http://espn.go.com/blog/los-angeles/soccer/post/_/id/14041/galaxy-beckham-helps-in-talent-search Bruce says there are no plans at the moment to bring back Dasan Robinson. Leo and Birchall still pending.
I saw his entry into the final a little differently. We had been dominating the midfield, and I think that ended when when Birchall came in. But we just needed Landon up top for a bit to win it, so it all worked out perfectly.
Here's the club's press release (from Nick Green's blog at the Daily News): "A total of 16 players from last year's MLS Cup winning squad are expected to be on hand for the club's first day of training on Monday, while five players - A.J. DeLaGarza, Landon Donovan, Robbie Keane, Brian Perk and Michael Stephens - are currently away on international duty or on loan. In addition to the 16 returning players that will be in attendance, new acquisitions Andrew Boyens, Nick Noble, Pat Noonan, Marcelo Sarvas and Jose Villarreal will all train with the club for the first time. Additionally, all seven of the club's recent draft picks, as well as trialists, Bill Gaudette, a goalkeeper who played for the Columbus Crew, Puerto Rico Islanders and Montreal Impact, as well as defender J.T. Murray, a second round pick by Sporting Kansas City in the 2011 MLS SuperDraft out of the University of Louisville, will be with the club for Monday's training session." The interesting thing is that they don't list Leitch anymore. I thought he was signed with Boyens after the re-entry draft.
Leonardo returning and Kirovski is taking Berhalter's spot on the bench: adamserrano Adam Serrano Bruce Arena confirms that Brazilian defender Leonardo is returning to Galaxy. An extension of the loan deal. 8 minutes ago adamserrano Adam Serrano Jovan Kirovski is a new assistant coach for the @lagalaxy . 39 minutes ago Not sure Jovan teaching our youth inspires me the way Gregg did.
Well he does have experience at clubs with good youth teams and advanced training/development methods, which is a bit encouraging.
But the fact that he seemed to not learn much at those clubs is equally discouraging. Kirovski did not seem to get better with age/experience/training - IMO he pretty much peaked as a 19-20 y.o. He's been living off the rep he built by that Man U signing as a teenager for 15-20 years now. All I can say is that Bruce must really, really, really like the guy. But whatever - having him on the bench is better than having him on the field.
Just trying to be positive but you're probably right. I'd like to see us be as aggressive with coaching staff as we are with DP's, especially for the youth teams.
There is almost no correlation between how good a player was and how good of a coach he can be. Kirovski, for all his faults, could turn out to be a good coach. It's not like Arena, SAF, Wenger or countless other good managers were good players.
LA Galaxy Player Update RE-SIGNED Sean Franklin DF (Contract Renegotiated) Bryan Jordan DF (Contract Renegotiated) Adam Cristman F (Contract Renegotiated) David Beckham M (2 year contract extension) Leonardo D (extended Loan ) IN Marcelo Sarvas M (Free - LD Alajuelense) Jose Villareal M (HG Player) Pat Noonan F (Re-entry Draft Rd2 - SSFC) Nick Noble GK (Free - Ljungskile SK) Andrew Boyens D/M (Re-entry Draft Rd2 - CHV) Jovan Kirovski New assistant Coach Draft picks -pending contract agreement Tommy Meyer D (19th draft pick ) Kenney Walker DM (38th Draft pick ) Bryan Gaul FW/D (19th Supplemental pick) Rafael Garcia M (38th Supplemental pick) Yuri Gorentzvaig FW (57th Supplemental pick) Steven Posa FW (62nd Supplemental pick) Justin Davies D (76th Supplemental pick) OUT Gregg Berhalter D (Retired) Donovan Ricketts GK (Trade to Montreal Impact) Juninho M (Loan ended) Jon Conway GK (Retired picked in re-entry draft) Miguel Lopez M (Loan ended) Frankie Hejduk (Out of contract) re picked in Re-entry draft UNKNOWN Chris Leitch D (Re-entry Draft Rd2 - SJE) Chris Birchall M (Out of contract) Dasan Robinson D(Option decline ) re picked in Re-entry draft Trialists Bill Gaudette J.T. Murray Number Change (can still change) Jordan #6 Noonan #11 Barrett #19 Noble #1 Sarvas #8
Sean Alvarado isn't listed on the Galaxy's website anymore, and his Villarreal has taken his number (33). Anyone have anything official about him being released?
http://www.insidesocal.com/soccer/2012/01/day-1-galaxy-training-camp-upd.html Leitch retired Dasan, Hejduk not back Leo not with the team yet, but should return on loan Cardozo is back on loan again Birchall uncertain
Really? The guy takes a lot of flak from the fans but he is a trailblazer. He did things a lot of other American players have not. I have mad respect for the guy. Christ he is Donovan w/o MLS. I for one am damn pleased to have him involved with our coaching staff. He is learning from the best US coach ever. He has the experience of playing in one of the best leagues in the world. If you think his influence on our club the last few years has been what we have seen in his limited playing time the last few years you are mistaken. You don't think he and Donovan haven't have a few sit downs about their similar experiences?
I can hear the pep talk now: "Come on boys. If I could make a career in soccer there's no way in heaven you can't do it."
Jovan wasn't he one of the first Americans to be accepted in a European youth program for a Champions League club. He paved the way for someone like John O'Brien who in my opinion for 2 years (00-02) was the greatest American soccer player ever.
Excellent point, and after the Galaxy's experience with Gullit, we all know that being a great player does not make one a good coach.
No, he isn't close to Donovan w/o MLS. And his trailblazing mainly consisted of him looking good from age 16-19 before petering out. If you look at his resume since he was 20 it is really weak overseas and fairly weak in MLS. From Wikipedia picking up in 1996 when at age 20 he led ManU reserve team in scoring but played no games for the senior team: After that season , he signed with Borussia Dortmund in the Bundesliga. Kirovski spent the next four seasons in Germany, playing sparingly for Dortmund; he did however play and score in Dortmund's 1996–97 Champions League campaign, becoming the first American to win the competition. This was despite being left out of the squad for the final altogether. His only significant playing time in Germany was in the 1998–99 season, when Borussia loaned him out to second division club Fortuna Köln. In 2000, Kirovski signed with Portuguese club Sporting CP, but once again could not get much playing time. After a season there, he went back to England, signing with Football League First Division club Crystal Palace. In 2002, Kirovski signed with Birmingham City, but after one and a half seasons and not much first-team action there, he signed with the Los Angeles Galaxy. In his first season in MLS, Kirovski scored eight goals. In 2005, the Galaxy traded him to the Colorado Rapids for a first round pick in the 2007 MLS SuperDraft. After spending the 2008 season with the San Jose Earthquakes, he rejoined the Galaxy in a November 2008 trade. So in his soccer prime from age 20 to age 28 he played with 5 different European teams and made 107 appearances and scored a total of 10 goals, or about 1.25 goals per year and or 0.09 goals per appearance. He then came to MLS and over 7 years played for 3 teams and in 174 appearances did score a 30 goals, so 0.17 goals per appearance. He also played from 94-04 for the USMNT and had 9 goals in 62 appearances, or 0.15 g per appearance. By way of comparison Landon scored 115 MLS goals in 255 games for a strike rate of 0.45 goals per appearance and 46 goals in 138 USMNT appearances for a rate of 0.33 goals per appearance. Personally I've watched him play for the NT and for 3 different MLS sides. He was lazy on the field and covered about 1/8th the ground Landon and others covered in the same time period. He always seemed to play more for his own glory than for his teammates - an assist from Kirovski is very rare and an intentional one more so. And to add to his admirable traits he regularly took cheap dirty shots on opponents. One of his favorites of many was when a high ball was coming his way he wouldn't jump himself to contest the header but instead wait for his opponent to jump and then throw an elbow into his airborne opponents lower back and watch as the player came crashing down on his back. He also had several foot stomps when a player was down, many tackles from behind because it was easier than keeping up with player, and so on. I will admit his dirty play did diminish the last couple years - so I give him grudging credit for that. I don't think he will be a good coach b/c he tended to read the game poorly. The one asset he had was that he was always looking to shoot and could be decent with a loose ball in the box and that brought us a few goals along the way for which I'm appreciative. It doesn't make up for him almost single-handedly costing us the MLS Cup in 2009 though, but that's another story!
I merely meant that had Donovan not had MLS to fall back on, his career very well could have looked very similar to Kirovski's. When Kirovski came to MLS there was no improving his game. He had peaked. I don't think playing in MLS in 1996 would have helped him. He took his chances overseas. It didn't exactly pan out for him but I bet he wouldn't go back and change much either. To say Kirovski single handedly lost us MLS Cup in 2009 is a bit of revisionist history as well.
[Sorry, know this is off topic but I admit I can't resist bashing one of my least favorite players. Maybe I need a 12-step program?] Nine minutes into the 2nd half of the most important game of the year Robbie Finley scores, tying the game. In the ensuing LA kickoff the ball is passed from center circle to Jovan who is all by himself and under zero pressure. He casually turns and without really looking behind him passes a slow roller toward Ricketts. An RSL player immediately sees the mistake and sprints for the ball. Ricketts sees the problem and sprints for the ball but it is a tie, a hospital ball, and Ricketts sacrifices himself to save the goal but in the porcess is injured and removed from the game. So within 2 minutes we go from leading 1-0, to being tied (not Kirovski's fault), to having to put in a backup keeper and using up what turns out to be a much needed sub (100% Kirovski's fault). And the entire momentum of the game changed at that point, and not in our favor. We have to burn our remaining two subs before we get to overtime (minute 79 Birchall who was playing through aninjury is replaced by Klein & at 89' Omar is injured and replaced by our last sub, AJ.) The game goes then goes into overtime and we cannot bring in any fresh legs all because of a careless, easily avoided mistake by Kirovski. Our tired players can't score in overtime and game we go to penalties. And now instead of facing the imposing Ricketts RSL is faced with the less imposing, greener Saunders. Mathis and Findley score for RSL, Beckham and Berhalter score for LA. Then we send up Kirovski and I bury my head, knowing what is going to happen. Kirovski takes a weak shot that is easily saved, and the rest is history. Yes LD uncharacteristically missed his shot but he gets slack b/c he always gives us his all and b/c his play up to that point was a big reason we were even had a shot at the cup in the first place. Also note that if Kirovski makes his shot the pressure is on RSL and not us. In fact Saunders saves Beckerman's next kick so if Kirovski converts the momentum swings to us. LD would walking up to shoot with us having a 3-2 lead taking some of the pressure off and there is a good chance we go up 4-2 and we go on to the win the Cup. So two very important and costly plays by Jovan, both due to a lack of mental toughness. First unforced mistake causes us to lose our starting goalkeeper and a much needed sub, second blows our chance of taking a 3-2 lead in penalties in a race to 5. Besides which he did very little positive the whole game. So no Jovan didn't lose the game single-handedly but he was easily the biggest culprit in the whole thing. Everyone else is concentrating, and giving it their all physically, Kirovski not so much. Bitter, me? Never...