Official Galaxy Youth Academy and Progress

Juninho and Sarvas back together again with the Galaxy - as Academy coaches

The day after @Juninho19LA announces his retirement, he and former @LAGalaxy teammate Marcelo Sarvas are added to the team’s academy staff

— Kevin Baxter 🇺🇦🏳️‍🌈 (@kbaxter11) July 1, 2020

 

I love both these guys. But am I right that neither one has any coaching experience?

 

i believe Sarvas has had his coaching badges for awhile now, I’m not sure if he wasn’t involved in any coaching Colorado. His Instagram is almost entirely of him training what I assume is his kid.

I have to imagine part of the plan with bringing Juni back last year was to transition him into a post playing career role. I wouldn’t be surprised if he already has his badges as well.

 

As long as these are entry level positions, I think it's fine. Give people a chance, promote them if they do well.

 

Sarvas was an assistant coach for the Rapids a while back and a candidate for the head coach of DC's USL affiliate. I seem to recall that he was getting a USSF coaching license, but don't recall the level of the license or whether he passed the test.

 

Thanks to both of you re: Sarvas and Juni coaching experience. I am glad that the badge process has been at least started or is on-going. That shows a level of commitment that (while not surprising from these guys) is comforting. My caveat: learning to coach and actually coaching are two different things. Some really bad coaches have the paper credentials. Not that I think either of these guys is likely to fall into that category. I just will be watching closely and hoping for the best.

 

𝕰𝖑 𝕲𝖆𝖙𝖔#LAGalaxy legend @KevinEHartman named @LAGalaxyAcademy Director: https://t.co/NlpFFSJtcZ pic.twitter.com/Qg5OuIu8Jd

— LA Galaxy (@LAGalaxy) July 9, 2020

I suppose as long as he isn't working on the inside for a brother who is an agent trying to send our prospects overseas he ought to be an improvement.

 

Go Kevin!

And OH GOD mbar, you've gone to the heart of the matter.

 

Question for anyone that is following the academy. Does LAG have a U-20 team right now? I saw that they will not have a U-19 squad in MLS NEXT. Seattle and San Jose both are not fielding U-19 teams, but I know that the Quakes are training a U-20 team right now and the rumor is they will be playing Liga MX teams. My theory is DTK is setting something up with his contacts in Mexico. Portland and LAFC have U-19 teams right now.....

 

The GII team was effectively the club's U20 team this year. At least 8-9 players were 17 or 18 years old, plus players from the senior team like Alvarez and Dunbar (who played with the senior team), and Perez (who played with GII). They also played a few older Academy players on GII who did not have a pro contract.

 

More turnover in the Galaxy Academy

#LAGalaxy Director of Methodology and Development Juan Carlos Ortega departs to join @TigresOficial

— LA Galaxy (@LAGalaxy) July 8, 2021

 

At least there is recognition that Ortega's departure leaves a hole in the Academy. The question is whether they go back to the old way of giving the Head of Academy job to a former player as a soft landing spot in the Good 'Ol Boy network or they actually hire someone with youth coaching experience, connections, and a plan.

I'll add that the Galaxy are already searching for Ortega's replacement. And that they seem determined not to let the progress he made with the Academy go to waste!#LAGalaxy #MLS

— Corner Of The Galaxy (@GalaxyPodcast) July 8, 2021

 

I think with DTK, we won’t be getting a Good ‘ol Boy hire. If the decision is made solely by Klein, we may be in trouble.

 

It appears that another one of the quick moves to Europe, by-passing G2 and the Galaxy, hasn’t worked out for a Kleiban player. Not sure what happened, but Kobe Hernandez-Foster was released by Wolfsburg.

Contract terminated: Kobe Hernandez-Foster will be leaving #VfLWolfsburg. We are wishing you all the best, Kobe! 🐺💚 pic.twitter.com/9NqM90PpXV

— VfL Wolfsburg EN/US 🇬🇧 🇺🇸 (@VfLWolfsburg_EN) September 1, 2021

 

Apparently Wolfsburg were trying to turn him into a defensive midfielder. Maybe worth a shot.

 

I thought he was on leave for most of 2021 possibly because of Covid/Family issues but I can not find any references to that. I agree that he might be worth a shot as he was a very good passer.

 

Does anyone know if there is a thread about the actual current academy players anywhere? If not there should certainly be one.

 

#LAGalaxy U-17 academy player Alex Alcala (@AlexAlcala_05) showing off some skill at the Generation Adidas Cup. pic.twitter.com/p5cgtGiJWP

— Galaxy Fan Talk (@LAGalaxyFanTalk) April 14, 2022

Alcala did the first guy dirty. Very nice skills.

Will we see this guy with the first team? Will be 17 this fall, but it's hardly rare for guys to make their debuts at this age in MLS nowadays.

 

Très bon travail! 👏🇫🇷

The U-17s showed out in the 24th Tournoi International de Football U-17, making it to the quarter-finals and earning victories over @AS_Monaco and @losclive academies 💪 pic.twitter.com/AE3aCmkv05

— LA Galaxy Academy (@LAGalaxyAcademy) June 9, 2022

 

Narrow lost to Porto FC 1-2 in the group stage and lost in PKs to RSC Anderlecht in QF. Looking very good against all opponents.

1-2 L vs Porto FC
2-1 W vs Lille FC
0-0 L vs RSC Anderlecth (QF)
1-0 W vs AS Monaco

 

Very impressive!

 

Neal and Ferkranus called up for the U20s Concacaf Championship Roster (qualifiers for the U20 WC AND the 2024 Olympics). Also Alvarado and Cuevas in the former Academy player category. It’s a big deal set of qualifiers, but some of the top players won’t be released until the knockout rounds or at all, so this is a B/B+ roster most likely

ʀᴇᴀᴅʏ ᴛᴏ ʀɪsᴇ 💪

The #U20MYNT will aim for its third-straight regional title plus berths to the 2023 FIFA U-20 World Cup & 2024 Olympics at #CU20 this summer » https://t.co/DNMRfFmw2j pic.twitter.com/NjBDingFZ8

— U.S. Soccer YNT (@USYNT) June 10, 2022

 

Galaxy Academy didn't have a U19 team before this, so this is a brand new team. My guess is that it will be used as effectively a reserve team for the MLS Next Pro squad (which is where Los Dos will play next year after moving from USL). It gives the younger players a chance to play up against grown men, rather than play in the U19 division of MLS Next, which has some good players, but not that many MLS Academy teams (and probably even fewer as teams fully transition to MLS Next Pro next year).

✨ x @UPSLsoccer #LAGalaxy U-19 Academy has joined the @UPSLsoccer playing in the SoCal North Premier Division 🤝💙🤍💛

📰: https://t.co/d6kTV2IVCl pic.twitter.com/mCmy8D9qDb

— LA Galaxy Academy (@LAGalaxyAcademy) July 1, 2022