When Tim Regan was cut by the then-MetroStars on March 1, he found himself speculating over his future. Would a Major League Soccer club show interest, he wondered, or would he have to play outside of the league altogether?
The answer came rather quickly.
"I got a call from Bob (Bradley) pretty much right away just to touch bases. Nothing was said too much," Regan said. "About 10 days later he brought me out (to Southern California). I was here for about a week or so and then he asked if I wanted to join (Chivas USA)."
In a span of 30 days, Regan went from falling out of favor in New York to starting alongside one of the most capped players in the world. For a player with his characteristics, however, such a move does not seem improbable.
Chivas USA coach Bradley said Regan was a valuable and welcomed addition to the club.
"When he was let go, I knew in our building process that having a player like Timmy can only help us in all ways," said Bradley, who drafted Regan in the second round of the 2003 SuperDraft. "Timmy is a great professional and he's a plus to every team he's on. He works hard every day. He has a terrific attitude and mentality. He can play a number of positions. He's one of the fittest guys on the team."
To bolster the defense, veterans Claudio Suarez and Carlos Llamosa were brought in. Both had strong performances during training camp. But Llamosa strained his hamstring late in training camp and an opportunity presented itself to Regan.
"That led to the potential for me to get in there and establish myself and luckily I performed well and I've been able to do that," Regan said.
In First Kick 2006, the Regan-Suarez central defense pairing shut out Real Salt Lake. Over the next two games, the pairing stood firm despite a pair of losses. Regan credited Suarez and Bradley with his progress during his short time at Chivas USA.
"Working with Bob in the past makes it easier for me to transition into his team," Regan said. "Playing with Claudio Suarez makes the whole process even easier because they don't come any smarter than him."
Following the April 15 match against the Galaxy, however, Suarez left for the Mexican national team's training camp. Suarez, who has 174 international appearances for Mexico, might not return until July. Llamosa is likely to make his Chivas USA debut Saturday against the New York Red Bulls.
With Llamosa and Regan in the middle of the Chivas backline, the defense should continue to be a formidable presence. It would also continue to provide Regan the chance to settle in one position. With the MetroStars, Regan played all along the defensive line as well as some in central midfield.
But it's at central defender where Bradley thinks Regan can perform best.
"I always felt that was going to be his best position but with some injuries and whatnot, he played in many other roles," Bradley said. "Timmy has continued to improve since he's been in the league. I think it would be important for him if he can now settle into a position now where week in and week out you know where he plays."
As part of Chivas USA, Regan said he's already experienced an environment not present when he was with the MetroStars or any other teams in the league.
"To come to this team was like no experience on the other 11 teams in the league," he said. "You can't even compare the atmosphere, the pride in the team, the fans, the stadium; the whole setup top to bottom is just unmatched around the league."
Luis Bueno is a contributor to MLSnet.com. This story was not subject to the approval of Major League Soccer or its clubs.
