coaching staff, which can be noticed in [the playerās] physical shape.ā
Bienvenido Fierro | Carlos Fierro Introductory Press Conference
Posted by San Jose Earthquakes on Tuesday, July 16, 2019
Itās back to ground zero for the 2011 FIFA U-17 World Cup champion, however. Cracking into one of the starting XI of one of MLSās hottest teams will take a lot more than acquaintanceship with Almeyda.
Fierro is conscious of that, and is more than willing to work for his merit.
āIām just another player that comes to contribute, that has humility, that has heart and that comes to win a spot,ā Fierro, who Fioranelli admitted was on San Joseās radar for the last two years, said during his introductory press conference. āI know that I just got here, but Iām going to fight for a spot. I donāt like people gifting me anything, so I come to contribute everything within me. Carlos Fierro is here to contribute everything for this team.ā
Fierro with Chivas | USA Today Sports Images
Still young and about to embark on his first venture outside of Mexico, Fierro will garner plenty of curious eyes, including many in the Bay Areaās Mexican community. He says it wonāt add a sense of pressure, but instead will bring joy and pleasure for him given that heāll be the communityās exemplar.
That, plus reuniting with old faces and being a part of a āgrowingā and ācompetitiveā league were enough to entice Fierro to MLS and the Black-and-Blue, where he believes the caliber of competition is approaching that at his previous Liga MX clubs like Chivas and Cruz Azul.
āYes, of course,ā he responded, asked if he expects MLS sides to go far in the new Leagues Cup. āThis league is growing, important players keep coming.
āI come from a very competitive league, where they say that itās of greater level [than MLS] in Liga MX,ā he added. āBut they [MLS] have competed, theyāve reached finals ā¦ Like I said, the league is growing and, as the years go by, there will be more competition.ā