Ronald Cerritos, San Jose's all-time leading scorer and one of the greatest goal scorers in MLS history, spoke to SJEarthquakes.com after returning to the Earthquakes in a trade with D.C. United.
Did you ever think that you would be returning to San Jose? What happened to bring you back to San Jose?
RC:
Well, I left D.C. and I came back here to play in El Salvador, but the door was always open to return to MLS. I talked with my agent after the season here and I wanted to return to MLS and the first option that we had was with San Jose. I am very happy to return there and hopefully help the team as much as I can.
What are your feelings on returning to San Jose?
RC:
I have a lot of aspirations for this coming year. There are a lot of changes with the team, but there are still a lot of players there that know how to win. And the players that are coming in are also proven players who know how to win. I am looking forward to getting back to San Jose and starting preseason. I know the coaching staff very well and I have a lot of respect for them. I just hope to play well and help the team win.
What do you think of all the changes with the team?
RC:
The players that remain on the team are good players and many of them have won a championship so they have the experience. The players that are coming in also have a good background and are hard workers, so I think we are going to have a strong team.
What are some of your best memories in San Jose?
RC:
Of course, the best memory is winning the MLS Cup in 2001. That is the goal that I always wanted to achieve and it was great to accomplish that. Another great memory is my first goal against Los Angeles in Spartan Stadium in 1997 and we won that game 4-1.
What made that team in 2001 a championship team?
RC:
That was a restructured team just like this year's team will be. We had a lot of changes before the 2001 season, but we had a strong mentality to win and we wanted to get San Jose out of the bottom of the standings. We all worked for the same cause and we were able to achieve our goal. Hopefully, the team this year will have the same mentality and the same attitude and we can win the championship again.
What have you learned as a player the past three seasons away from San Jose?
RC:
Every year you learn more about the game. Overall, my style is still the same though. I am going to work hard and fight for everything that I can in every game and find ways to help the team win. I need to continue to be dangerous in front of goal and put the ball in the net.
Any final comments?
RC:
I have a lot of friends and fans in San Jose and I want to play as well as I can for them. I am going to give my all every game so I don't disappoint my coaches, my teammates and the fans. I am already looking forward to the start of the season.
