After two months without a manager, Club Deportivo Chivas USA have hired their man in Wilmer Cabrera. The former Colorado Rapids assistant was also a longtime U.S. Soccer youth coach, spending five years as the US Under-17 national team coach and leading them to the Round of 16 at the 2009 and 2011 FIFA U-17 World Cups.
“I’m really excited and motivated to be joining Chivas USA, as well as very grateful to the organization for the support they have given me,” Cabrera told MLSSoccer.com’s Nick Firchau. “It’s a big opportunity join an MLS professional club and an institution that wants to be one of the top teams in the league; a team that is not only eager to participate but that also wants to be competitive in MLS.
“I’m proud to be part of Chivas USA and MLS and I hope that this year the team can show that mindset and motivation in each and every of the 34 games we are going to play during the regular season.”
“We want to thank Wilmer for his service to the Rapids over the last two years,” Rapids technical director Paul Bravo said of the hire. “Our club is a place where coaches and players alike can develop, and we wish him luck in his new position.”
As a player, Cabrera was a member of the Colombian national team during his playing days and suited up in both the 1990 and 1998 FIFA World Cups. Cabrera spent 18 years as a professional footballer, spending eight seasons with America de Cali.
Meanwhile, in other news, Chivas USA Youth Development Academy defender Hugo Arellano has been invited to join the U.S. Under-17 Men’s National Team for the 2014 Spring Semester Residency Program in Bradenton, Fla. The program is designed to be a major tune-up ahead of the 2015 CONCACAF U-17 Championship, the main qualifying tournament in the region for the 2015 FIFA U-17 World Cup in Chile.
U.S. U-17 Men’s National Team Roster by Position:
GOALKEEPERS (3): Eric Lopez (LA Galaxy Academy; Westminster, Calif.), Will Pulisic (Richmond Strikers; Mechanicsville, Va.), Kevin Silva (PDA; Bethlehem, Pa.)
DEFENDERS (8): Hugo Arellano (Chivas USA Academy; Norwalk, Calif.), George Braima (Crew Soccer Academy; Columbus, Ohio), Nikkye De Point (Revolution Empire; Rochester, N.Y.), Tanner Dieterich (TN Soccer Club; Nashville, Tenn.), John Nelson (Internationals; Medina, Ohio), Matthew Olosunde (New York Red Bulls Academy; Trenton, N.J.), AJ Palazzolo (St. Louis Scott Gallagher Missouri; O’Fallon, Mo.), Alexis Velela (San Diego Surf; San Diego, Calif.)
MIDFIELDERS (10): Eric Calvillo (Real So Cal; Palmdale, Calif.), Jose Carranza (D.C. United Academy; Manassas, Va.), Kyle Gurrieri (NJSA 04; Totowa, N.J.), Thomas McCabe (PDA; South Orange, N.J.), Weston McKennie (FC Dallas Academy; Little Elm, Texas), Logan Panchot (St. Louis Scott Gallagher Missouri; St. Louis, Mo.), Jaret Townsend (Real Colorado; Highlands Park, Colo.), Devin Vega (San Antonio Scorpions; San Antonio, Texas), Brian Zelaya (De Anza Force; San Mateo, Calif.), Alejandro Zendejas (FC Dallas Academy; El Paso, Texas)
FORWARDS (7): Pierre Da Silva (New York Soccer Club; Port Chester, N.Y.), McKenzie Gaines (Lonestar SC; Austin, Texas), Christian Pulisic (PA Classics; Hershey, Pa.), Eric Matzelevich (Bethesda-Olney; Washington; D.C.), Elijah Rice (Chicago Magic PSG; Highland Park, Ill.), Raheem Taylor-Parkes (Philadelphia Union Academy; Wesley Chapel, Fla.), Haji Wright (LA Galaxy Academy; Los Angeles, Calif.)