NEW YORK – The Mexican national team has not relented in its pursuit to lure back 17-year-old MLS SuperDraft prospect Omar Salgado from the US squad. Under FIFA rules, Salgadodoesn’t have to make a final decision until age 21.
“[Mexico Under-20 coach Juan Carlos Chávez] talked to me and told me thatif I wanted to go back to Mexico, my spot was open,” Salgado toldMLSsoccer.com about a conversation held this past Sunday. “But I have already made up my mind: I want to play for theUnited States. I hope that‘s how it’s going to be.”
Salgado was a starter for Thomas Rongen’s US U-20 sidelast Sunday in a 1-1 tie against their Mexican counterparts. In that match, Salgado says he was a target of rough play from his former Tri teammates. That’s because the El Paso, Texas, nativehas bounced back and forth between the Mexico and US national teams in recentyears before settling on the American side.
Playing for the US was one reason Salgado leftthe youth team program of Mexican giants Chivas de Guadalajara thispast June.
Chivas director of soccer Efraín Flores toldMexican daily Récord this week that “talents we are capturing are escapingChivas and MLS is stealing them just like that.”
Floresalso said that Salgado told Chivas that he was going back home to El Paso tostudy and not to play soccer. They were surprised to learn that he hadsigned with MLS in the summer, six months before he is eligible to join a team through the 2011 SuperDraft.
Salgado says Flores went to his house in El Paso to convince him to return to Chivas, but it was too late.
“They treated me well, but I stopped playing,” Salgado saidof his 18 months with the Chivas academy. “I was the one scoring themost goals, but I was the one with the least minutes. I didn’t understand. So Idecided it wasn’t going to happen there and I would try to go back to the US.”
Salgado says he never knew he was going to sign with MLS.The interest from the league only came after he was scouted at a US U-20camp in Northern California in late June, following the expiration of hisChivas academy contract.
Playing in the US national-team system would likely not haveallowed Salgado to continue with the Rebaño Sagrado anyway because of the club’spolicy to field only Mexico-eligible players. Although he also has Mexican citizenship,playing for the US would have made him persona non grata at the club.
At the time, he was one of five American players, includingthree youth squad players and one first team starter, in the Guadalajara ranks.
“I felt that they didn’t like it at all,” Salgado said of playing for USnational team. “Everybody out there would tell me, ‘You have togo to the Mexican national team, it’s a better option.’ I figured out if I got to the American national team, I’llnever play for [Chivas'] first team ... because they’re not going to let it happen.”
Salgado considers himself more American than Mexican.Although both his parents lived in Chihuahua, Mexico, his mother was born inthe US and had an American upbringing while his dad comes from a Spanishhousehold. Salgado is one consul visit away from picking up his EU passport through his dad.
Up next for the forward are twoU-20 camps in Fort Lauderdale, Fla., sandwiched around the Christmas holidays. Salgado expects to be part of both and isunsure at this point whether he’ll participate in the MLS Player Combine.
Salgado has already trained with five MLS teams, including Vancouver, who own the first pick in the 2011 SuperDraft. The Whitecapswanted him for their recent training stint in California, but he declined the invite.
“I’d love to be the No. 1 draft pick for Vancouver, but anyteam that picks me is great,” Salgado said. “I’ll be happy with any team and I’ll domy best with any team. I’ll try to score as many goals and make an impact in myfirst season.”
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