Bruins return: UCLA products Chad Barrett. left, and Frankie Hejduk practice Monday with the Galaxy, the first time the club hit the turf after a week of work inside Home Depot Center. (Staff Photo by Brad Graverson).

The first time I saw Chad Barrett play he teamed with Matt Taylor as UCLA slaughtered Cal State Fullerton at the Home Depot Center in the first-ever college game played at the venue.

Eight years later, I spoke with the former Chicago Fire and Toronto player as his career came full circle. Barrett had actually expected to be drafted by the Galaxy out of college. It didn’t happen.

Q: What are your goals coming into the season? You’ve been penciled in as the starting striker up front with Juan Pablo Angel.
A: Whether I’m penciled in as a (starting) striker or not isn’t going to change my focus,” he said, adding he has adhered to a more professional lifestyle. “I hope my work rate is contagious around here.

“There’s a lot of talent here challenging for very few spots and that’s what I thrive on,” he added, noting he struggled with injury last year and missed a third of the season. “I’m a forward. I’m paid to score goals. … My goal is to get to double digits.

“First and foremost I want to get back in the playoffs. I haven’t done that in the last three years. I hate sitting on the couch in November.”

Q: Do you like your championship chances?
A: “This team has a lot of veterans and a lot of these veterans are very good and bring a lot of leadership to this team. We have all the tools here this year to make a good push for it this year.”