List of Chivas USA managers explained

Chivas USA was a soccer team based in Carson, California, that competed in Major League Soccer (MLS) from 2005 until 2014, after which the team folded.[1] [2] The club shared ownership with Mexican club C.D. Guadalajara.[2] Chivas USA employed nine different managers, in addition to two interim managers. The longest-serving manager was Preki, who took charge of 96 league and playoff matches, with a 41.67% win rate. The club reached the playoffs in all three seasons that he took charge. The next-most successful manager was Bob Bradley, who took charge of 34 matches with a 32.35% win rate before being hired by the U.S. men's national team. The shortest-serving manager was Thomas Rongen, who took charge of ten matches in the club's inaugural season.

Managerial history

Inaugural season (2005)

Chivas USA introduced their first head coach Thomas Rongen at a press conference on September 23, 2004. Rongen had previously coached the Tampa Bay Mutiny, New England Revolution, D.C. United, and the US men's under-20 team. His hiring was met with criticism as he did not speak fluent Spanish, even though the club was trying to reach a Spanish-speaking market. Rongen's tenure lasted only 10 games and, with the team at a record, he became the team's sporting director. Assistant coach Javier Ledesma, a former goalkeeper for C.D. Guadalajara and the Mexico national soccer team, replaced him as the interim manager. The club announced Hans Westerhof, the director of football for C.D. Guadalajara and Deportivo Saprissa, as the new head coach on June 3. Westerhof's stint with the club was disappointing, with only three wins, but at the end of the season he announced he would be returning for the next season.[3] Despite this, he was dismissed from the club within a month but was hired as the manager of C.D. Guadalajara a week after his dismissal from the MLS side.[4]

Success under Bradley and Preki (2006–2009)

On November 22, 2005, the club announced the hiring of American coach Bob Bradley. Bradley held the record for most wins of any MLS coach in league history, with stints at the Chicago Fire and NY/NJ Metrostars. The club's season under Bradley was more successful than its first, with an record including the club's first playoff appearance. At the end of the year, Bradley was awarded MLS Coach of the Year.[5] Bradley was hired as the interim manager of the U.S. Men's national team and stepped down from his post.

The club's next hiring was Preki, a former player for the U.S. Men's national team who had served as an assistant coach under Bradley the previous season. Like Bradley, Preki was awarded MLS Coach of the Year in his first season.[6] During his tenure, the club reached the playoffs for three consecutive seasons, losing in the first round each time. At the end of the 2009 season, he departed the club having amassed a record.

Decline and club dissolution (2009–2014)

The club hired Martín Vásquez on December 2, 2009. Vasquez had been an assistant coach at C.D. Guadalajara, and was the only player to that point to play for both the U.S. and Mexican national soccer teams. Vasquez lasted one season and was fired after leading the team to an record. Before the club hired its next coach, both Shawn Hunter (the chief executive) and Stephen Hamilton (the vice president of soccer operations) departed the club. On January 4, 2011, Real Salt Lake assistant Robin Fraser was announced as the sixth head coach of the club. Fraser was fired at the end of the 2012 season, with the team in last place in the Western Conference.

On December 12, 2012, the club announced the hiring of Jose Luis Sanchez Sola, known as Chelís, a former Primera Division manager. Chelís was fired halfway through the season with a record, a day after former coaches Ted Chronopoulos and Dan Calichman filed a lawsuit against the club alleging that they were fired for not being Latino. The team put out a statement after the firing, saying that "While serving as Chivas USA head coach, Sanchez Sola not always followed the patterns of respect and conduct implemented by Major League Soccer, as well as by Chivas USA."[7] José Luis Real was announced as the next head coach, with Sacha van der Most taking over as interim for a single match before Real arrived. Real led the team to a record and on November 25, 2013, the club announced that he would take over as manager of C.D. Guadalajara.

On January 9, 2014, Wílmer Cabrera was announced as the head coach for the club. In February of that year, the league purchased the club for $70 million from owner Jorge Vergara. By the end of the season, the club's average attendance hit an all-time MLS low of 7,063. On October 26, 2014, the club played its last match, ceasing operations the next day.[8] Cabrera ended his time at the club with a record.

List of managers

Key
+List of Chivas USA managers
scope=colNamescope=colNationalityscope=colFromscope=colToscope=colMatches[9] scope=colWonscope=colLostscope=colDrawnscope=colWin %
scope=row[10] [11]
scope=row
scope=row[12]
scope=row[13] [14]
scope=row[15] [16]
scope=row[17] [18]
scope=row[19] [20]
scope=row[21]
scope=row
[22] [23]
scope=row[24] [25] [26]
scope=row[27] [28] [29]

See also

Notes and References

  1. News: Witz . Billy . A Soccer Team Struggles to Remake Its Identity . May 28, 2024 . The New York Times . September 4, 2014 . May 28, 2024 . https://web.archive.org/web/20240528020321/https://www.nytimes.com/2014/09/05/sports/soccer/chivas-usa-trying-to-escape-mls-doldrums.html . live .
  2. Web site: Chivas USA to suspend operations after MLS season, sources say . Carlisle . Jeff . September 29, 2014 . ESPN . September 29, 2014 . July 2, 2018 . https://web.archive.org/web/20180702040113/http://www.espnfc.com/major-league-soccer/story/2061689/chivas-usa-to-suspend-operations-after-mls----seasonsources-say . live .
  3. News: Westerhof stays with Chivas . November 11, 2024 . Orange County Register . October 26, 2005 . November 11, 2024 . https://web.archive.org/web/20241111033159/https://www.ocregister.com/2005/10/26/westerhof-stays-with-chivas/ . live .
  4. Web site: Bueno . Luis . Westerhof returns to Chivas family . MLSsoccer.com . November 11, 2024 . November 11, 2024 . https://web.archive.org/web/20241111033149/https://www.mlssoccer.com/news/westerhof-returns-chivas-family . live .
  5. Web site: McHugh . Liam . Bob Bradley . ESPN . November 14, 2024 . March 12, 2007.
  6. News: Cardenas . Jaime . Chivas' Preki coach of year . November 14, 2024 . Los Angeles Times . November 8, 2007.
  7. News: Prindiville . Mike . Chelis' firing raises more questions of Chivas USA . November 14, 2024 . NBC Sports . May 30, 2013.
  8. News: Pablo Maurer . Sam Stejskal . The short life and long death of Chivas USA . The Athletic . subscription . October 27, 2020 . July 11, 2024 . May 28, 2024 . https://web.archive.org/web/20240528015605/https://www.nytimes.com/athletic/2162943/2020/10/27/chivas-usa-history-mls/ . live .
  9. Web site: February 2024 . 2024 Fact and Record Book . 31 . Major League Soccer . . March 15, 2024 . March 15, 2024 . https://web.archive.org/web/20240315131011/https://www.mlssoccer.com/news/mls-fact-and-record-book-323335 . live .
  10. News: Gutierrez . Paul . Rongen Ready to Lead Chivas . June 21, 2024 . Los Angeles Times . September 24, 2004 . June 21, 2024 . https://web.archive.org/web/20240621032709/https://www.latimes.com/archives/la-xpm-2004-sep-24-sp-chivas24-story.html . live .
  11. News: Associated Press . Chivas USA coach Rongen reassigned as team's sports director . June 21, 2024 . ESPN . May 30, 2005 . June 21, 2024 . https://web.archive.org/web/20240621032710/https://www.espn.com/general/story?id=2072062&src=desktop . live .
  12. News: Guitierrez . Paul . Chivas USA Today . July 13, 2024 . Los Angeles Times . June 4, 2005.
  13. News: Jones . Grahame L. . Bradley to Coach Chivas USA . June 23, 2024 . Los Angeles Times . November 22, 2005 . January 15, 2021 . https://web.archive.org/web/20210115193015/https://www.latimes.com/archives/la-xpm-2005-nov-22-sp-chivas22-story.html . live .
  14. News: Barrero . Jim . Bradley gets 'interim' tag as U.S. soccer coach . July 13, 2024 . Los Angeles Times . December 9, 2006.
  15. News: Jones . Grahame L. . Preki to get Chivas coach job . June 23, 2024 . Los Angeles Times . January 17, 2007.
  16. News: Galarcep . Ives . Preki leaves Chivas USA . June 23, 2024 . SBI . November 12, 2009.
  17. News: Chivas USA selects Vasquez as new coach . July 13, 2024 . . December 2, 2009 . July 13, 2024 . https://web.archive.org/web/20240713172542/https://www.sbsun.com/2009/12/02/chivas-usa-selects-vasquez-as-new-coach/ . live .
  18. News: Chivas USA releases coach Vasquez . July 13, 2024 . Fox Sports . October 27, 2010 . July 13, 2024 . https://web.archive.org/web/20240713172542/https://www.foxsports.com/stories/other/chivas-usa-releases-coach-vasquez . live .
  19. News: Jones . Grahame L. . Chivas USA hires Robin Fraser as coach . June 23, 2024 . Los Angeles Times . January 4, 2011.
  20. News: Chivas USA fires coach Robin Fraser . June 23, 2024 . Fox Sports . November 9, 2012 . June 23, 2024 . https://web.archive.org/web/20240623143909/https://www.foxsports.com/stories/soccer/chivas-usa-fires-coach-robin-fraser . live .
  21. Chivas USA hires Sola for coaching post . June 23, 2024 . Sports Illustrated . December 12, 2012 . June 23, 2024 . https://web.archive.org/web/20240623143524/https://www.si.com/soccer/2012/12/13/chivas-usa-sanchez-sola . live .
  22. News: Dominguez . Alex . Youth sports group Home Field Advantage plans ambitious 2023 . November 14, 2024 . The Downey Patriot . January 5, 2023.
  23. News: Chivas USA Appoints Interim Coach For 1 Match . June 21, 2024 . . May 30, 2013 . June 21, 2024 . https://web.archive.org/web/20240621031834/https://www.cbsnews.com/losangeles/news/chivas-usa-appoints-interim-coach-for-1-match/ . live .
  24. Web site: Kinkead . Kevin . Has a fresh face in Jose Luis Real slowly made changes to Chivas plan of attack? . philadelphiaunion.com . Major League Soccer . November 14, 2024.
  25. Mired in 3-7-2 record, Chivas USA fires coach Jose Luis Sanchez Sola . June 21, 2024 . Sports Illustrated . May 30, 2013 . June 21, 2024 . https://web.archive.org/web/20240621031821/https://www.si.com/soccer/2013/05/30/chivas-usa-jose-luis-sanchez-sola-fired . live .
  26. News: Baxter . Kevin . Chivas USA without a coach after Jose Luis Real returns to Mexico . June 23, 2024 . Los Angeles Times . November 25, 2013 . June 23, 2024 . https://web.archive.org/web/20240623144637/https://www.latimes.com/sports/la-xpm-2013-nov-25-la-sp-sn-chivas-usa-jose-luis-real-20131125-story.html . live .
  27. News: Bloomquist . Brett . 'It's been beautiful': El Paso Locomotive FC manager reflects on lifetime in game . November 14, 2024 . El Paso Times . July 12, 2024.
  28. Creditor . Avi . Chivas USA hires Wilmer Cabrera as head coach . June 23, 2024 . Sports Illustrated . January 9, 2014 . June 23, 2024 . https://web.archive.org/web/20240623143908/https://www.si.com/soccer/2014/01/09/chivas-usa-wilmer-cabrera-colorado-rapids . live .
  29. News: Chivas USA disbands after 10 troubled years . June 23, 2024 . USA Today . October 27, 2014 . June 23, 2024 . https://web.archive.org/web/20240623143907/https://www.usatoday.com/story/sports/mls/2014/10/27/chivas-usa-disbands-after-10-troubled-years/18018829/ . live .

This article is licensed under the GNU Free Documentation License. It uses material from the Wikipedia article "List of Chivas USA managers".

Except where otherwise indicated, Everything.Explained.Today is © Copyright 2009-2025, A B Cryer, All Rights Reserved. Cookie policy.