Just got this via email newsletter: LOS ANGELES GALAXY COACH SIGI SCHMID HEADED TO COSTA RICA, BRAZIL AND PERU IN FIRST SCOUTING TRIPS OF 2003-04 OFF-SEASON Schmid Set To Visit Perennial Brazilian Powerhouse Sao Paulo's Full and Youth Teams CARSON, CA (Tuesday, December 9, 2003) - Los Angeles Galaxy Vice-President and General Manager Doug Hamilton announced today that Galaxy Head Coach Sigi Schmid is set to take his first scouting trips of the 2003-04 off-season to Costa Rica, Brazil and Peru. Schmid, who is expected to make several more off-season trips before the start of the 2004 MLS season, will depart on Tuesday, Dec. 9 to Costa Rica. "The search for new, impact players begins this week with this trip to Costa Rica," said Galaxy Vice-President and General Manager Doug Hamilton. "We owe it to our fans and our club to re-load this team with the best talent. This will be the first of many trips in an extensive process." Kicking off his first off-season travel, Schmid will depart for Costa Rica to observe first team competition for two days. Upon completion of the scouting trip, Schmid will then head to Columbus, Ohio where he will join up with Hamilton to scout the 2003 NCAA Men's College Cup semifinals and championship matches at Crew Stadium on Friday, Dec. 12 and Sunday, Dec. 14. In his first-ever trip to Brazil, Schmid will arrive in Sao Paulo on Monday, Dec. 15 and head to the club's training site at CT Sportingville where he will observe several training sessions with the first team and meet with the technical staff. He will also spend time observing the club's youth team (age 22 and under), and their respective technical staffs. "I'm excited to head to Brazil and spend quality time with Sao Paulo players and coaches," said Sigi Schmid, Galaxy Head Coach. "Brazil maintains a long tradition of players with great attacking flair, especially wide players attacking in the channels, that have proven they can finish consistently and that is exactly the style of play we are looking to add to our team for next year." One of the most popular clubs in Brazil, Sao Paulo was originally a participant in the Peace Cup 2003 and was slated to open the tournament vs. the Galaxy, but the three-time Brazilian treble winner (1977, 1986, 1991) was forced to pull out due to league commitments. Finally, Schmid will complete his travel itinerary heading to Peru from Dec. 19-21 before the taking a break and then resuming his international travel schedule in the New Year. SIGI SCHMID'S INTERNATIONAL TRAVEL ITINERARY: Dates Country Teams Dec. 9-11 Costa Rica First Teams Dec. 11-14 USA - NCAA College Cup Indiana, Santa Clara, Maryland, St. John's Dec. 15-18 Brazil Sao Paulo - First and Youth Teams Dec. 18-21 Peru First Teams For more information on season ticket benefits and to purchase your 2004 Los Angeles Galaxy season tickets for The Home Depot Center, please call toll-free 1-877-3GALAXY.
It would be nice if a little bit of Brazil rubbed off on Sigi. I am also sure he will pay close attention to the Brazilian training table.
The true goal of the trip is for Sigi to eat at as many "churasquerias" as possible. These places serve incredible meat, all-you-can-eat, carved right in front of you. Like Sigi will ever leave such a place in Brazil...
Ah, but I see the underlying plan here: eat so much red meat that he'll suffer from a coronary so bad that he'll have to medically retire. Anti-Sigi fans will rejoice!
I remember reading in bisoccer a fan that saw the galaxy train and he said it looked so easy and slow pace he could have joined. Looking at how soccer teams should really train will be good for Sigi.