Chivas USA's friendly Sunday against the Seattle Sounders in the Pacific Northwest gives the club the opportunity to play in a different market, tweak the lineup and give some reserves the chance to play.
For Preston Burpo, however, the match will mark his return to Seattle. Burpo played for nearly a decade with the USL First Division (second tier) Sounders. Burpo said a strong performance is important, if nothing else to save him from some friendly harassing by friends and former teammates.
"For me to do well would be nice because if I don't do well I'm sure I'll get plenty of phone calls after the game from guys making fun of me," Burpo said. "It'll be good though. I spent nine years up there. There is always a good group of guys going through the team. Last year's team was close on the field, close off the field."
Burpo, 33, made the move to Chivas USA following a successful USL career. In 2005, Burpo led the Sounders to the USL championship. In the final, Seattle and Richmond finished regulation and extra time at 1-1. In the penalty kick shootout, Burpo had a critical save, stopping Robert Ssejjemba's attempt. The Sounders prevailed 4-3.
At the time, Burpo figured he'd be around to help the Sounders defend their championship.
"I had no desire the last couple of years to even come into MLS until Chivas popped up on the radar," Burpo said. "I was content on being there. I was in my 30s and signed a four-year contract in Seattle. I figured I'd play my contract out and move on and do something else."
Life in Seattle was good even with the uncertainties of contracts and the need to find a side job.
"The contracts in the USL for most teams and for most guys in the league are only a season-long contract so you have to find something else going on in the wintertime or else you're not going to make it," Burpo said.
Over the years, Burpo said he worked at a warehouse and picked up several youth coaching gigs as well. Still, his love of soccer kept him close to the game as Burpo was a fixture in Seattle's lineup for years.
Now, Burpo is Chivas USA's backup goalkeeper. In training camp, Sergio "Matute" Garcia came in as the No. 2 'keeper but Burpo's strong performance helped him beat out Garcia, who was subsequently released.
"I was glad that (Chivas coach) Bob (Bradley) wanted to bring me," Burpo said. "I'm disappointed I'm not playing right now but so far so good."
For Sunday's game, Chivas USA midfielder John O'Brien did not accompany the team to Seattle, opting instead to let him continue rehabilitating his strained calf in Southern California.
O'Brien, who was named to the United States' World Cup squad on Tuesday, will travel to Cary, N.C., this week to join the U.S. pre-World Cup camp. Bradley said his club will do what it can to help O'Brien depart as healthy as possible.
"Obviously now, we'll keep trying to move him along but the final part of it will come when he's there because there will be hard work every day," Bradley said. "I think they'll feel that he will need to do the work there that everybody else is doing every day, one day after another. That's when it's going to be put to the test."
Bradley said he did not plan on fielding a squad of reserve players against the Sounders. He said there will be "a little mix, but there will be a good number of starters who will play at least a half."
Chivas will have two weeks between league games and playing some of the regulars will at least help the club maintain some sort of rhythm until the club plays its next game, on May 13 at New England.
Luis Bueno is a contributor to MLSnet.com. This story was not subject to the approval of Major League Soccer or its clubs.
