Juan Pablo Angel says he's moving his stuff around the corner, to Chivas USA's locker room at Home Depot Center, after being forced to leave the Galaxy after Irish forward Robbie Keane was signed.
The Galaxy announced Keane's signing Monday, but Angel officially remains on their roster -- he can stay there until Keane gets his visa, but Major League Soccer clubs are allowed just three Designated Players, and Keane will join Landon Donovan and David Beckham as the Galaxy's trio.
“Not the best scenario, but these are the rules here in the league, and they should be respected ...,” Angel told ESPN Deportes Los Angeles. “After [the decision was] communicated to leave, the opportunity arose to be with Chivas, and I met with the coach [Robin Fraser]. ... I had other options in the MLS, but my family recently moved here, and various other things, I decided it was best to stay here, explore this option as presented and enjoy.”
Angel, 35, one of the finest strikers in MLS's brief history, has been a disappointment with the Galaxy, scoring just three times in 22 games after netting 61 league goals in four seasons for the New York Red Bulls. L.A.'s move for Keane was largely about bringing in the consistent scorer the club expected Angel to be.
“The organization concluded that they wanted to win the championship [and looked] for someone to help them do so,” Angel said. “My results do not speak well of me, and if the results are not [what they should be], one becomes disposable. This time it was my turn. ...
Angel indicated he was hurt by the decision but that the rules regarding Designated Players are clear and unique because they do not happen in any [other] league in the world. When one understands, one respects them.”
“[The move to Chivas] went very fast,” he said. “The whirlwind of things these days is not easy -- any person is affected emotionally. ... This season I have not enjoyed at all, never found a way. I hope the upcoming game and enjoy playing with a smile on your face."
Angel said he hoped to “delete this experience [with the Galaxy] as quickly as possible and return to enjoy what I've done. ... I tried my best. My hope was that things would be different, but this is part of sport. Sometimes things work and sometimes they don't, and I'll look for another adventure. I'll look for a good finish to the season and to help Chivas USA make it to the playoffs. It is a challenge I accept with emotion and desire.”