University of Portland junior Alejandro Salazar has signed a professional contract with the Sydney Football Club of the Hyundai Australian League. Salazar will forego his senior season as a result of the signing and will begin training with his new teammates in early February in preparation for the World Club Championships qualifying tournament. The Hyundai A-League consists of nine squads with the season and takes place from August to February.
Salazar, a native of Portland, Ore. and Jesuit High School, made an immediate name for himself on the collegiate level after being named a 2002 Soccer America Freshman All-American and the West Coast Conference Freshman of the Year while tallying eight goals and two assists. He then scored 10 goals and an assist as a sophomore to claim the WCC Player of the Year award. As a junior this past season, Salazar showed his versatility by moving into an attacking midfield role and registering seven goals and eight assists.
His skills caught the eye of a Sydney FC representative and will now join the long list of Pilots to move on to the professional ranks.
"I am very excited to start my professional career,” Salazar said prior to leaving Portland last weekend. “My coaches at the University of Portland and FC Portland have trained me well and I wouldn’t be her if it had not been for them. I cannot thank them enough for all that they have done. I have been blessed to play under what I consider to be three of the best coaches in the country: Clive Charles, Bill Irwin and my club coach Jim Rilatt.
“I am also in debt to the University of Portland for everything that it has done for me over the past three years. I can’t think of a better place to play soccer than at Merlo Field, in front of our loyal fans. If I could go back and choose any college to attend, I would choose Portland every time.”
“It is a great boost for Sydney FC to have signed Alejandro Salazar,” said Sydney FC Chairman Walter Bugno, who was in the USA to complete the signing. “He comes with talent and commitment but best of all he has decided to come to Sydney to continue his career when he could easily have done so in the USA (Major League Soccer).”
Salazar’s early departure marks the second consecutive season that UP Director of Soccer Bill Irwin has lost what was expected to be a top returning senior to the professional ranks. In 2004, Josh Simpson signed with Millwall FC of the English League Championship.
“It’s hard to see him go but we wish him all the best,” Irwin said. “I told him that he can be a trail blazer for us over there in Australia, opening the door for some talented young American players to have another outlet for quality professional soccer. We have sent several players to professional clubs in the past and that will likely produce more in the future.”
