By: Mario Melara
Carson, CA – Chivas USA losing to the LA Galaxy 2-1 this past weekend in the 2010 SuperClasico was nothing out of the ordinary, and any “rojo y blanco” fan would tell you that the way the season has been going for the goats, the loss to the Galaxians was almost expected and inevitable.
The real fireworks and drama began once the final whistle blew. Sitting at the bottom of the Western Conference standings for most of this MLS season, many wondered if this loss is officially the end of the road for Chivas USA head coach Martin Vasquez.[picappgallerysingle id=”9910230″]
“I think it’s a fair question, but I think it’s too soon. Right now I’m still the head coach and tomorrow, if there’s no other thing, then I’m going to continue to be the head coach” said Martin Vasquez.
Chivas USA have lacked a sense of stability all season and with so many players coming in-and-out of the team, it has been impossible to build any sense of cohesion and team identity.
Back in September, Martin Vasquez captured an honest assessment of the team in a 2-0 victory over the New England Revolution.
“It’s a good win for us. We’ve been against the wall for most of the season. (The players) approached this game in the way we need to approach every game from now on. We just need to continue with this urgency,” said Vasquez.
Sorry Martin. They didn’t get your message, in English, Portuguese, or Spanish. As the head coach of the club, it is your responsibility to ensure that your players play with this “sense of urgency”. However, the team continuously came out flat, game after game, and the losses reflect that.
With only four games to go in this MLS campaign, the team now has a feel of an open tryout. Surely, the club will be looking of whether or not to keep Venezuelan International forward Carlos Maldonado, amongst other players.[picappgallerysingle id=”9910226”]
My recommendation to the Chivas USA front office: Take a page from the Seattle Sounders FC, make these last couple of games free to all fans. Surely it would a small token compared to the money generated all season from an under-achieving and disappointing club.
