Erick “Cubo” Torres is finally in the Bayou City.
After six months in Mexico and a lengthy stay in limbo as his arrival was delayed, the former Chivas USA forward donned a Houston Dynamo shirt and faced the media on Friday.
Among the questions were ones about the recent investigation for an alleged sexual assault in Guadalajara. Earlier this month, Torres was cleared of all charges by local authorities and by an independent review by MLS.
“It was very difficult because of the fact that it affected me and my family personally, it was just one of those things that had to get cleared up as quickly as possible,” Torres said through a translator at a Friday morning press conference. “For me, right now, it’s all about making sure that my reputation is clear, my name is clear. I am here, that is the most important thing, and just making sure that if new developments come out that I continue to cooperate just like I have from the very beginning to make sure that everything is cleared up as quickly as possible."
Now Torres will turn his focus to his play on the field and to the pressures that come with being a Designated Player in MLS. The Dynamo are looking for their newcomer to produce on the field and carry their brand off it – big responsibilities for a 22-year-old.
“I am aware of that, but that’s the reason I was brought here,” Torres said. “It’s just a matter of coming in and making sure that I reward that trust, that faith that the fans and front office have placed in me since day one.”
Torres will travel with the squad to Utah for their league match on Saturday against Real Salt Lake, but is not expected to see any action. More likely, he will debut for the Dynamo in their US Open Cup quarterfinal match at Sporting Kansas City on Tuesday.
Either way, he will have plenty of competition at the forward position. Will Bruin is producing under head coach Owen Coyle’s tutelage, and Giles Barnes, currently on Gold Cup duty with Jamaica, has become one of the most exciting attackers in the league. Toss in a budding prospect in Mauro Manotas and a steady Chandler Hoffman, and there’s competition up top for the player many pinned with Houston’s scoring hopes on before the season.
“It’s a very interesting situation because it generates internal competition and that’s the one thing that’s going to lift up everybody, the one thing that’s going to make everybody better,” Torres said. “So as long as we have that and as long as we understand that anybody can come in and contribute at any moment, then I think we’re going to be OK.”
The striker kept in contact with the Houston staff in recent weeks, and trained both with the Chivas Guadalajara B team and on his own to try and arrive in Houston as fit as possible.
“I feel I’m ready, but it’s one thing to train and it’s another thing to come into a team and fully integrate yourself,” Torres admitted. “A team has its own way of doing things, its own philosophy, so it’s going to be a matter of coming in and making sure I’m fully adjusted.
“It was indeed a very lengthy process,what took place between the time I finished with Guadalajara and coming here to Houston. So obviously right now, more than anything, [I'm] just eager and aching to get in and be able to contribute to the club as quickly as possible.”
Darrell Lovell covers the Houston Dynamo for MLSsoccer.com.
