Bradley: 'Both Chivas teams need to work together'

Published on December 15, 2005 under Major League Soccer (MLS)
Club Deportivo Chivas USA News Release


Chivas USA's new manager, Bob Bradley, is currently in Mexico, where he is meeting with officials from sister team, Club Deportivo Guadalajara, and learning about the history, philosophy and structure of Mexico's most popular soccer club, while discussing plans for Chivas USA's second season in Major League Soccer. We spoke with Bradley by phone on Thursday to get his impressions on his first trip to Guadalajara as Head Coach of Chivas USA.

How has your stay in Guadalajara been so far?

Everything in Guadalajara has been very good. Dennis te Kloese [Chivas USA's Director of Football] and his wife were coming home [to Guadalajara] for the holidays, but he came a bit earlier so he could assist me, and he has great contacts at Chivas. We've had an opportunity to meet with club officials, talk to them a little bit about Chivas USA and share some ideas, so that's been very good.

What is the purpose of this trip?

To establish a good relationship. It's important that the two clubs work together, and for me to have a chance to speak to people here and get to know them. I'm familiar with Chivas since I've been here before, but now it's an opportunity to look at how they do things here, to think a little bit about what aspects of things here can help us with Chivas USA.

Visiting Club Guadalajara now as a ‘member of the family,' what are your impressions of the organization?

You always come away with admiration for the organization. Everything is very professional. The set-up at Verde Valle [Chivas' training facility in suburban Zapopan] is terrific in that it's not only the training grounds for the first team, but there's a school, and young players that train here, so that everyone has a chance to see how the first team does things. So I think that they're very fortunate to have such a great complex, and that's certainly something for us to think about in the future.

Tell us about your previous trips to Guadalajara.

I've been here three times, bringing teams here for preseason training. With the Chicago Fire [which Bradley coached from 1998-2002], we always stayed at Primavera [outside Guadalajara], but we came to Verde Valle to play some matches. I've been to the Estadio Jalisco and seen Chivas matches there. Like I said, I'm pretty familiar with things, but it's important this time to establish the good relationship with people here and to share ideas in terms of players and philosophy.

How are the Spanish classes coming along?

I have a tutor. We've been meeting in the mornings. For me it's important in terms of getting started. That part, I think, has been very good. When conversations here are about soccer, I understand most everything. But if I were to walk out on the street and ask for directions [laughs], I might not get where I need to go. So the context is important, but as I'm around it more and more, it will come easier.

This is your first trip to Guadalajara as head coach of Chivas USA. Do you find that folks in the media, for example, recognize you and seek you out at training?

Yes. The media here are very aware of Chivas USA and they're anxious to talk about our ideas for the second season. They'd like to know how [Francisco] Palencia and [Ramón] Ramírez and [Juan Pablo] García are doing; people who are familiar with the youth program here certainly ask about [Francisco] ‘Pancho' Mendoza, and I think they are looking at the bigger picture and want to hear what our thoughts are to improve as we move into the second season.

Have you gotten a feel for the intense passion for soccer in the city of Guadalajara?

Of course. There's all sorts of media at [Club Guadalajara's] training every day. Hans Westerhof has taken over as head coach and they're anxious to speak to him, and talk to him about ideas for Chivas Guadalajara, are there players that they'll try to sign during the break, that kind of thing. It's always front and center.

How have your conversations with Hans been so far?

Very good. Obviously he's got a lot to do in terms of the team here, but his time in Los Angeles with Chivas USA meant a lot to him, and he continues to show that he considers it very important for Chivas USA to be successful as a team.

What would you describe as your immediate tasks ahead in the coming weeks and months?

The main goals are, first, finalizing a staff. We're in talks with some people and trying to see where that takes us. The work so far with [Director of Sport] Thomas Rongen, [Assistant Coach] Martín Vásquez, [Team Administrator] Kevin Esparza has been good and I look forward to working with all of them, but we are also looking to add to that group. So that's important as we move forward. And then, obviously, continuing to think about ways to improve our team, in terms of trades, in terms of signings, in terms of the draft.

Finally, in terms of signings, presumably your vision will sweep across the United States, Mexico and beyond?

Of course. We need to really look everywhere in terms of finding players that can help us make the improvements that we need for this season.

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