Alhambra High School and Cal State L.A. product Martin Vasquez is the new coach for Chivas USA. (Photo by Juan Miranda/Chivas USA
Story Published:
Dec 4, 2009 at 3:49 PM PDT
Story Updated:
Dec 7, 2009 at 4:41 PM PDT
Martin Vásquez, a former Alhambra High School and Cal State L.A. star whose playing and coaching career included teams in the United States, Mexico, and Europe, is Chivas USA’s new coach.
Vásquez, 45, had a 15-year playing career that included time in Major League Soccer and the Mexican First Division, and has been an assistant for Chivas USA and Germany’s Bayern Munich, among other clubs.
“I am honored to return to Chivas USA as the club’s new head coach,” Vásquez said. “I was a part of this team at the very beginning, and have seen it make great strides in the last few years. The club is in a strong place and still has a great deal of potential. This is a wonderful opportunity, and I can’t wait to get started.”
Most recently Vásquez was an assistant at Bayem Munich and previously was an assistant for Chivas USA in the club’s first three seasons. He also served as an assistant for the LA Galaxy (2004), the San Diego Spirit (2001-2002) of the Women’s United Soccer Association and at Cal Poly Pomona (1999-2000).
“Martín is a talented coach who has a deep knowledge and understanding of Chivas USA, Major League Soccer and professional soccer both in the United States and abroad,” Stephen Hamilton, Chivas USA’s vice president of soccer operations, said. “He’ll be able to continue the progress that we’ve made in the last few years, and build on our success.”
The native of Yahualica, Jalisco, Mexico, moved his family at the age of 12 to Los Angeles.
At Alhambra, he was a high school All-American. After high school, he returned to Mexico to play for the B side of the now defunct Leones Negros.
At Cal State L.A. where he set school career records for points (169) and goals (67), Vásquez was a 1982 All-American and co-player of the year in the CCAA in 1983. His 29 goals in 1981 is a school single-season record.
After a stint with Universidad Autónoma de Guadalajara and five years in professional indoor and outdoor soccer in the U.S., the defender-midfielder debuted in Mexico’s First Division with Universidad de Guadalajara (1988-1990), before moving on to Puebla (1990-91), Veracruz (1991-92) and Atlas (1992- 1996).
Vásquez signed with the L.A. Lazers of the Major Indoor Soccer League. He then played for the Hollywood Kickers of the Western Soccer Alliance before joining the Memphis Storm in the American Indoor Soccer Association, where he scored 17 goals and added 19 assists in 23 games, ranking second in the league in points.
In 1991 and 1992, he played 10 games with the Mexican national team. In 1996, he returned to the United States, where he gained U.S. citizenship and played for the Tampa Bay Mutiny (1996-1997) and the San Jose Clash (1998). In 1996 and 1997, Vásquez played seven matches, all as a starter, in the midfield of Steve Sampson’s U.S. national team.
Chivas USA opens its preseason in late January, and will play its first match of 2010 March 28 when it hosts the Colorado Rapids.
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