SAN JOSE — With a season to forget winding down for the San Jose Earthquakes, the most glaring question facing general manager Jesse Fioranelli and the rest of the club’s brass was what steps to take to right the ship and re-energize the club and their fan base.
The most pressure-packed piece for Fioranelli was to get the right head coach in an effort to avoid a repeat of the Mikael Stahre era, which lasted just 28 games.
On Monday, the Earthquakes sent shockwaves across MLS and global soccer when they hired Argentinian World Cup veteran and former River Plate and Chivas de Guadalajara manager Matias Almeyda to guide the club, beginning in 2019.
“If you remember him as a player or as a coach, you will remember him as the heartbeat of the organizations that he worked for,” Fioranelli said. “Whether as a player or as a coach, you will hear the same things time again. [Almeyda] is a fighter, and now he will fight for us.”
Despite offers from across the world, including being a popular choice to take over the Mexican national team, the 44-year old Almeyda was drawn to the challenge of turning the Earthquakes’ fortunes in large part because of his admiration for the exploding soccer market in the United States.
“When I left River Plate, I came to watch preseasons in America. I had an obsession with the United States and the teams here,” Almeyda said. “The sport has grown and the league has grown here and I believe this could be the best league in the world. There is a seriousness here, there are stadiums and good signings are coming here.”
Almeyda’s signing surprise some, but for Fioranelli, it felt like a natural fit to turn to the defending Concacaf Champions League winner.
“I had met [Almeyda] a year ago, just out of coincidence. We got back into contact and I knew how much he liked MLS and how much he liked San Jose,” Fioranelli said. “I found something special from the very beginning, there was a trust between us.”
With Almeyda’s track record of turning around the fortunes of each of the clubs he’s managed, there is a buzz around Avaya Stadium with this hire, but Almeyda and the rest of the Earthquakes know that this is one step, albeit a big one, in restoring the club to previous glory.
“I want to get to work to get this team back to a competitive level and fight in MLS,” Almeyda said. “With any coach there is no magic touch that can come in and change the situation. I believe in long term projects and I believe in teamwork above everything.”
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