Author: Gerry Maravilla
Spring, for most sports fans, means baseball. Here in Los Angeles, fans have eagerly awaited the start of the coming Dodgers season and attended spring training sessions. While 2008 looks to be like any other exciting year for our national pastime, commotion can be heard just a few miles away at the Home Depot Center in Carson, CA as the Los Angeles Galaxy have begun the 2008 season for the Major League Soccer (MLS) Cup.
Last year, press and media frenzy surrounded the arrival of English soccer star David Beckham to the US’s professional soccer league. With one of the sport’s biggest names making the trip across the Atlantic, it is no surprise that Beckham slowly became the sole focus of MLS.
While his arrival could not bring LA into the playoffs or save the Galaxy from a dismal season, a new buzz has been stimulated for the country’s least popular professional sports league.
In order to prepare for the new season, Galaxy owner Philip Anschutz and the team’s President and General Manager, Alexi Lalas, have overseen ground-breaking changes in the LA lineup.
The first major change came in November 2007 when Coach Frank Yallop announced his resignation. Yallop had trouble focusing his team during the craze surrounding Beckham’s arrival and has since gone on to coach the MLS expansion team, the San Jose Earthquakes.
To replace Yallop, Galaxy management found their dream coach in Ruud Gullit, the former coach of English Premiership teams’ Chelsea F.C. and Newcastle United. Known for his intense training sessions and prestigious international career, Gullit shook up the Galaxy training camp and pushed the players to their limits during practices.
During the off-season, the Galaxy not only changed coaches, but also acquired a new goalkeeper, defender and striker. Former keeper Joe Canon also found himself transferred to San Jose as the young Steve Cronin moved up as the team’s starting goalie. This allowed the Galaxy to sign the United States’ First Division Soccer League 2007 Goalkeeper of the Year, Josh Wicks, as his back up.
Greg Vanney was transferred from D.C. United and added to the Galaxy’s defense line-up. While the team’s defense has drawn severe criticism in the past, Vanney looks to tighten up the team’s back line.
The Galaxy also reacquired one of the best strikers in the team’s history, Carlos Ruiz. After spending a few years with F.C. Dallas, Ruiz has returned to knock more balls in the back of the net and hopefully provide some chances for the team’s top goal-scorer, Landon Donavan.
These changes have not resulted in immediate victories, but prove the Galaxy are still working to find their niche as a team. In early 2008, the team embarked on an international publicity tour in China and Hawaii in order to promote David Beckham and prepare for the 2008 season. While the team made some impressive plays, they failed to earn the wins that many expected.
When the 2008 MLS season began on March 29, the Galaxy lost miserably to the Colorado Rapids with a final score of 4-0. The team quickly rebounded with their first home game, a 2-0 win over the Earthquakes. The game saw Beckham’s first official MLS goal as well as another strong performance by Landon Donovan.
The Galaxy’s win over the Earthquakes is a testament to their progression as a team and a striking example of the talent that LA’s soccer franchise has to boast. Given more time, these changes made by the Galaxy’s management should ensure exciting games and a boost in popularity for the MLS brand. Considering the amount of money, talent and manpower invested in the Los Angeles Galaxy, it is only a matter of time before they become the New York Yankees of Major League Soccer.
Support L.A. Soccer this Sunday, April 13, as the Galaxy take on Toronto F.C. @ the Home Depot Center. Tickets range from $15-$275 and are available at ticketmaster.com.
This article has been archived, for more requests please contact us via the support system.
