Veracruz Coach Finally Dismisses Potential Signing of "El Pescadito" Carlos Ruiz

Thanks to Brotherly Game managing editor Scott Kessler for digging up this news from Mexico. All translations are by yours truly.

After several weeks of back-and-forth rumors out of Mexico linking Carlos "El Pescadito" Ruiz with a move to the Tiburones Rojos of Veracruz, the Mexican second division club's head coach Daniel Guzman has finally put an end to the saga. Guzman was quoted in a story Monday by Veracruz news outlet D Poder A Poder as saying that the team no longer seeks Ruiz's services, due to "problems" that Ruiz apparently had with returning to play in Mexico.

The coach of Tiburones Rojos de Veracruz, Daniel Guzman, dismissed the possibilty of the Philadephia Union's Guatemalan striker Carlos Ruiz becoming the team's third international signing for the 2011 Apertura season. He revealed that the team will insist on the signing of Colombian Carlos Bacca.

In an interview, Guzman assured that Ruiz is far from coming to Veracruz because he's a player with "problems" and he doesn't want a player that has any issues with being incorporated into the club.

The Veracruz coach did not elaborate much on these problems, but he did give some information on why the team will now turn all of their attention to signing players from the Colombian league, including Carlos Bacca. Find the rest of the quotes after the break.

Is the Ruiz signing completely off?

Yes, because I've found that he has problems, and I prefer to get a player that doesn't have any type of problem who can adapt quickly as soon as we sign him, a player that will adapt to the climate, the port city climate, and everything else, that's why I'm looking at Colombians.

This news appears to finally bring an end to the Ruiz transfer rumor saga, which began before the 2011 Gold Cup when he was linked to former club Puebla. "El Pescadito" missed the team's scoreless draw against the San Jose Earthquakes, fueling speculation about his future. But that week, he reassured fans that he would be staying in Philadelphia, and he followed it up by scoring in the team's recent 3-0 win over the New England Revolution. After all of the rumors, it appears, at least for now, that Ruiz is here to stay.