I decided to compile a list of players who used to ply their trade in MLS that are now in the Mexican league and have seen action in the Apertura 2007 season.
This list is compiled by yours truly and I probably left some players off. Actually, I'm almost certain I missed a player. In fact, if you can think of the player(s) I omitted, I'll be grateful.
I limited this to players who saw game action in MLS, not just guys who had tryouts or passed through, like Luis Alvarez who was with Chivas USA at the end of the '05 season but wasn't actually on the roster.
And now the list, in no particular order...
Francisco Palencia, Pumas (ex-Chivas USA); 10 games, 7 starts, 637 minutes, 1 goal, 2 assists, 6 yellow cards, 0 red cards
Daniel Hernandez, Puebla (ex-New England); 6 games, 6 starts, 540 minutes, 1 goal, 0 assists, 4 yellow cards, 0 red cards
Alain Nkong, Atlante (ex-Colorado); 14 games, 7 starts, 857 minutes, 4 goals, 0 assists, 2 yellow cards, 1 red card
Johnnie Garcia, Santos (ex-Chivas USA); 12 games, 1 start, 290 minutes, 0 goals, 0 assists, 4 yellow cards, 0 red cards
Juan Pablo Garcia, Tigres (ex-Chivas USA); 3 games, 0 starts, 98 minutes, 0 goals, 0 assists, 0 yellow cards, 0 red cards
*Jorge Barrera, Santos (ex-Chivas USA); 9 games, 2 starts, 245 minutes, 0 goals, 0 assists, 3 yellow cards, 0 red cards
(* Barrera didn't play a minute for Chivas USA but he was on their roster at the start of the season. I included him because I think it's strange that he couldn't play for Chivas USA but he's gotten plenty of action for the best team in Mexico)
7 comments:
Some local radio media types were high on Barrera. What happened?
Do you think as whole, most Mexican players are not adaptable to the MLS? I'm not saying the MLS is better than the FMF.
I heard Villagrana on Raza Deportiva say that Mexican players are better off playing in the MLS and then going back to the FMF. He mentioned the conditioning and physical style of the MLS helps these players.
What do you think?
At first, I thought Jorge Barrera just wasn't good enough. He got some time with Chivas a few years back but struggled to play for Queretaro. I figured his form had fallen off badly and he was here as a last option, well, a better option than Primera A anyway.
So I was extremely surprised that he made it on Santos and has been a contributor to them.
Fitness and conditioning are a big part of MLS and I think players come in here and don't realize that so they probably struggle to adapt and then if they're not a talented player like Paco Palencia then they just fall far behind and can't make up their spot on the depth chart.
I remember someone asked Preki about Barrera in May, right before he was released, and Preki just kind of gave us a look that made me think he wasn't anywhere near seeing playing time. He didn't like something about Barrera's game for sure.
Will this list even change in the next couple years since Chivas USA is now actually a "USA" team???
The list may indeed change with ChivasUSA grooming young Mexican American boys in its youth system. Its safe to assume some will get scouted and picked up by Mexican teams before ever playing for ChivasUSA or after being on its roster. We also shouldn't assume that becasue Preki didn't bring in any Mexican players this season that the team has turned its back on bringing in new Mexican artillary. They will be other Mendozas out there and others looking for a change. Chivas has many connections as we know and they have already quickly adopted to understanding what kind of player can make an impact on an MLS roster.
Will this list even change in the next couple years since Chivas USA is now actually a "USA" team???
Since when was Chivas USA a non-USA team? They play in the MLS. How could they something else?
The point of this thread and my question is that Mexican players have a hard time making it in this league, but critics dog for no being up the FMF standard.
A paradox I think.
Chivas USA was a "non-USA" team when they imported a large[r] proportion of their players from Chivas Guadalajara, and the general expectation was that some of those players would be promoted to Chivas G after a stint here in MLS.
USA implies what? The 2005 team also had Ezra, Guzan, Taylor, and O. Perez.
Wre they part of the Guadalajara plan, too?
Those players you mention failed to meet the demands of this league. With only Mendoza left from the lot of prospective Guad players, I'm not sure how the 2005 team can be classified as anything other than a MLS standard.
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