Former Cal State Los Angeles star Waldir Guerra was among 20 players picked by new Salvadoran national team coach Milovan Djoric for the team that will begin preparations for the CONCACAF Hexagonal.
Guerra, who was born in El Salvador and raised in the Los Angeles area, played for the U.S. national “B” team but never represented the United States in a FIFA competition, making him eligible to represent El Salvador. After playing for the APSL’s Los Angeles Salsa, Guerra joined FAS. He moved to first-place Aguila this season, scoring 12 goals in his first 13 games.
Djoric, a native of Serbia who has been coaching Aguila, replaces Argentine Armando Contreras, who chose not remain with El Salvador after it qualified for the CONCACAF finals, finishing second in Group 2.
Djoric — who will be assisted by Macedonian Kiril Dojcinovsky, recently dropped as coach of Mexican First Division club Celaya — hopes to have two Salvadoran First Division foreigners naturalized: Uruguayan goalie Jorge Eduardo Moncecchi (FAS) and Yugoslav defender Vladan Vicevic (Aguila).
Djoric has dropped national team mainstays William Osorio and Carlos Castro Borja for the time being.
Training camp opened Jan. 6 on a sour note. The morning practice had to be cancelled when seven players from Aguila did not show up. They were en route from Los Angeles, where they played the day before in the ill-fated Copa Coliseo.
El Salvador roster:
Goalkeepers — Raul Garcia (Aguila), Misael Alfaro (Luis Angel Firpo), Jorge Moncecchi (FAS).
Defenders — Vladan Vicevic (Aguila), Wilfredo Iraheta Sanabria (Aguila), Luis Oscar Lazo (Aguila), William Osorio (FAS), Leonel Carcamo (Luis Angel Firpo).
Midfielders — Guillermo Rivera (FAS), Mauricio Cienfuegos (L.A. Galaxy), Jorge Rodriguez (FAS), Alexander del Cid (Aguila), Marlon Menjivar (Luis Angel Firpo).
Forwards — Ronald Cerritos (ADET), William Renderos Iraheta (FAS), Raul Diaz Arce (D.C. United), Oscar Diaz (FAS), Marlon Medrano (FAS), Waldir Guerra (Aguila), Sergio Valencia (Aguila).