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HOT RUMOR! Lalas in trouble? Gullit to leave? (3 - possible)
Posted 11 Aug 2008 at 05:08 PM by Dan Loney
Hm. More than halfway through the ten-day break, too. I wonder what took them so long.
For the second straight year, a Home Depot Center GM was shown the door, despite being ahead in the standings over their roommate and rival. People may criticize the jobs that Lalas and Gullit did for the Galaxy, but you can't argue with their success.
Tim, your thoughts?
Let's read between the lines a little. I'm translating this as "Ruud had an ironclad three-year contract, so we had to negotiate with him instead of just spitcanning him."
Translation: "Alexi was a figurehead." I think this is the first time that both player and business duties were spelled out so clearly in a press release. I certainly don't remember anything this clear.
So I don't actually anticipate that much change, particularly in the business area. They even seem happy with Bravo's work, reiterating his jurisdiction. Which tells me Bravo, or Bravo and Cobi Jones, were the brains behind the very good Superdraft the Galaxy had this year, and that forces beyond his control were behind things like Carlos Ruiz, Eduardo Dominguez, Vanney for Kirk, and so forth. Bravo's been on the job longer than Gullit was, and was a prime target in the sort of housecleaning this is being described as.
Or, it could simply mean that the next GM will want to pick his own DoS. The problem there is, why on earth would you replace or promote someone over Payne, apparently the one guy who has been exceeding expectations? Unless AEG really does think the Galaxy should be selling out every single game with Beckham.
As far as Gullit leaving for personal reasons - it's possible. So I don't want to just say "Absolutely out of the question", and read tomorrow that he's pregnant or something. But from the point of view of a legendary European, the Galaxy job was a last ditch effort to salvage a coaching reputation that now lies completely in ruins. Gullit won't starve, any more than Lalas will. I'm not saying Gullit will never be hired to coach a team ever again in the world, any more than I'll say Alexi will never run a team again. I'm just saying neither of them should. Their talents lie elsewhere.
Cobi is the new temporary boss, and I'm going to put the odds on him keeping the job at 70% or so. There's a LOT of other potential candidates in there, even if you narrow it down to people with a Galaxy connection. There will be another round of negotiations with Klinsmann, they will fall through. They'll ring up the UCLA mafia, except Cobi is after all one of them. And it wasn't as if Cobi took the assistant job in order to pay the bills. Cobi wants to be a head coach, and it's to his credit that he didn't just leverage his name into a head coaching gig without previous experience.
Er, until now. But Cobi also has the competitive fire that makes people like Preki, Jason Kreis, and Dominic Kinnear so intensely disagreeable. Cobi's a little more charming when he wants to be, but anyone who's looked into his eyes when he's unhappy won't doubt his drive. God help the rookie who dogs it in practice under the Jones regime. It's really about whether he has the tactical acumen at this point, and I think Tim and Phil give him an extended chance to develop and prove whether he can or not.
I'm a Cobi fan, so I think he'll do well. I'm also an Alexi Lalas and Ruud Gullit fan, so, hey, free salt grains.
For the second straight year, a Home Depot Center GM was shown the door, despite being ahead in the standings over their roommate and rival. People may criticize the jobs that Lalas and Gullit did for the Galaxy, but you can't argue with their success.
Tim, your thoughts?
Quote:
Originally Posted by press release
"Both parties have agreed on mutually-agreeable terms to part company,” said Timothy J. Leiweke, President & CEO AEG, investor/operators of the Galaxy. “It is an amicable arrangement and we appreciate and respect the issues that Ruud has highlighted with the club and are very grateful for all the hard work he has contributed while with the organization. Hopefully, he has laid the foundations for future success for the Los Angeles Galaxy."
Quote:
“With Rudd moving on, we believe that this is the right time to make more sweeping changes throughout the organization,” said Leiweke. “Our commitment continues to be focused on not only winning the MLS Cup this and every season but to build a club capable of competing at the international level. This decision is the right one for the organization, the right one for the players and the right one for our fans. We thank Alexi for the tremendous hard work and dedication he brought to his job each and every day.”
Paul Bravo, the Galaxy’s Director of Soccer, will continue in this role overseeing all issues related to the Galaxy’s roster including scouting and evaluating players (collegiate and professional), overseeing the club’s development system and other team administrative functions.
Assistant General Manager Tom Payne will continue to oversee the Galaxy front office, including corporate partnerships, ticket sales, marketing, programming, communications, operations and community development. Payne has been with the organization for six seasons.
Paul Bravo, the Galaxy’s Director of Soccer, will continue in this role overseeing all issues related to the Galaxy’s roster including scouting and evaluating players (collegiate and professional), overseeing the club’s development system and other team administrative functions.
Assistant General Manager Tom Payne will continue to oversee the Galaxy front office, including corporate partnerships, ticket sales, marketing, programming, communications, operations and community development. Payne has been with the organization for six seasons.
So I don't actually anticipate that much change, particularly in the business area. They even seem happy with Bravo's work, reiterating his jurisdiction. Which tells me Bravo, or Bravo and Cobi Jones, were the brains behind the very good Superdraft the Galaxy had this year, and that forces beyond his control were behind things like Carlos Ruiz, Eduardo Dominguez, Vanney for Kirk, and so forth. Bravo's been on the job longer than Gullit was, and was a prime target in the sort of housecleaning this is being described as.
Or, it could simply mean that the next GM will want to pick his own DoS. The problem there is, why on earth would you replace or promote someone over Payne, apparently the one guy who has been exceeding expectations? Unless AEG really does think the Galaxy should be selling out every single game with Beckham.
As far as Gullit leaving for personal reasons - it's possible. So I don't want to just say "Absolutely out of the question", and read tomorrow that he's pregnant or something. But from the point of view of a legendary European, the Galaxy job was a last ditch effort to salvage a coaching reputation that now lies completely in ruins. Gullit won't starve, any more than Lalas will. I'm not saying Gullit will never be hired to coach a team ever again in the world, any more than I'll say Alexi will never run a team again. I'm just saying neither of them should. Their talents lie elsewhere.
Cobi is the new temporary boss, and I'm going to put the odds on him keeping the job at 70% or so. There's a LOT of other potential candidates in there, even if you narrow it down to people with a Galaxy connection. There will be another round of negotiations with Klinsmann, they will fall through. They'll ring up the UCLA mafia, except Cobi is after all one of them. And it wasn't as if Cobi took the assistant job in order to pay the bills. Cobi wants to be a head coach, and it's to his credit that he didn't just leverage his name into a head coaching gig without previous experience.
Er, until now. But Cobi also has the competitive fire that makes people like Preki, Jason Kreis, and Dominic Kinnear so intensely disagreeable. Cobi's a little more charming when he wants to be, but anyone who's looked into his eyes when he's unhappy won't doubt his drive. God help the rookie who dogs it in practice under the Jones regime. It's really about whether he has the tactical acumen at this point, and I think Tim and Phil give him an extended chance to develop and prove whether he can or not.
I'm a Cobi fan, so I think he'll do well. I'm also an Alexi Lalas and Ruud Gullit fan, so, hey, free salt grains.
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Total Comments 6
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But Cobi doesn't have his coaching badge!? How can the league allow him to continue? We'll be docked crucial points and miss the play-offs.
Sigh... bad jokes are all I have at the moment.
That and a white-hot seething anger that could melt the sun.Posted 11 Aug 2008 at 05:24 PM by Crimen y Castigo 
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[UK Tabloid]Beckham fires Ruud[/UK Tabloid]
Posted 11 Aug 2008 at 08:53 PM by Claymore
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you're a lalas fan? after what he did in new jersey / new york? he did the same thing in la.......suck!
Posted 11 Aug 2008 at 09:47 PM by eightyhoursaway
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Um... 70%? Virtually every coach gets fired eventually.
Posted 12 Aug 2008 at 05:54 AM by IHateDC
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Two words: John Guppy
Posted 12 Aug 2008 at 12:37 PM by kenntomasch 
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A blip on the International Football screen.
What happened where??
Next!Posted 12 Aug 2008 at 11:25 PM by FFCinPCB
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Total Trackbacks 1
Trackbacks
Massacre At The HDC! - - The Offside - LA Galaxy Soccer Blog MLS11 Aug 2008, 08:01 PM
drea Canales)
Sideline Views (Luis Bueno)
Soccer By Ives
100 Percent Soccer (Nick Green)
WVHooligan
Dan Loney says it all
Official LA Galaxy Blog (with full press release)
USSoccerPlayers
Goal (Jack Bell of the NY Times)
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