Spaniard Jose Mari Joins the Team In Vegas

Today the Rapids announced that Spaniard Jose Maria Martin Bejarano-Serrano (commonly known as Jose Mari) will join up with the team when they arrive in Las Vegas tomorrow, with the hope the team can work out a deal with him.  Mari is a 26 year old defensive midfielder who has played his whole career in Spain.  This is not the 36 year old Spanish international striker Jose Mari, the first hit you get when you Google that name.

Mari's last team was Real Zaragosa, who were just relegated to the Segunda (same division as CD Tenerife) last season, but last week the club and Mari mutually agreed to terminate his contract. Prior to that he's played for a number of Segunda teams over the last 8 seasons, making about 200 appearances in that time.  Clearly he's being brought in to fill the hole created by the fact that negotiations with Hendry Thomas have stalled out, so its looking more and more like Thomas won't be back.

Interesting quote from Mari in the announcement:

 I know that the coach, Pablo, is an institution at the club, that he’s been here for many years and is a very important man for the Colorado Rapids organization.

Does Mari know something official about the coaching situation that the rest of us don't?  :D

On the eve of the Vegas trip, here's what the camp roster looks like:

Goalkeepers:

John Berner - Unsigned draftee

Clint Irwin

Joe Nasco - Unsigned trialist

Matt Pickens - On "Excused Absence"

Defenders:

Davy Armstrong - Homegrown Player - Will start season on IR(knee)

Mark Burch

Albert Edward - Unsigned draftee

Brenton Griffiths - International

Tolani Ibikunle  - Unsigned draftee

Kory Kindle

Chris Klute

Drew Moor

Brian Mullan

Shane O'Neill - Homegrown Player

Grant Van De Casteele

Marvell Wynne

Midfielders:

Samuel Galindo - Unsigned trialist, International

Juan Guzman - Unsigned trialist

Marion Hariston - Generation Adidas

Nick LaBrocca

Jose Mari - Unsigned trialist, International

Dillon Powers

Dillon Serna - Homegrown Player

Nathan Sturgis

Jared Watts - Unsigned draftee

Forwards:

Deshorn Brown - Generation Adidas, International

Edson Buddle

Martin Chavez

Charles Eloundou - International

Kamani Hill

Danny Mwanga

Vicente Sanchez - International

Gabriel Torres - Designated Player, International