It definitely feels like very reactionary thinking which seems to be a hallmark of this club under Klein. React to a problem with a bandaid fix that doesn’t address the root cause. The Galaxy’s STM package has always been on the stingy side, but its value proposition gets worse with every passing game. The STM “gift” is being given away to everyone today. The price per-game is getting matched or beaten by special offers from the FO, let alone the historical discount you could get on StubHub. First dibs on playoff games is more taunt than benefit and the glamor games playing the likes of Real Madrid or Manchester United have lost most of their luster. Alienating your most loyal and most likely to be plugged in to the off field issues is bold play. Though another thought occurs to me that’s even more depressing. Perhaps AEG sees the Galaxy not as a football club, but one of many entertainment options open to people in LA/OC. They don’t care about a fan base or don’t think one can be created. They only care about getting 25,000 people through the gate 19 times a year. Whether those are the same 25,000 each week or a totally different 25,000 doesn’t really matter.
I’m hearing some whispers that a meeting between supporter leaders and FO is soon with Klein apparently present. No clue what can be resolved or negotiated but a meeting seems positive. They might be feeling the pressure of our upcoming home game against the neighbors.
Hearing that there is a meeting between the SG’s and front office tonight. Should be interesting to hear what comes out of that meeting. #LAGalaxy— Inside Our 𝕲alaxy (@InsideOurGalax1) April 7, 2023
I happened to look at the comments on one of the social media feeds posted by the club earlier in the week. The post had a picture of former players and Danny Peña was present. Everyone will be happy to know the dude still looks like he’s plotting to murder you in your sleep. That all said, I don’t usually look at the comments on these things but this time I did to see if any gems were in there regarding Peña. Literally every second comment was disparaging the front office or featured the Klein Out hashtag. It struck me that disaffection for the last 6 years extends far beyond what I thought it did. It’s hard for me to see exactly how the current try to wait it out strategy the front office is employing will work out for them. Anger seems to be growing as opposed to petering out. So this meeting is hopefully a positive step. I don’t see how Klein survives this without reshuffling himself or his title and putting Kuntz in charge of overall soccer operations. Klein should rechristen himself the business man only as several on this board have suggested and then hit the mattresses until things calm down.
Details I’ve gotten from last night’s meeting between SG’s and Galaxy FO: - Chris Klein was present and talked in the meeting - Klein showed Vanney’s vision of the whole club - Will Kuntz also present and participated in meeting - Kuntz empathized importance on getting…— Alex Ruiz (@AlxRuiz15) April 7, 2023
Takeaways from the SG meeting- @InsideOurGalax1 #LAGalaxy https://t.co/XLmpmCeDN1 pic.twitter.com/1qjScKXcIr— 𝕁𝕠𝕚𝕖 𝔾𝕒𝕝𝕒𝕔𝕥𝕚𝕢𝕦𝕖 (@JoieGalactique) April 8, 2023 another summary of meeting. I feel like the SGs staked out an opening position (Klein out) that AEG will never agree to. Not sure this gets resolved unless the SGs back off. Which is tough because I think the SGs are in the right here, overall. All this stuff listed above is just window dressing and let’s Klein skate on by as usual. bad situation.
Again the SG’s should have been in Beckerman’s office from day 1. Klein didn't hire Klein, and clearly Klein won't fire Klein.
Sounds like Klein has his scapegoats all lined up. Credit to him he knows how to keep his job as the Galaxy close in on a decade of failure. Neither will Beckerman, if he cared about results Klein would be gone.
Agree he is unlikely to budge. But he needs to feel the heat and suffer some consequences because he is at least as guilty as Klein here. An incompetent employee is, at first, totally responsible for his own mistakes but if he is re-hired repeatedly the blame falls squarely on the boss.
Beckerman is the President of AEG. The Galaxy are not a big part of AEG's global business or revenues. It would take Anschutz getting interested for personal reasons for Beckerman to suffer consequences
The part that really sucks is that Jovan is apparently in charge of scouting and player acquisition under Vanney. Jovan had years to build up a scouting department and did squat. It wasn't until Stephens was hired that we have started to see some improvement in player acquisition.
It's true Galaxy fans/SGs can’t force Beckerman’s firing; they can’t force Klein’s firing either. But having his name blasted across social media (#BeckermanOut etc.) and holding protests against him are consequences. The pressure might make him pay more attention and push Klein for better performances. In any case protesting against Beckerman is better than letting him escape Scot-free after repeating one of the worst FO personnel decisions in MLS history.
Baxter doesn't pull any punches here, calling for the Galaxy to clean house and start all over again https://www.latimes.com/sports/soccer/story/2023-04-09/la-galaxy-mls-chris-klein-greg-vanney
We feel bad and sorry for our perfomances recently. We need to regroup and come together, we got an amazing fan bases so we need your support every weekend. The quality is there but as a group we need to show it on the field. We will give everything starting now! #LAGalaxy— Chris Mavinga (@Chris_Mavinga) April 9, 2023 I read things like this and I think the protest has hurt the players the most. Which is unfortunate.
The current troubles are the continuation of a slide that began in 2017, when, in the wake of coach Bruce Arena’s departure for the national team, Dan Beckerman, the president and chief executive of AEG, the Galaxy’s parent company, trimmed $10 million in designated-player salary, cut the overall payroll in half and gave homegrown players and graduates of the team’s academy system nearly 40% of the playing time. Not sure if I ever heard that this was an ownership directive before.
Ok, confirms the suspicions we all had back then as to why it seemed the Gs made no effort to look for a first class coach and snickered when Klein said they looked far and wide the the best coach. Also, seems to also confirm our belief that Beckerman seems the bigger problem because he just doesn't care about the Gs like Tim. All the more reason for AEG to sell.
We all called out the stupid timing, to retreat to mediocrity on the field and even worse marketing just as LAFC was intent on making a splash. The complacency has been blaring loudly for years.
....eh, what's the rush Our arch-rival is defending champ and two-time shield winner. We haven't been relevant since the Zlatan Flying Circus, and haven't been relevant on the field since Robbie Keane left. There is no rational reason to buy a season ticket, and I can't imagine what the Galaxy would tell neutral fans that would convince them to be Galaxy fans and not LAFC fans. Scouting has been laughable from the DP level down to G2. I don't know how #KleinOut isn't the MINIMUM to ask at this point, and I don't know how the SG's didn't just get up and walk out when they saw him. Credit to them for hearing them out, and presumably keeping straight faces. Stop the boycott, #HireKuntz succeeded! EDIT - compLAcent