The San Jose Earthquakes have a proud history, one that dates back to the old NASL days and being an inaugural member of Major League Soccer in 1996.
Their recent history doesn't include much to boast about, though, aside from forward Chris Wondolowski retiring as MLS' all-time leading scorer (171 total). After winning the Supporters' Shield in 2012 with a team that's gone down in MLS lore, they have made the playoffs just twice in the last nine seasons, failing to advance past Round One either time.
Now, San Jose enter the 2022 MLS season looking to kickstart an evolution more commensurate with that rich history. General manager Chris Leitch, who spent the final few years of his playing career with the Quakes before transitioning to coaching and front office careers with the club, is tasked with leading the charge.
It is not a challenge he takes lightly.
"I’ve been with the club for quite a while, so I feel a deep responsibility to do whatever I can in the position I’m at to make a positive impact," Leitch told MLSsoccer.com last week. "To not just come in and look for marginal gains, but to come in and make marked improvements.”
It's been a busy offseason for Leitch and San Jose as they aim in that direction. It certainly hasn't lacked headlines.
Matias Almeyda's future is always a hot topic, with the 48-year-old fanning the fire with quotes that went viral. San Jose have made a few key signings, while a potential paperwork mix-up over the future of midfielder Eduardo "Chofis" Lopez (it turned out to be much to do about nothing) has kept the club around the limelight through the winter.
Chofis is back and Almeyda is back (for now, in the last year of his contract). Offseason additions Jan Gregus and Francisco Calvo have arrived, as has some homegrown talent, with the view of more to follow in both categories.
Matias Almeyda comments and future
Around when preseason started, Almeyda did an interview with Martin Arevalo of TyC Sports in Argentina in which he bemoaned a lack of reinforcements and intimated that this is likely to be his last season in San Jose.
Almeyda's future is seemingly a bi-annual topic of conversation since he arrived in San Jose ahead of the 2019 season, with constant links of interest from Liga MX clubs and others. Being in the final year of his contract, that conversation is likely to be an undercurrent of San Jose's 2022 season.
“Look, he’s in the last year of his deal," Leitch said. "We share the common goal of wanting to win and the rest will take care of itself.”
Leitch insists the relationship between Almeyda and the club remains strong and the Argentine manager remains fully committed to the Quakes.
“My relationship with Matias is great. I have so much respect for him as a coach and as a man," Leitch said. "To have spent every day with him, watching him work and trying to collaborate with him as we’ve added pieces along the way, it’s a great relationship. In preseason, he’s been super upbeat and positive. The way he motivates these players is unlike most coaches I’ve seen."
In three seasons under Almeyda, San Jose have made the playoffs once (in 2020, finishing eighth in an expanded playoff system for the truncated season) and have a -27 goal difference over three years.
More additions to come? And will Chofis stay?
San Jose's key senior additions thus far are from within MLS: midfielder Jan Gregus and defender Francisco Calvo.
Calvo arrives via free agency from Chicago Fire FC, where he spent the last two seasons. The 29-year-old Costa Rican international offers another option in central defense, where a pairing of Nathan and Tanner Beason became the preference last season.
Gregus was formerly with Minnesota United FC, a midfield fulcrum for the better part of three seasons before losing his regular starting role in 2021. His debut season remains his best, when he had a goal and 11 assists across 30 appearances, with his set-piece delivery viewed among the best in the league.
Gregus, selected in the Re-Entry Draft, adds to an already strong central midfield group of Jackson Yueill, Judson and Eric Remedi. He's a 31-year-old Slovakian international.
“It is a strength, for sure," Leitch said. "All of these guys are starters. There are a lot of games, a lot of competitions. We feel really good about that group in the center of the park. You want certainty in the center of the field, and those guys certainly give us that.”
Gregus will not be a Designated Player in San Jose like he was in Minnesota, meaning they have one DP spot open behind Chofis and Cristian Espinoza. They also have two U22 Initiative slots open after left back Marcos Lopez, a Peru international.
“We very much value these roster spots, it’s an area we’re focused on," Leitch said when asked about DP and U22 Initiative slots.
Time is still not an issue. Not only are there four weeks until MLS is Back and their Feb. 26 opener against the New York Red Bulls, but the MLS Primary Transfer Window typically closes around the first few days of May in a normal season. No official dates have been announced, but the window won't be closing in the near-term future.
Chofis, meanwhile, is only on loan from Chivas through June. The 27-year-old had 12 goals and four assists in 32 appearances last year after arriving as a DP.
The Quakes have a purchase option at the end of the loan.
“I think Chofis wants to be here," Leitch said. "Especially in the second half of last year, he really proved his quality. We expect him to start this year like he finished last year. We have a really good relationship with Chivas, there’s constant and open dialogue. Chofis is motivated to be here, Matias gets the most out of Chofis and hopefully he starts this year as we expect. Then as the summer comes a little closer, I hope that dialogue will continue.”
Academy produces & Cowell seeks another level
From the first day Leitch officially got the job, he has spoken about the importance of San Jose's academy and putting an even greater emphasis on that pathway. He has helped grow the academy since being named technical director, a role he held from 2015 until last summer when he became interim GM.
The Quakes already have several players in the first team from their academy, led by midfielder/defender Tommy Thompson, goalkeeper JT Marcinkowski and forward Cade Cowell. This winter, they added midfielders Niko Tsakiris and Will Richmond to homegrown deals, while SuperDraft selection and Generation adidas signing Ousseni Bouda was well on their radar while competing nearby at Stanford University.
“I’ve worked diligently together with a group of staff on continuing to improve the academy; I’m very excited about our academy," Leitch said. "It will definitely be a pillar of how we look to build at the club.”
This offseason, the academy has already been a highlight.
The Quakes sent four players to the United States U-17 national team and another three to the U-15 national team. Highly-rated dual-national goalkeeper Emi Ochoa has been with Mexican youth national teams as well. The pipeline will continue to play a big part in San Jose's plans as their players continue to garner interest abroad.
Cowell, in particular, is viewed as the crown jewel of the current group. The 18-year-old has already made 50 appearances in his MLS career, buoyed by a breakout 2021 campaign where he notched five goals and six assists across 33 appearances (14 starts). Another year of development and performance could place Cowell at the center of conversations for MLS exports by the summer or next winter.
Leitch confirmed Cowell remains firmly on the radar of many European clubs.
“Cade is one of these young players who has been electric," Leitch said. "Anytime there’s a player at his age who was an MLS All-Star, who has scored the goals he had, who is on the national team radar, is going to garner interest. He’s very much looking forward to increasing consistency week in, week out. I’m sure there’s going to be more interest coming, but there’s plenty of good interest right now.”
