Yes soccer performance is more in Kirovski’s job description and he is directly responsible for those failures. But Klein’s job is not just financial operations. As President he is responsible for the entire operation, including hiring the best and brightest at all senior levels of staffing. In the biggest sense his mandate is to build a winning (financially and soccer-wise) Galaxy organization from the ground up. He has been an utter failure in this regard. Now if this were just a couple of years into Jovan’s employment then yes, he would be the only one needing to be fired. But we are almost a decade in of Kirovski not doing his job; the fact he hasn't been replaced is 100% on President Chris Klein. In fact, because of his power over the whole organization Klein is the one doing the most harm. Jovan is just skating by because his boss holds no one accountable. I guess by the same logic actually it would be Dan Beckerman doing the most harm. After all, he is the idiot who just gave Klein another five-year contract.
I mean, I agree. As stated originally, I think both need to go. I think AEG will be very resistant to firing Chris Klein, however. They would probably argue that Klein has met some financial benchmarks that earned him a new contract, even if the team hasn't performed well on the field. I've heard that revenues are up, which surely reflects well on Klein with AEG's bean counters. But like, what positives does Kirvoski bring? He landed Zlatan, which counts for a lot, but the scouting department sucks and there's no football philosophy or direction to speak of.
Galaxy Academy U17 player, Paulo Rudisill, scores for the US U17 team v. Trinidad & Tobago at the Concacaf Championships in Guatemala, which doubles as U17 World Cup qualifying 14’ | Paulo Rudisill adds to the scoreboard! #CU17C pic.twitter.com/LAShNywO6S— U.S. Soccer YNT (@USYNT) February 14, 2023 THE #U17MYNT ARE 🔥🇺🇸Paulo Rudisill makes it two for the @USYNT! pic.twitter.com/UHork25dyX— FOX Soccer (@FOXSoccer) February 14, 2023
Cool video featuring Paulo Rudisill of the LA Galaxy with the US U-17s... #U17MYNT 𝙈𝙞𝙘'𝙙 𝙐𝙥 🎙Take to the training ground with midfielder Paulo Rudisill 🇺🇸 pic.twitter.com/HqVPXN9rDZ— U.S. Soccer YNT (@USYNT) February 14, 2023 We must make it a priority to fast track prospects like him into the first team. You can hear in his voice the pride he still has to be a Galaxy player, let's not lose him to Europe or another league like so many of our other top prospects in the past!
Paulo has been a Galaxy Academy player for quite awhile. Since before the pandemic at least. With the Galaxy Academy model of going to high school together on site so they can practice near and with the pro teams, the players definitely can develop a real bond with the club. By the way, I don't know when this was taken, but the Galaxy Academy UI17 team beat the Sounders 1-0 and 3-2 in the last month (if you heard him talking with the Sounders player about an upcoming game).
Although a Sounders guy suggests that they must have just played and Sounders won 2-1 (it's possible he's referring to the Galaxy U19/UPSL team) nods... https://t.co/75NNpk5vm7 pic.twitter.com/tgzxEBP2CV— Jeremiah Oshan (@JeremiahOshan) February 14, 2023
The investigation in to the Berhalter/Reyna issue was released. I was never on the Reyna’s side, but this quote is repugnant and further illustrates what unpleasant people the Reynas are A July 2018 email expressed dissatisfaction with a female referee appointed for one of Gio’s games. “And in all honest [sic] can we get real and have male refs for a game like this. Its embarrassing guys. What are we trying to prove? A game like this deserves bett[e]r attention,” Reyna wrote.
Berhalter's time at the Nats is passed. I'd be very surprised if he doesn't get the boot. Having said that I hope Gio spends all his time in Europe and retires there. I don't want any reminder of how entititled, callous and mean-spirited his whole family is. Toxic.
I read the report. Wow. Claudio and Danielle Reyna look really bad. Claudio had been complaining to US Soccer about various issues regarding "his children" from 2016 to 2022, including complaining about referees, red cards, flight arrangements, and coaches. Danielle changed her story multiple times, exaggerated, misspoke, and pleads "emotional" justifications for her actions, just like Gio claimed about his reactions at the 2022 WC. She threw such a fit after the Wales game that she wouldn't get into the family bus with the Berhalter family afterwards. In contrast, the Berhalters were honest and everything they said is verified by multiple sources. Gregg seems to have handled his 18-year old transgression as well as I can possibly imagine, voluntarily disclosing to family and coaches, apologizing to the victim and staying away as requested, voluntarily getting counseling, and volunteering at a women's prison for voluntary community service. I mean... US Soccer also comes out OK, and I commend them for preparing the report. The only fault I can find is that they enabled Claudio Reyna's ridiculous complaints for years. If they had cut him off at some point, this whole thing may have never happened. He should not be trusted in a position of power, based on what I read. They did say they are updating their policies around parent contacts. It's all really tragic, and I'll never think of the Reynas without remembering how they lost their oldest son, but they should be taking a good look in the mirror and owe a LOT of apologies, which will probably never happen based on their documented statements and attitudes.
The Reynas seem to be those nightmare parents you see at games at the club level every now and again. You’d hope that kind of stuff would get snuffed out at the professional level but apparently not……
Christian Pulisic gave an interview and touched on the Reyna/Berhalter situation: https://www.espn.com/soccer/united-...alter-reyna-post-world-cup-drama-was-childish
Ferkranus called up the U20 team #LAGalaxy defender Marcus Ferkranus called into U-20 camp March 19-29 in Spain. U.S. will face U-21s from England, France and Serbia— Damian Calhoun (@DamianCalhoun) March 17, 2023
I very much assume the only reason the likes of Cade Cowell (San Jose), Caleb Wiley (Atlanta) and Jalen Neal (LA Galaxy) aren't with the U20s as their clubs expect them to play MLS minutes during the March window.They will miss MLS games while at the U20 World Cup. Feels fair. https://t.co/Evux26MBKU— Tom Bogert (@tombogert) March 17, 2023
Here is a comparison of college careers of Judd and Zardes. I realize it isn't a very controlled comparison given different teammates and different opp strength but it's something. Obviously Zardes went on to massive MLS success, so it's a very high bar comparison point: Judd: "Judd played one season at the University of Denver, where he led the team with seven goals and one assist in 19 appearances, while earning 2019 Summit League All-Newcomer Team and 2019 Summit League Tournament MVP honors. Prior to his time at Denver, he spent the first two seasons of his collegiate career with California Baptist University, recording 22 goals and four assists in 39 games." Zardes: "After declaring himself a red shirt freshman at CSU Bakersfield, Zardes led the Galaxy U-20 team to the national championship in 2010. After tallying five goals and a team-best seven assists in his first season of college soccer, Zardes burst onto the scene as a sophomore in 2011, scoring 18 times in 20 games while helping lead Bakersfield to a berth in the NCAA Division I Tournament for the first time in school history. His 18 goals that season were the fourth most in Division I college soccer that year and he was selected the Mountain Pacific Sports Federation Player of the Year and a semifinalist for the MAC Hermann Trophy, which is awarded annually to the top player in college soccer.[6] In 2012, Zardes followed up his breakout season by scoring 15 goals and adding nine assists, each of which were team-highs, in 17 games, while helping the Roadrunners record a winning record for the fourth consecutive season. He had two or more goals in four of his 17 games, including seven goals in a two-game stretch in mid-October. CAVEAT: The above is from Wikipedia and the more I look at other sources (like the schools' own records!) there are inconsistencies. So take it all with a bit of +/- allowances.
Interesting how critical Neal has become to the team all of a sudden One interesting tidbit from today's presser? Greg Vanney was noncommittal on whether the club would release #USMNT center back Jalen Neal for the FIFA U20 World Cup this summer in Argentina. #LAGalaxy— Mike Gray (@MikeGrayAFC) April 21, 2023
Cuevas and Ferkranus called up for the US U20 World Cup squad. Neal stays with the Galaxy. I think that's fair. They take two of our defenders, but not three. 𝗨.𝗦. against the world 🌎💪Head coach Mikey Varas has called up 21 players to represent the 🇺🇸 at the U-20 @FIFAWorldCup in Argentina! ≫ https://t.co/3ZgQoIB5aW pic.twitter.com/vQsmiJZuwd— U.S. Soccer YNT (@USYNT) May 10, 2023
Neal and Boyd named on the preliminary 60 person roster/pool for the Gold Cup Concacaf requires the four Nations League semifinalists to submit up to 60 names to preliminary roster. Here’s the USMNT list, which will be reduced to 23 before June 5-12 camp opens: pic.twitter.com/7VWQujknai— Steven Goff (@SoccerInsider) May 19, 2023
COG reported that Cuevas was injured while training with the U20 team and had returned to the Galaxy.
Ferkranus in the starting lineup for the US U20 team v. Fiji today in the U20 World Cup ⚡ Showtime ⚡Your #U20MYNT starting XI vs. 🇫🇯 pic.twitter.com/pkrBtyK1pn— U.S. Soccer YNT (@USYNT) May 23, 2023
Neal named to the senior roster for the Gold Cup Reppin’ the Stars & Stripes 🇺🇸Jalen Neal has been named to @USMNT roster for @GoldCup. 📰: https://t.co/M8Xn1g4erF pic.twitter.com/WINCHfQPvl— LA Galaxy (@LAGalaxy) June 12, 2023