Yeah he deserves credit for last year. But if he gets credit for last year he’s gotta man up and take the heat for this year. Some acquisitions since have been poor. It can’t just be “well you can’t be good multiple years in a row because salary cap. I wanna be a superclub, waaaah”! They’ve had bad luck with injuries this year but had good luck with it last year. Gotta take the bad with the good. You don’t always get your pony.
I don’t think it’s just a matter of being on the same plane. In the pod, it sounded like he was interacting with the players a lot. I just feel such interference/helpfulness plus being around a lot could be disruptive to Vanney’s authority.
Every time the LA Galaxy think they found rock bottom... things get worse.After losing to a team that didn't take a shot... then losing 7-0... LA Galaxy go up 2-0 against Philly... only to lose 3-2 on a heartbreaking 97th minute goal.13 games without a win for reigning champs https://t.co/j6py9xvKWK— Tom Bogert (@tombogert) May 15, 2025
At their current pace they could break the goals allowed record and would demolish the negative goal difference record held by Cincinnati. The Quakes don't have the record for fewest points--they are tied for 9th-worst.
I think 13 games to start the season w/o a win is a record that could stand for some time. And they're not done yet. They have a home game this weekend but it's against an in-form LAFC. And then away at San Diego. (And then home against us.)
Over the last decade there have been so many times we have helped some team turn around their entire season by letting them beat us around a dozen games into the season, including the Galaxy... seems unlikely the Galaxy will beat LAFC or San Diego, so will history repeat itself?
Let's not jinx it. We need to stop being the generous one to let struggling team gaining any of hope or momentum. We did that too many times.
I didn't say anything to jinx it I don't think. Just stated that they're not necessary "done" yet, and then mentioned their next 3 games.
https://beyondthe90.substack.com/p/kartiks-notebook-mls-next-pro-back Where do we stand on USL D1? My understanding is the league office in Tampa will start taking applications from interested existing USL Championship clubs in the next few weeks. What will be involved in the process? Clubs will have to show they comply with US Soccer’s Pro League Standards for Division 1 men’s clubs. The PLS can be downloaded here. A five-year budget plan is being requested of all applicants per our sources. This is not related to the USSF PLS but to USL’s own internal standards which might be more stringent in terms of budget/finance than USSF’s vague “net worth” requirements. The clubs that are accepted will be expected to pay an “upward mobility fee.” This will likely only amount to a few million dollars we understand. Those clubs not accepted in the initial batch will still have ample opportunity to apply and be accepted prior to 2028 we understand. However, they will be competing with outside applicants and expansion clubs. The thinking is the league will launch with 14 teams in 2028 I am now told, not 12 as we had originally reported. I am also told their are about 10-15 different viable ideas for how to implement promotion and relegation that are floating around.
No, I don’t mean you. More a reminder to myself. I was looking at the Quakes calendar to see when we will be playing LAG. It will be May and June. Nice. Beat them when they are on the ground. But then I also remember how we were being too generous in the past.
Apparently, Galaxy fans are counting on this Sunday’s El Trafico to turn their season around…. I hope it happens. I would like to see Will Kuntz hold onto his job for 1 more year, just to see if he is as brilliant as people said he was last year.
They're not firing Will Kuntz this year even if the team goes winless over the entire season. Greg Vanney on the other hand, could be in trouble if they don't turn it around eventually... I think his deal is up soon so they might not fire him so soon after winning MLS Cup but they could just not renew him.
So much for that lol LA Galaxy extend coach Greg Vanney despite record winless start Kuntz brings in another analytics guy... Also as @PaulTenorio reported: LA Galaxy are hiring Ravi Ramineni to the front office.Ramineni previously worked for the Seattle Sounders. Highly-respected analytical mind in MLS circles. https://t.co/coJvaNxyFz— Tom Bogert (@tombogert) May 16, 2025
Jejeje Only in MLS does a coach get an extension while being on a 13 game winless run. Never seen it before from any of the other leagues around the world. There are times like these that make it kinda hard to take MLS seriously... Lose all you want, there's barely ever any serious accountability in the league. It takes A LOT to get fired.
I think there's a balance in there somewhere. I think the quick-release firing at the first run of bad form that is common in many leagues creates churn and is often not good for the club. This is a weird case - an epic run of bad form but balanced with an epic run of good form with a championship. I think, oddly enough, this was probably the right move. To the extent that Vanney's contract situation was putting the team in limbo, at least they know where they're going now. They can retool next year with a healthy Puig and will probably have at least a decent year.
You're correct that many leagues are to trigger happy, look no further than ligaMX. At the same time I feel the opposite happens in MLS. Many times coaches stay on too long. Vermes anyone? We've had more than one coach stay way past their due date in my opinion. Vanney outside of the MLS cup won he's had a pretty bad record with the galaxy. Sure Puig is out but most of the team is back and they've lost 7-0 to nyrb and blew a 2-0 lead last weekend to end up losing 3-2. Dude has a 54-56-39 record in 5 yrs. That screams mediocrity to me and definitely not acceptable for a "big" club like the galaxy is supposed to be. MLS cup saved him it's as simple as that. Got lucky at the right time, that's all.
And we lost to an LA team that had Mike Magee in goal. That's what makes the California Classico so compelling.
Actually that was a tie. Here’s an article about the game. Bruce is featured as LAG coach as well as his sidekick Sarachan. Kelly Gray says that the Quakes were duly embarrassed and that the failure to score in that game prompted the team to revamp the roster, which became the 2012 SS winning Quakes. So I guess in a roundabout way we can thank the Magee for helping us win some HW in 2012. https://www.lagalaxy.com/news/legen...-goalkeeping-heroics-against-san-jose-insider