Matías Almeyda keeps preparing the 2021 MLSseason underSan Jose Earthquakes. The Argentinewill face his tenth year at the managerial role after making his breakthrough to the job on a difficult time for River Plate at the second division. Several years after that first step as a coach, the former Argentine international midfielder is looking to upgrade San Jose’s quality to get better results.
With the energy focused on what will be a challenging new soccer season and aiming to improve the 8th position finish from last year, the Quakes have made interesting adquisitions to strengthen their roster.
But San Jose not only added some new players to their team, but by doing so they reunited footballers formerly coached by Almeyda. With the landing of Javier Eduardo Lopez, Eric Remedi and Luciano Abecasis, now there are seven players on the squadthat have previously worked under the Argentine. Take a look at these footballers.
Daniel Vega
The experienced Daniel Vega met Almeyda at River (Getty).
The veteran goalkeeper has had a long career in Argentinian soccer before living the experience abroad and then settling in the US. After making his breakthrough at Nueva Chicago, localgiants River Plate acquired him. He stayed there for a long time, even when the team was relegated and Almeyda stepped in as the coach. In that second division campaign he was coached by the current Quakes boss.
Andrés Ríos
Andrés Ríos also played for Almeyda at River Plate (Getty).
Another man originally from River Plate, where he played under Almeyda’s tenure to get back the Millonario to the top flight. Despite he looked as a promising player for the club, he didn’t stay for too long and then played for a number of teams before arriving to San Jose.
Luciano Abecasis
The recent signing also has a number of years playing soccer and met Almeyda at River Plate. Abecasis is a right-back who had some trouble to being a starteruntil he found more minutes at Godoy Cruz. After a short spell at Lanús, he went to Libertad the Paraguay before making this important movement to reunite with Almeyda.
Oswaldo Alanís
Alanís was a key player for the defense of Almeyda’s Chivas (Getty).
Alanís was part of the succesful stint of the Argentineas Chivas de Guadalajara’s first team manager. The defender has played an important role to that team and some years after he and Almeyda took separate ways, he joined San Jose to be under his leadership again.
Javier Eduardo López
Lopez worked under Almeyda’s tenure at Chivas (Getty).
Another player who met Almeyda at thosetriumphant years at Chivas, he is younger than the footballers previously mentioned and also performs as an attacking player. He landed at San Jose on January on loan for the 2021 season and looks set to bean important piecefor the coach’s plans for the MLS campaign.
Carlos Fierro
Almeyda not only signed midfielders or defensive players for his San Jose team. Fierro is the striker that the Argentinecoach added to the squad after having him in his Chivas’ spell. Those years seem quite clear to have delighted themanageras he now works with three players from those times.
Eric Remedi
One of the latest signings from San Jose, Remedi is the only player from this list that didn’t met Almeyda at River or Chivas: he did it at Banfield, when the Argentine led their return to the first division. After succeding at that club, he moved to the US to play for Atlanta United. So apart from adquiring a known-face for the coach, the Quakes have a good midfilder with MLS experience.
