PHOTO: Quakes Epicenter
SAN JOSE, Calif. — Perhaps it was always meant to play out this way.
As puzzling as it is to comprehend or imagine, Matias Almeyda roamed the corridors of Avaya Stadium, before presenting himself to a sizable amount of media members at the recently-biult Sky Lounge. It wasn’t a joint press conference announcing a MLS/Liga MX friendly in San Jose, though. Accompanied by his personal staff and San Jose Earthquakes general manager Jesse Fioranelli, ‘el Pelado’ was in San Jose to be placed upon the throne.
In retrospect, maybe if we had looked hard enough, out of all the unemployed soccer coaches in the world, it would take a blink of an eye to conclude that Almeyda, his achievements and all, made him the quintessential individual to rescue the San Jose Earthquakes’ from disaster.
But of course, the word “Almeyda” was nowhere to be found.
And even if it would have emerged in the earlier stages of the hiring process, given the franchise’s financial track record, the possibility of ‘el Pelado’s’ arrival was nothing more than a will-o’-the-wisp, if that. Almeyda, his brand, his stature and his demand within the sport, was not only out of San Jose’s class but the majority of teams within the league as well.
However, in soccer, unexpected turns tend to happen more often than not. And after having to experience pitfall after pitfall, the Quakes, in the midst of complete irrelevancy, wagered a bet, fueled by Fioranelli’s global networking empire, that brings to it intercontinental relevancy, valuable inclusivity to the Latinos in its backyard and as the two-year general manager said on Monday with a gleaming smile, “a winner” in the Argentine.
“He’s here for a simple reason,” Fioranelli said to a vibrant crowd at Avaya Stadium. “If you remember Matias as a player or as a head coach, you will remember him as the heartbeat of the organizations that he worked for… be at River Plate, be at Banfield, or be at even Chivas.
“However, there is more to it. Whether as a player or as a coach, we will hear the same thing time and time again: Matias is a fighter, and now he will fight for us and with us. Lastly, I think it is important to know, as we’re growing, that we wanted to have a partner with which we can confront ourselves in all of the technical areas.
“In youth development, which is critical to him and to us, he added. For the inclusion of the Latin-American talents, here and abroad. Also, to say that we want to challenge ourselves and our opponents with more courage in 2019.”
Almeyda, who revealed he was pursued by clubs in China, Qatar, Uruguay, Argentina and Mexico — where he was in advanced talks with Club Leon’s officials — is leaving behind a country he dearly loves in Mexico, in efforts to take on a new challenge that looks curiously familiar to those he’s conquered in the past. With his longtime coaching staff accompanying him, Almeyda is set to commence his first year, of what is a four-year contract at Earthquakes Way, in January.
The unforeseen move for most, was the “desired” scenario for the Argentine: a serious project centered on ideal principles such as good treatment, respect and credibility. And even though the foundation is in place, Almeyda, who plans on moving to San Jose soon with his family and is a month into learning English, acknowledges the Quakes’ historically-bad condition — like River Plate’s, Banfield’s and Chivas’ — is going to take the labor of more than one individual.
“I belive a lot in teamwork,” Almeyd told Quakes Epicenter. “I say that there is no coach that comes in with a magic wand, touches everything and changes the scenario. I don’t believe in that.”
“I do believe in long-term projects,” he added. “I do believe in collective work. I do believe in the players. I do believe in the good treatment of others. I am accustomed of treating everyone equally; I mark no differences. I consider that we all touch the same floor.
“Everyone with different responsibilities, but I believe a lot in teamwork: from the utility person to the chief of the communications department, the owners, the board, the physical therapists. If we all put in our grain of sand, we will get to where we are visualizing we will get.”
In the hours following his move, the running narrative in the Mexican media soon became about how inept the Mexican Federation (FMF) were in allowing Almeyda to sign for an MLS side, instead of appointing him to the helm of El Tri. Supposed lucrative wages offered by San Jose being a primary factor to his decision were a topic of discussion, too.
But Almeyda, who confessed that the FMF disliked his style, also insisted that “soccer has no ideal location” and that money has never been a motive throughout his elaborate career. In fact, when he departed River Plate in 2012, Almeyda’s “obsession” for American soccer reached new heights. In attempts to broaden his knowledge of the beautiful game, the Argentine traveled to Orlando instead of Europe to watch preseason MLS soccer.
At that time, the 44-year-old was heavily questioned for his decision. On Monday, similar comments were heard around the two continents. Regardless of the noise, and the release clause in his contract that allows his departure if national teams come knocking, Almeyda is keen on the new project he will be leading, leading for good.
“I believed this was the destination since we started talking to the leadership,” Almeyda said. “Everyday, I got more motivated [to make the move].”
“I liked the seriousness they approached me with. Through dialogue, we coincided on various soccer-related likings, ways of living, ways of being. A lot of the decisions I make in my life, are based on that.
“And why we believe in a project: I don’t want to be here for six months, I came here to be a part of a long-term project, he added. Within this project, we want to produce youngsters, who we want to make feel love for the shirt, love towards competing and winning. For that reason, we want to construct a competitive team.”
Matias Jesus Almeyda, the recently crowned champion of North America as well as the Chivas and River Plate legend, is no longer the unattainable or unimagined.
The reality is he is the new face of the San Jose Earthquakes, and their most laudable move yet.
