Guatalmala pulled it out and qualified for the CONCACAF Gold Cup, per today's LA Times. That means, we face Ajax et al. without the Fish. Yes LAG will just have to suck it up and deal with the club v. country problems that all the big clubs wrestle with. However, no question this diminishes the team's ability to make a good showing on the international stage. And, it provides a built in excuse - which Sigi will have to work very hard to keep the guys from buying into. Of course, the big difference in LAG dealing with that kind of issue and a European club facing the same problem: roster depth. What do you think of guest players?
No guest players, Cadaver. What does that prove? We need to play the big clubs with our boys and let the results speak for themselves. No excuses. If we are missing Ruiz (which we will be), then the others will have to pick up the slack. They are, after all, our boys too.
I agree...no guest players. We need to play these with what we have. Sure Ruiz will be missed but who knows, maybe GG will step up and surprise a few folks over there.
The "no guest players postition is easy to take" until you look at the very real likelihood that we will be missing not just Ruiz but also very likely Califf and Marshall. Add to this the less likely loss of any of Victorine, Jones, Vagenas, Hartman and or Hendrickson and guest players become a lot more tempting. The real issue is who would you get. The A League probably wouldn't be willing because of the lack of a league-to-league agreement and other MLS teams aren't likely to want to risk a decent player from their squads being injured.
I understand that we could be severely undermanned, but that's what our 6 developmental spots are for as well. At the very least (barring injuries), we will have 17 players who are "Galaxy players". Thats the way it is for MLS, and we shouldn't go over with guests.
To start with, I share the initial reaction against guest players. It would not be the "real" galaxy if LA could somehow get players loaned from another club or clubs. Somehow it just doesn't seem right. But, there are two issues which weigh the other direction: 1. Unlike every other team in the tournament, we play with unrealistic roster restrictions. The developmental player slots do not even begin to compare with the type of subs bench the real big clubs carry. As I've said before, a club like Arsenal carries over 60 players under contract, and maybe as many as 30-35 of those guys are at "first team" level. 2. To some extent, like it or not, LAG will be carrying the mantle of the league and US professional soccer. I would almost rather not play than go in carrying that kind of obligation with a crippled roster. What will that prove? Who will ever believe us crying "We really are better than that"? Abject failure would not only be a black mark against LAG but a black mark against MLS, so the other clubs (remember - SINGLE ENTITY) have every reason to want us to make a good showing. Because of SINGLE ENTITY the league could do something about this if they chose to do so. We are sitting here with an 18 man roster, and we are going to be short anywhere from 3 to 5 starting players. To say nothing of the fact that the guy who represented the majority of our offense last year not being there. Its one thing to say "suck it up." Its another thing to say, "go play with one foot tied behind your back."
With all due respect, the other 9 MLS teams have their own fish to fry--um, isn't there the Supporters Shield and MLS Cup and Open Cup to play for?--and with rosters being tested by these campaigns and national teams call-ups, etc., no MLS coach in his right mind would agree to it. I would say LA is on its own.
No doubt you are right about the coaches, and I am not looking for or expecting any sympathy here. As you say, LAG are probably on their own. The only point I was making is that MLS (The Single Entity) does have an interest in promoting the quality of its product, both domestically and with potential foreign players and with advertisers. The league could decide that it is in the league's interest to have the MLS rep in the Peace Cup do as well as possible. The league could decide that it wants to look strong and not have its champion go down the tubes because they are playing short handed. And, given that the league owns all the contracts (and makes up its rules as it goes along) what the coaches do or don't want for their own sides may or may not make much difference. I'm not saying it will happen. I'm not even saying its likely. All I am saying is that there is a legitimate point of view which makes the concept attractive to the league, and the mechanisms exist within a single entity structure to address the probelm, if they wanted to. Yes, that's a very big "if".
...well, if we must use "guest players" from the league it would be sweet to use only ex-Galaxy players....
Using guest players wouldn't look good - if we do well with guest players we're accused of bringing in "ringers" for the tournament (unless they're legitimately on trial, of course).
o Well before today's performance against Odd grenland.... I would have said we have an excellant chance either way. But today's loss kinda reinforces a three and out philosophy. Oh well..
You are, of course, right. However, it will also look bad to field a less than representative team. The question is, which looks worse? Do you really want to see the U.S. national club champion go down in flames, and give ammo to those who still think MLS is a fourth rate league?
Yes, but Cadaver, we don't have many chances to actually find out where we rate! Why dilute that? If we invite some guest playes, I will continue to wonder where we "are". Let's help settle that question by going with the Galaxy players available.
I could live with that: Mathis Francchino Fraser Armas (but he will be at the Gold Cup) Vanney (who must be getting tired of sitting on the bench at Bastia) Not a bad list of guys to pick a few "ringers" from. Who else?
Cadaver, you've got me thinking about this. And I will go so far to say that if the Galaxy were to use guest players, I wouldn't really care how "we" performed in Korea. I would NEVER root against the boys, but I wouldn't want to root for guests wearing our shirt either. It's not really us at that point. And I won't give updates on the Cup if guest players are used. I feel that strongly about this.
Getting guest players is not going to happen - this whole discussion is purely academic. However, if we go in with a "B" team, we still won't know how we rate. We just go in with a bunch of excuses to explain failure.
That was sort of the objective of the exercise - a purely hypothetical discussion. You mean you would deny us the news if its something you don't like? No - I admire the purity of your position and I am not unsympathetic to it. Its absolutely understandable and probably the way most LAG fans feel. All I was saying really is I could understand the league not feeling the same way, and not wanting to embarass itself on such a large stage. If we followed the Solrac9 formula and only used Ex-LAG players, it would sort of be us. As things stand, it just does not look like a fair test of the team's strength, and that's really unfortunate.
On your last point, we agree. But, that's what happens with a busy soccer schedule. Better than the alternatives. As you say, purely speculative, but it was a nice diversion.
Great to know our media has principles but that one is pretty misguided. If we take on one or two MLS or A League guest players to cover for the missing 2002 League MVP and a national team quality back - it is still the Galaxy's victory. I guess we should give up our CCC title after all we signed Alexi Lalas as a "guest player" for that one.
Posted schedule on LARS site is for the Concacaf gold cup series for national teams. I thought the question was about the "WCC" which I interpreted to mean the World Club Championship. If the latter, my undersanding is the whole World Club Championship thing is up in the air - the Euro big boys are threatening to boycott it - etc. I know of no schedule having come out for WCC qualifiers.
with all due respect dawgpound...no need to go Chicken Little on us here...I seriously doubt that we will have any guest players out there...in the case of lots of gouys being called up...I am sure LA would sign someone to short term contracts...ala Tennyson last year...while facing Roma and Santos with a striking pairing of Albright and Glinton doesnt scare many in MLS yet alone internationally...our defense is top notch, and no squad, save a few would rack up an easy victory... that being said... Fish COULD play... Gold Cup... July 12-27 Peace Cup July 15 - 22 SO...if The scheduling breaks right, we could get Fish for a game or so, if Guatemala gets eliminated early, and they haven't faired too well in the GC in recent years...
That's just it. I do have some principles, and I don;t report on minor events. And who else among LA "journalists" will even know what the heck the Peace Cup is when the time comes. Look, I won't be able to justify time in updates if the team invites guest players and turns it into an MLS commercial. I will still watch and freak out like the rest of you at every bit of information, I just won't be sharing it on the air. That said, Cadaver is right. We are pissing for no reason.