Even though this season has been one of the if not the worst season in our existence, Alexi Lalas is still having interviews in the British media insisting how much of a "Superclub" the Galaxy is and so on. Here some quotes: “We want to be a super club. We want anyone in London, Lisbon, Rio de Janeiro, Seoul, when they think of football to think of LA Galaxy. We want Galaxy to be the best." He added that he one day hopes to bring veteran stars such as Inter's Luis Figo and Benfica's Rui Costa to join Beckham as part of the club's intended development. Link: http://www.dailymail.co.uk/pages/li...all.html?in_article_id=481044&in_page_id=1779 I do give him props though for standing up for the team and not backing out.
Jeeze Lalas irks me. He just doesn't get it. To be a super club you have to be super. We are far from it. Look at all the top leauges in the world and they all have one thing in common. They consistantly perform at a top level. They play the same way against the bottom of the table teams as they would the top of the table teams. Winning is a philosophy for these clubs and when they dont win heads roll. Its hard to compare the MLS to any of the top leagues in the world simply becuase we are in an infant state compared to the rest. BUT .... if we want to be a super club then we have to be super in every aspect of the word. That means having a superior product compared to the rest of the league. Unfortunately for us this wont happen until the MLS restructures itself and allows teams to succeed. None of this "you suck" allocation money. Let teams find and develop their own grassroots talent. The problem with the galaxy right now is, the league has set us up to fail. We are reaping the benefits of qualifying for the playoffs for the first 10 years of the leagues existance. Other teams, because of their not so great performances were getting top draft picks and lots of "you suck" allocation money. They did the research on players and looked outside the bubble and found good players that could bring quality to their teams. On the other hand, we were signing players like Pete to contract extensions. Instead of keeping and developing youth players and grooming them into our system, we trade them away as part of an instant fix sollution. Essentially what it comes down to is we are not a superclub, we are far from it.
Since you mentioned it (kind of unrelated maybe) Peter Vagenas and Alexi Lalas are pretty good buddies.
Alexi should stop giving insane interviews and concentrate on putting together a team for next season.
With Paul Bravo as the "Technical Director" in charge of the soccer operations, there is some hope that Lexi's job IS giving interviews (instead of fiddling with the roster any further.) And, I do not fault Lexi for aiming high. Our objective SHOULD BE to become a super club. No reason not to think big. Whether this management team can get us there is another matter. Would you rather Lexi said, "No. We don't want to be a super club. Our goal is to be a nice little team that every now and then wins a domestic title." ???
The only reason for a club to become a super club in the first place is to showcase the team to other regions of the world. With that said, it sounds to me Lalas cares more about money than about winning. I could care less about playing Australia. Or playing Minnesota. I want to WIN in MLS. I want to have MLS trophies. Once we can do that, we can move on to other tournaments and leagues. Seems like we are doing things backwards. Good managers are consistent at winning, not losing. And Lalas has a consistent losing record where ever he goes as GM.
The problem with Lalas isn't his vision for the team - thinking big is great. His problem is that he has no clue when it comes to evaluating talent. His comments about looking for players who can handle the limelight are inane. The LAG are filled with slow, mediocre players, who are below even MLS standards for athleticism and skill. It isn't the limelight that is killing them - they just aren't very good. Plus the coach lets them slide with mediocrity. The idea of bringing in Figo (??!!) is a perfect example. While other teams are finding excellent young talent from South American or wherever, Lalas thinks bringing in Figo is something to shoot for??? This team needs speed and aggressiveness, not an over the hill Figo. A basic example: their are many, many athletic, skilled right backs playing in South America that would love to play for the LAGs that are better than the current Klein. Hell there are many USL right backs that would fit the bill. But I've seen NO evidence whatsoever that Lala-idiot is working connections to find these jewels-in-the rough, the way that Chivas found Galindo or United found Emilio and Fred. Lalas has to go if the LAG are ever going to be a even a good team, much less a "superclub". What a joke.
Everything you guys have said is unfortunately true; take any other sport, one that Americans excel at, like Basketball with the NBA, and compare it to the other professional leagues around the world; its the same situation, only the roles are reversed. To compare such an infant league and club to the powerhouses in Europe is an exaggeration at best. I applaud the guy for aiming high, but sometimes you have to admit its set too high (at least at the moment). The MLS is barely over a decade old, while clubs and leagues in Europe are almost a century old or older. For the MLS, they are going to have to walk a very fine line between drawing in star power and name recognition to entice the general NFL/NBA loving masses, while at the same time, retaining home talent and organically developed players. This is just a theory I have, and mind you I don't have an MBA or any experience in team organization or MLS, so its a shaky principle: -Scout for more up-and comers. This means doing the walk and talk that recruiters of any other popular sport here in the US do; go to high school and college games, talk to the players, check them out, see what they are capable of. This also entails traveling to other countries around the world, scouting for talent to bring back home to play for the MLS. I know they are currently doing this, but do it MORE. -Because Soccer is such an underrated sport here in the US, many of the convoluted laws and regulations that currently exist for recruiting school players for sports like Basketball or Football, are nonexistent for Soccer. I'm not advocating outright exploitation or manipulation; I'm just saying, this could lead to lucrative and creative contracts for both players and the league. -Start looking more towards the USL and other "lower-tier" leagues (nothing against the USL but you all know what I mean; English Football has its League One/Two right?). What USL or PCSL player wouldn't be happy to sign with a bigger marquee like the teams in the MLS? There are plenty of diamonds in the rough that could really shine with just a little bit of TLC. -Balance short-term/extended contracts. Older players who are getting up there in age but who are internationally recognized and lauded (a la Beckham) should be signed to play for the league short-term, so as to draw in needed star power while also not pushing them too hard or recklessly (again, a la Beckham). On the flipside, lock in younger players and developing prodigies to longer contracts. Would this work or am I talking out of my ass?
Folks, I'll be the last one to defend Lalas. He's torn this team to shreads and shown no hint of any ability to build it back up. But in this case y'all are roasting him for no reason... He didn't say he wanted to Bring in Figo. He said "players like Figo". It's a simile. Not a suggestion.
I think the problem is that when asked to name a 'super' North American football club most people will still plump for New York Cosmos who went out of business in 1985. Having said that most people would be hard pressed to name a 'super' South American club and they have a lot more history.
He will be?. He is already with the Galaxy. What an idiot is Lalas. He is trying to make excuses for the poor performance of the Galaxy.
I have watched Beckham for years now, since he scored his first goal with Manu, He is one commited player and I know he will do an amazing Job for you guy's. This may sound stupid but every time Becks has had an injury his performance goes amazingly well for months until his next injury haha Only joking, he is one of the worlds best players. This is a fact for you, since Becks has signed for you, they reckon every person who has read a paper or some kind of magazine aound the world now knows your club and sponsor! so do your sums !!! he is now known as one of the most famous players ever in the GALAXY I mean WORLD haha. VIVA LA BECKHAM
Lalas is a tool. Don't take any man serious who before the beggining of the season said: "Our main objective is to win the Supporter's Shield" We are three fourths into the season and we haven't even won five games!!!! Start going to the reserve games, shut your trap, and build a team that can beat Real Salt Lake you cancer of soccer clubs. He is making our club into a retirement home for aging Euro stars.
Lalas is an idiot. I heard him on Indie 103 with Jonesy and he was talking the same nonsense. He puts all his eggs in one basket--Beckham--and he has to be careful what he asks for. They are talking about us in London, etc., allright. We are now more commonly known as "The Pub Team." Lalas stunk as a player (was much better as a guitarist) so why is he even a manager? Goodbye, Lalas.