Juventud Independiente

Club Deportivo Juventud Independiente is a Salvadoran football club. The team is currently based in San Juan Opico, El Salvador.

They were promoted from Segunda División de Fútbol Salvadoreño to Primera División de Fútbol Profesional after beating San Salvador F.C. 4-2 in the playoff series in 2008, but returned to the Segunda División de Fútbol Salvadoreño in 2009, and they will compete at that level in the 2010 season.

Honours

• Segunda Division:

• Winners (2): Clausura 2008,Clausura 2011

History

The beginning

In 1940 Vicente Rocha, a community leader, decided to begin an elaborate health project for the young people in his community and realised that forming a football club would help. He shared his vision with a group of people which included Vicente Trujillo and Benjamín Hernández.

After raising the necessary funds, they baptized the club as a Unión. The club recruited their players from the local schools and due to the age of their players being under the set limit, they were registered in the Liga burocrática (the Lowest Level in the footballing system). The team officially began born on 7 September 1943 and, because they signed the document in the Ministerio del Interior, the team leaders decided to name the club Juventud Independiente in representation of both the young players and the historic building where the club was born. Vicente Rocha become the team's first president and the team played their first games in the San Juan Opico region; despite the Fuerte Cuscatleco team already being based there, the community supported Juventud Independiente.

The team's primary player during this period was Casto de Jesús Flores, who was one of the first players to sign for the club. The club battled hard and by the early 1970s they had reached third, then second division.

During the war

The civil war that occurred in El Salvador during the 1980s affected Juventud Independiente, as players fled the country and the sheer danger of watching the games kept fans away. In 1989 just before a promotion playoff against San Rafael Cedros, a major offensive was launched and many players fled the country causing Juventud Independiente to lose the match. The team's fortunes improved in the early '90s as the team recruited better players and were able to retain their level.

Rebuilding

During the nineties, the team expanded and reached second division for the first time in several years after defeating C.D. Juventud Olímpica Metalio 5-1 on aggregate.

The team directive decided to form a football school in 1994. The desire and aim was to provide a strong basis for the senior team and improve the standards of their young players. However during this period the team descended back to the third division.

After community election in 1997, Romeo Barillas was elected and began programs and projects to support the team. Barillas first move was to sign Ramon Sanchez, who had just finished coaching Arcense. Ramon Sanchez worked hard with the young players of Juventud Independiente and eventually reached the playoff. The team won on their second attempt and were promoted to second division, beginning the emergence of young stars Henry López and Carlos Asprilla.

After securing a spot in the second division, they were able to sign foreign players such as Rodrigo Lagos, Fainor Viáfara and Carlos Escalante. In the 2004/2005 season they reached the semi-finals but were eliminated by Coca Cola. In 2006/2007 season they made the finals, but lost to Nejapa F.C. and lost the playoff against Once Municipal.

Ramon Sanchez left the club for the first division club, C.D. Chalatenango. Ramon Sanchez's ten year reign had come to an end. The team selected Jorge Ábrego as coach and despite losing automatic qualification to the first division, they were able to defeat San Salvador F.C. in the promotion/relegation playoff and qualify for the first division for the first time in the club history.

Recent Events

However the club failed to achieve any real progress in the first division having the worst record in the apertura and clausura seasons, the club failed to remain in the first division despite the purchase of players such as Honduran nestor steve reyes and others along with the hiring of their longtime coach Juan Ramon Sanchez the club were relgeated. The club spent the next few seasons trying to regain promotion they made several second division semi finals and grand finals, however the club finall succeeded when they won the Clausura 2011 title defeating Once Lobos 4-0, then winning the grand champion final defeating Titans of santa Ana 3-2 in extra time with the club were promoted and will be playing first division soccer in upcoming season.

Current squad

As of Clausura 2012 season: Note: Flags indicate national team as has been defined under FIFA eligibility rules. Players may hold more than one non-FIFA nationality.

Squad Changes For 2012 Clausura Season

In

• Álex Erazo - Firpo

Out

• Valtinho - TBA
• Ever González - TBA
• Pedro Miguel Vásquez - family reason

Notable former players

Current Technical Staff

Notable Coaches

League Season Performance

(Apertura 2007 – Clausura 2011)

External links

• [1]