Is Augie an international? This would open a roster spot but we need an international one and also need to scrape enough cash together to make it worth Gionvinco's time.
No international spot for Auggie, who has lived in the US for a long time. I think it's the end of his Galaxy career, and possibly a new signing (a free agent like... Giovinco) is coming. Here is what I wrote about Auggie after last USL season : https://www.bigsoccer.com/threads/official-2020-la-galaxy-ii-season.2107741/page-5#post-39088259 It seems the possibility of Auggie being a fluke after his 2020 season was a good one.
Nice article: How the LA Galaxy rebuilt their roster to accelerate the Greg Vanney era | MLSSoccer.com Not sure there is too much in there we didn't already know but still...
I Somehow that link got me to a twitter post on Greg in 96 and then a series of clips on Jorge Campos. I had never seen him play before. Wow, very high risk/reward play.
Oh yeah - he was one wild ride. Very entertaining but nerve wracking. I wasn’t yet a Galaxy fan but would catch an occasional game and I remember his craziness quite well.
Kai Koreniuk just announced he had a torn ACL in a recent G2 game. I know it's not the good thread, but this injury may mean his Galaxy career is over. Too bad, I like him.
I copied this from a post in the USMNT forum by @IndividualEleven Don't want to make too much of this, but maybe scrappiness beats talent.
TBH, i think this was something of a down year for the big spenders. A team has to absolutely get right its big money signings. Then it has to skillfully fill out the rest of the roster.
MLS is a physical, hustle league. The referees let a lot go, I think it's hard to be a finesse player in this league if it is not accompanied by hard work. So a Ledeiro in Seattle thrives because he just doesn't stop running and grinding, but older players like Vasquez struggle with the physicalness of the league. It's also why Ibra was so successful, MLS values/encourages a physical presence. That doesn't explain everything, but it's definitely a part of it.
Would also add that the current top two teams in the East and the current top two in the West are coached by MLS Cup Winners.
But players like the diminutive Giovinco, skinny Almiron, and average physicality players Vela and Keane tore the league up from day 1. Gio was all skill and quickness, Almiron was incredible speed and skill (except shooting, where he was terrible), Vela was a combination of quickness, dribbling moves and finishing ability, and Keane was pure skill, deception and amazing soccer IQ. I think MLS is just on a bad run now and most of the current DPs are duds. But I do agree that MLS lets too much go and has gotten worse about it, starting about a decade ago. Vela and Josef Martinez are examples of skilled players who paid the price (although Martinez is very physical himself.)
I think the main thing it shows is that if you go the DP route and tie up that much salary cap with 2-3 players, then you gotta knock it out of the park with those DPs. And then those DPs need to stay healthy. Healthy Vela makes LAFC a top team. Broken down sitting on the bench Vela makes LAFC a team fighting for a playoff spot. And we are still paying the price for big misses on a couple DPs in a row (Gerrard, GDS) and DPs who are having trouble staying 100% healthy (JDS and Chich).
Almost half that whole number is going to Chicharito alone. But also consider a whole 1 million of it is also going to a guy who doesn't even make the bench for us (Giancarlo). Same with TFC, they are burdened by big contracts.
Wishing him the a speedy recovery. While his Galaxy stint may end, he's got a way back as a pro through USL. With solid teams/organizations in SD and OC, guys in KKs situation have a legit road back to a pro career that didn't exist in the past.