Tweet
The third time is usually a charm. But Jamaican Shavar Thomas is hoping his fourth club in five seasons of United States Major League Soccer (MLS) will be his best move as a professional footballer.
Thomas was recently shipped from the Los Angeles Galaxy to Chivas USA, roughly a month after he was acquired in a trade from the Kansas City Wizards where he had spent the past three seasons. He played his MLS rookie year in Dallas.
Nothing personal
Yet bouncing from one club to another has failed to dampen the enthusiasm of the big central defender, who has captained several Jamaican age group teams, including the squad which made it to the Under-20 FIFA World Youth Championships in 2001. Thomas also made his debut for the senior Reggae Boyz as a 20-year-old. He accepts the trades as part of the professional experience.
"It's nothing personal," Thomas explained yesterday. "Just business."
Thomas has so far started three games for Chivas, a club with deep Spanish-Mexican roots.
He partners Claudio 'El Emperador' Suarez, the legendary Mexican who has earned 178 caps for his country in the heart of the club's defence. Together they helped Chivas record a shutout win on Saturday against Thomas's old club Dallas.
Communicating in spanish
Thomas said he is comfortable at Chivas, although he must communicate with Suarez in Spanish, drawing on exposure to the language starting from his days at Excelsior High. He admires the veteran's knowledge of the game and his humble approach. However, Thomas admitted that moving from club to club did shake his confidence a bit at first.
"In the initial stage, when you go from one club to the next, it kind of makes you feel down, like you're not wanted," said the 26-year-old, who has played 94 MLS games, starting 87 and scoring three goals.
No bitter feelings
"But after meshing with the guys and they treat you well, (the bad feeling) just goes away."
At least for his latest move he did not have to go far - literally across the hallway. Chivas shares the Home Depot Center in Carson, California with the Galaxy.
"The only thing changed is my jersey and the locker room," Thomas said with a laugh.
And, maybe, his mindset as well. Thomas said he has no bitter feelings against the clubs that traded him. He knows the Wizards were seeking a playmaker. With a surplus of defenders at the club and him being listed among the limited number of allotted 'foreign' players on the roster, the move seemed logical enough.
"At the Wizards, they wanted to go in another direction and I had no problems with that," he said.
There's no grudge against the Galaxy either, although he "had no idea" the club, which also employs fellow Jamaican Tyrone Marshall, would ship him away after only one U.S. Open Cup knockout game and before he had played a single MLS minute.
"I'm only disappointed that I didn't get a chance to prove myself (at the Galaxy)," he said.
At Chivas, he believes he will get adequate opportunities. Preki, the head coach, was Thomas's teammate at the Wizards. He has assured him that the club needs him for the long haul.
"He told me 'we want you here, not to trade you'," Thomas said. "Chivas wanted me."
So maybe now he can rest easier, and even unpack his bags for a while.
"I'm in a good situation right now," Thomas said.
Thomas was recently shipped from the Los Angeles Galaxy to Chivas USA, roughly a month after he was acquired in a trade from the Kansas City Wizards where he had spent the past three seasons. He played his MLS rookie year in Dallas.
Nothing personal
Yet bouncing from one club to another has failed to dampen the enthusiasm of the big central defender, who has captained several Jamaican age group teams, including the squad which made it to the Under-20 FIFA World Youth Championships in 2001. Thomas also made his debut for the senior Reggae Boyz as a 20-year-old. He accepts the trades as part of the professional experience.
"It's nothing personal," Thomas explained yesterday. "Just business."
Thomas has so far started three games for Chivas, a club with deep Spanish-Mexican roots.
He partners Claudio 'El Emperador' Suarez, the legendary Mexican who has earned 178 caps for his country in the heart of the club's defence. Together they helped Chivas record a shutout win on Saturday against Thomas's old club Dallas.
Communicating in spanish
Thomas said he is comfortable at Chivas, although he must communicate with Suarez in Spanish, drawing on exposure to the language starting from his days at Excelsior High. He admires the veteran's knowledge of the game and his humble approach. However, Thomas admitted that moving from club to club did shake his confidence a bit at first.
"In the initial stage, when you go from one club to the next, it kind of makes you feel down, like you're not wanted," said the 26-year-old, who has played 94 MLS games, starting 87 and scoring three goals.
No bitter feelings
"But after meshing with the guys and they treat you well, (the bad feeling) just goes away."
At least for his latest move he did not have to go far - literally across the hallway. Chivas shares the Home Depot Center in Carson, California with the Galaxy.
"The only thing changed is my jersey and the locker room," Thomas said with a laugh.
And, maybe, his mindset as well. Thomas said he has no bitter feelings against the clubs that traded him. He knows the Wizards were seeking a playmaker. With a surplus of defenders at the club and him being listed among the limited number of allotted 'foreign' players on the roster, the move seemed logical enough.
"At the Wizards, they wanted to go in another direction and I had no problems with that," he said.
There's no grudge against the Galaxy either, although he "had no idea" the club, which also employs fellow Jamaican Tyrone Marshall, would ship him away after only one U.S. Open Cup knockout game and before he had played a single MLS minute.
"I'm only disappointed that I didn't get a chance to prove myself (at the Galaxy)," he said.
At Chivas, he believes he will get adequate opportunities. Preki, the head coach, was Thomas's teammate at the Wizards. He has assured him that the club needs him for the long haul.
"He told me 'we want you here, not to trade you'," Thomas said. "Chivas wanted me."
So maybe now he can rest easier, and even unpack his bags for a while.
"I'm in a good situation right now," Thomas said.
Comment