By Ridge Mahoney
TEXAS BOUND: Soccer United Marketing will announce Monday that San Antonio will host a friendly between Mexico and Guatemala at the Alamodome Nov. 10.
Both teams have qualified for the Hexagonal, which cleared the way for the national soccer associations and head coaches to approve the match. SUM is also promoting a game at the Meadowlands Oct. 27 between Mexico and Ecuador.
San Antonio is on a provisional list of five cities to host Interliga games in January as well and is on an MLS list of possible expansion cities. Mayor Ed Garza is actively seeking a stadium site and prospective owners.
San Jose general manager Alexi Lalas was in San Antonio several weeks ago, although Anschutz Entertainment Group officials have not recently reiterated threats of moving the Quakes to either Houston or San Antonio. Still, AEG has not confirmed statements from prospective investor-operator Tony Amanpour that the two sides are close to finalizing an agreement to keep the team in San Jose at least for the 2005 season.
SCHEDULE REDUX: MLS got a bit lucky during the week when Guatemala clinched its spot in the Hexagonal with a game to play, thereby mooting a possible conflict should Carlos Ruiz and the Galaxy reach MLS Cup 2004.
The championship game will be played just three days before the semifinal round of CONCACAF qualifying concludes Nov. 17; since international travel is required, players are supposed to be released five days previous. A ''compromise'' being worked out between Galaxy operator-investor AEG and the Guatemalan soccer federation would have been contentious indeed.
Still, conflicts are possible. Costa Rica plays Honduras with a Hexagonal spot on the line, and no one has been more important to the Fire in recent weeks than Costa Rican striker Andy Herron (Chicago). Or Erick Scott (Columbus) might be affected.
If the MetroStars win the East, there will be a tug-of-war over defender Craig Ziadie of Jamaica, which needs to beat Panama to advance. Striker Cornell Glen (Metros) of Trinidad & Tobago and defender Ezra Hendrickson (D.C. United) of St. Vincent & Grenadines don't always start for their MLS teams, but Glen has scored a few qualifying goals and Hendrickson captains his national team. Those island nations also meet Nov. 17, so one of those players could be affected.
And getting back to the Galaxy, does Coach Steve Sampson want to line up with all on the line without Jamaican defender Tyrone Marshall?
ON THE MOVE: ReAL Salt Lake is set to hire MLS senior director of communications Trey Fitz-Gerald. He will work in marketing, communications and business operations as an assistant to general manager Steve Pastorino.
Keegan Pierce, formerly an editorial producer at mlsnet.com (and a former Soccer America intern) has been hired by CD Chivas USA to work in its public relations department.
Mark Janko, who was laid off by the Dallas Stars in wake of the NHL player lockout, has been hired by the Burn/FC Dallas to replace Chris Ward, a staff member since 1997.
The Confidential is in no way slighting Janko when it rates Ward's work as excellent, classifies his departure as a regrettable loss, and wishes him the best of luck. It also gives thumbs-up to the hirings of Fitz-Gerald and Pierce.
NOTE: The MLS expansion draft has been tentatively set for Nov. 22. Teams must submit their lists of 12 protected players by Nov. 15.