I'll be disappointed if he retires now, but maybe he sees that he can't expect to have a starting job & doesn't want to ride it out on the bench & take his chances. Cobi has said before that he was advised by his peers not to make an announcement about a retirement date. Because, what if you change your mind? So... I don't expect an announcement that this is his last season. But I hope he'll play this one out. He definitely made a contribution last season, and where are all the players going to come from this year? We are not exacty flush with extra bodies.
Great summary. I also liked the fact that it appeared Cobi gave his all in every match, and maximized his abilities as well. A hard-working, anti-primadonna who has a few nice tricks as well. A true credit to the sport. He is almost unrivaled in his lack of blemishes (vs. the 'big' soccer names of Alexi, Harkes, Wynalda, etc. of the 90s and 00s)
This is not true,Cobi don't go please stay for one more year.You have to play with Becks then retire......
As an Earthquakes fan, as much as I despised Cobi as a member of the LA Galaxy, I have tremendous respect for him as a person, player, and as a spokesperson for the American game. When he no longer started for the National Team he didn't complain. He accepted his role and excelled. I expect the same will be true for his role with the Galaxy, in whatever capacity he serves. True hero of the American game this guy.
Re: cobi retiring? Too bad he doesn't get one final match with the USMNT vs Mexico...I know how beloved he is south of the border....
LA ought to loan him to United AND the Dynamo for their away legs of the CCC, just to f**k with the Mexicans.
Much props to all the MLS fans that are posting love for Cobi in this forum. We Galaxy fans have always had much love and respect for what Cobi means to us and the league. It is nice to see that Cobi has love and respect all throughout the league. Once again, on behalf of all Galaxy fans thank you for the Cobi love!
Re: cobi retiring? Without a doubt Cobi is one of the US' most important soccer players of all-time. The face of LA, MLS, and USMNT. I hope he gets a job with the USMNT, as much as I'd love to see him get a coaching/assistant job with LA, the USMNT can use his knowledge of the game. P.S. We need him this season, I'm crossing my fingers that he retires after the season.
I just got an email from the Galaxy advertising presale for individual tickets to the 1st 8 games. It features a huge picture of Cobi and the message: "The Stars Align" along with "#13 Cobi Jones / Midfielder". I don't think he's retiring just yet. Unless there's been a big wires-crossed incident in the FO.
Check your inbox and restart the speculation... new advertizing to season ticket holders includes .gif with Cobi's face advertizing availability of individual seats in pre-sale to the first eight games with "The Stars Align" slogan. Can't put up the image now, and it would give away the pre-sale code. You know they'd come after me.
Cobi never fails to impress me. Does anyone remember his injury-time goal against Panama in only the last round of World Cup qualifying?! Who was the cagey vet in the Total 90 uniform who rescued the U.S. from sheer embarrassment that day? COBI. Hope there's one last year. Come on, Cobi in for Beckham in the 90th minute in MLS Cup. There's a chance. What better send-off could there be? Mike
Another thought -- When they unveil new jerseys, don't they have a player present to model it? Who would be more appropriate than Mr. Jones? P.S. If he were to retire tomorrow, my lasting image of Cobi in a Galaxy uniform wouldn't be from the early days (aka the '98 rampage), but in the 2005 playoffs when "old-man" Cobi, one-year after his injury-plagued, worst season in 2004, stepped it up and juked about 4 Rapids players out of their jocks on that run down the right wing that lead to our first goal and sent us on to MLS Cup 2005. That typified what sort of play he brings to the field.
They have more than one player at jersey presentations.. Some wear the away, some the home and I've even seen jersey presentations with someone wearing the 3rd jersey. The tend to make it more "theatrical" than one player at a press conference and you can be sure with Beckham coming on board it will surely be more than one guy standing up and turning around..
Huh? Wouldn't Cien also fall under this? I don't remember him ever being traded? So Cobi wouldn't be the "only" one. Or do you mean the only one with the other facts you listed?
true dat. i don't think there was another player for the galaxy, young or old that had the heart that cobi did -- maybe danny pena. one of my lasting memories would be of him against d.c. last year. we'd lost 7 games in a row, were well on our way to losing again then cobi comes in after a few weeks off with injury and just hustles his way to scoring the tying goal. if our younger players put in half the effort as cobi we'd walk over this league year in year out. i actually mark that DC game as when things turned around for us. i think cobi had as much, if not more of an impact than yallop did. total pro and will be a huge, huge hole to fill when he does leave.
Might be a farewell tour this season. With Beckham coming in the summer, Cobi's without a place on the pitch.
Not if Yallop actually goes with the plan he says he will use. To play Beckham in the middle.. That would leave Cobi's spot on the right wide open for him.. I could see them weaving back and forth on the right during the match and leaving the Becks crosses from the right as a fear in all the defenses even if he spends a lot of time in the middle.. We'll see..
Cobi=Class. Lets see one more year so you can go out with the respect and the admiration for a league you helped build and you helped foster when others were just trying to use it as a stepping stone. Cobi invested himself into MLS and more specifically the Galaxy. Thanks for the memories.
cobi is a class act. american soccer wll suffer a huge loss with his retirement. first ballot HOF for sure. I am glad i was able to see him play twice in person. I am glad my oldest son was able to see him play as well, so i won't have to tell him how great a player he was.
I think this could be regarding an "I will retire at the end of this season" announcement... but... I am going to say that I think this is an announcement regarding the new team image (crest, name?, etc.) You might ask, well why would you have Cobi Jones there for that?, and I say, why not?, he has been thee face of LA Galaxy soccer in most people's opinions, and a great player in the MLS for a number of years. Why wouldn't you ask your long term veteran who has played so many games for your franchise to come to an announcement like that? Maybe he will be the first person to slip on the new jersey, and that will be an honor. And if you suggest that it should be Landon Donovan instead, I think I'm gonna have a little throw-up in my mouth.
"The Los Angeles Galaxy and midfielder Cobi Jones will make a major announcement at a press conference Monday at 10:30 a.m. PT at The Home Depot Center. Jones will be joined by Galaxy head coach Frank Yallop, team President and GM Alexi Lalas and AEG President and CEO Tim Leiweke" I'm starting to think it may be about a new club look and what not. I'd like to think he wouldn't retire 3 weeks before opening day.