Honduran midfielder Martin Chavez is scheduled to make his debut with FC Dallas when the club takes on the Los Angeles Galaxy at the Home Depot Center (Saturday, 10:30 pm ET, Direct Kick). Chavez decided to turn down a call-up to the Honduras national team for its latest qualifiers to get acquainted with his new club this week. “I was called up for both games but I talked to the coaches and told them that I would like to come here to get to know the players and the system,” he said. “They understood and told me that it was better for me to come here and start playing here.”
FCD coach Schellas Hyndman is still becoming acquainted with the new player, but he likes Chavez’s versatility. “I think what he brings is that he’s a dynamic player,” Hyndman said. “He can be a striker, he can be an attacking midfielder or he can be a flank player on either side that is part of the strike force. He’s a quick player who has got great experience. He’s 25 years old and has played for the Honduran national team. He’s got a lot of qualities on his resume. He’s going to be another player who’s going to add to our team.”
Hyndman believes Chavez will be most effective as a second attacking midfielder. “The role has always been up in the 4-1-4-1 that we had two center attacking midfielders,” Hyndman said. “Because of injuries to (Alvaro) Sanchez, we really haven’t had anyone in that position.” During the week, Chavez has tried to acclimate to both his teammates and the Texas heat. “It gets hot in Honduras but nothing like this,” he said. “I am working hard and think I will adjust here really quickly.”
FC Dallas also signed 33-year-old defensive midfielder Daniel Hernandez, who played for Hyndman at SMU before a long career in MLS (New England, Los Angeles, Tampa Bay, MetroStars) and Mexico (Necaxa, Puebla, Jaguares).