Fernando Clavijo sounds more like a father two days before Christmas than a soccer coach. With money to spend, a slice of allocation seniority with Major League Soccer and two senior roster spots to fill, the Rapids coach has gone shopping during his team’s bye week.
“It was not a good day,” Clavijo said Monday after being chased away from the Gold Cup in Miami by Hurricane Dennis, only to return to rounds of haggling with administrators and agents.
Clavijo said the Rapids are monitoring former South High School standout Conor Casey, who is playing in Germany’s Bundesliga. Clavijo said the forward has expressed an interest in returning to the U.S., but a recent knee injury could sideline him a couple of months.
Clavijo said the Rapids are near the top of the allocation pecking order, although he said the Chicago Fire is in the driver’s seat for the next big-time MLS signing.
Casey, 23, was a Parade All-American at South and starred at the University of Portland before being scooped up by powerhouse Borussia Dortmund, which has loaned him out to various German clubs.
Clavijo also confirmed the Rapids are interested in acquiring Daniel Hernandez from Mexico’s Necaxa. Hernandez played previously in MLS with the New England Revolution, Metro- Stars, Tampa Bay Mutiny and Los Angeles Galaxy.
Hernandez is a defensive midfielder, a position the Rapids have in surplus.
Ecuadorian forward Gustavo Figueroa should be arriving soon for an audition as the Rapids continue to look for a striker to partner with Jeff Cunningham, Clavijo said.
“Right now, no one is making an impact,” Clavijo said of Rapids strikers Jean Philippe Peguero (two goals) and Wolde Harris (zero).
The Rapids would not be able to sign Figueroa until the MLS Aug. 15 transfer window opens.
Mexican players Montezuma Serrato and Edson Alvarado began training with the Rapids on Friday and played in Sunday’s exhibition match against the Colorado Springs Blizzard.
Serrato, a forward, played for Mexican first-division champion Pumas in 2004. Alvarado, a left-sided attacking midfielder, played for two Mexican first-division championship teams with Necaxa.
“They are very good players,” Clavijo said, “but both of them are out of shape. It is not easy to play in MLS. Some of them, we need to find out the quality of the players.”
Footnotes
The Rapids signed former Wake Forest defender and Littleton resident Stephen Keel to a developmental contract Monday. Keel has been training with the team for a while and Clavijo hopes he can polish his skills with the Rapids’ reserve team. … The Rapids defeated the Blizzard 4-1 on Sunday with goals from Cunningham, Luchi Gonzalez, Alain Nkong and Kyle Beckerman. … Chivas USA forward Matt Taylor was named MLS player of the week after he scored one goal and assisted on two to lead his team to a 5-1 rout of fellow expansion club Real Salt Lake. … The Revolution signed Gilberto Flores, 21, on Saturday, three days after the Brazilian midfielder was waived by the MetroStars. The defensive midfielder, formerly of Sao Paulo FC, played in just three games this season for the MetroStars. … Chivas USA signed 18-year-old midfielder Rodrigo Lopez to a developmental contract Saturday. The Guadalajara native recently graduated from Santa Barbara (Calif.) High School. … D.C. United’s Bryan Namoff underwent two hernia surgeries last week in Germany and is expected to be out at least two weeks, the club announced. … European powerhouses Chelsea and AC Milan will play an exhibition match July 24 at Gillette Stadium in Foxboro, Mass.
