What I mean is that my column over at Soccer By Ives is now up. So in a fit of self-pimping, I’m linking to it.

Read and comment, there or here.

Also, consider this an open thread for any and all Galaxy/MLS/futbol conversations.

What’s up?

UPDATE: Nick Green over at the Daily Breeze has his Tuesday column up and it features more on the swirling turmoil at the HDC. His highlights are from his coversation with Alexi Lalas. Good stuff here, including this:

To his credit, Lalas on Monday did not deny any of the reports.

He characterized his relationship with Gullit as “professional,” (often a euphemism for “we speak when necessary”) and added the pair have “disagreements.” And he pretty much confirmed that some choice words are being thrown about as players and coaches try to hash out the encroaching morass that threatens to envelop the team.

“I want strong personalities in the locker room,” Lalas said. “I want people who have opinions. I don’t want a bunch of robots. And I don’t want players that have no passion and don’t care. Some of the best players or some of the best teams I ve ever been involved with, if (you were) on the inside you would see some of the knock-down, drag-out stuff, it would scare you to death.

“But that’s how successful teams are made,” he added. “I never would want to squash that.”

It’s also how some teams implode.

Also, Dan Loney, the funniest blogger covering MLS, noted that he thinks Lalas’ only function is to sell tickets.

I’ve grown weary of trying to defend Alexi Lalas by pointing out that his job description is to sell tickets, because if he’s the next guy tossed overboard, then there’s a definite upside…the guy was magic as a commentator.

In other words the personnel decisions lie elsewhere within the organization and always have. Don’t know if that’s right, but if it is, I feel kinder towards The Mouth Of The South(land).

Comments? Thoughts? Juicy tidbits?

Here’s how the article starts:

The soap opera that is the Los Angeles Galaxy just gets weirder and weirder.

A source close to Major League Soccer’s glamour franchise tells me that Tim Leiweke, president and CEO of Anschutz Entertainment Group, which owns the Galaxy, made an unannounced visit to the team’s locker room this past week and issued a grim ultimatum: Get things on the right track in the next two weeks or there will be dire consequences.

Like what kinds of consequences? Canning head coach Ruud Gullit? Cleaning house, perhaps starting with Landon Donovan? Firing team president and GM Alexi Lalas?

If I were a betting man, I’d say all three are possibilities, in increasing order of their likelihood. Leiweke rarely appears in front of the team, but when he does, the aftermath is never good. The AEG boss last addressed the Galaxy collectively last September as the team was similarly struggling, and within two months, former head coach Frank Yallop was out the door.

And here’s one more nugget:

And the reports of unrest keep getting worse and worse as more details emerge about the state of dysfunction within the Galaxy. According to the Los Angeles Daily News, the finger-pointing has reached critical mass: Gullit and Lalas reportedly don’t get along and the Beckham camp is quickly calling more of the shots within the organization.

My quick takes are:

-If I were a firing man, and let me emphasize that I have first hand knowledge of none of this, don’t know any of the people involved, have no idea what Lalas’ GM style is or how Gullit actually coaches, and don’t understand the decision-making structure of the Galaxy and AEG, if I were a firing man, I’d start with Lalas, as the GM.

-So far I’ve been impressed with Gullit’s futbol IQ and I’m never a fan of canning a coach in mid-season of his first two years. I do have a Steve Sampson exception, though.

-Here’s what worries me the most: David Beckham and his organization having more and more say over the management of the club. I get a bit anxious when players have control over any personnel moves at any level in a club. It’s a bad way to distribute power in that is screws up the lines of accountability. And it reminds me of Giorgio Chinaglia.

What do ya’ll think? Does the team need this kind of shake-up? How about Beckham’s growing front office power? And what about the fact of Leiweke’s ultimatums that seem to ignore the reality of the salary cap, roster size, and, frankly, level of talent of available personnel?

Here are some quick reactions and impressions from this game.

-The Galaxy continue to show great deals of heart and determination in the face of their ninth time playing a game where they give up the first goal. This team believes that it can score and that it is never out of a game. Most of the time.

-Edson Buddle can really make things happen if you give him even just a little bit of space.

-Sean Franklin for Rookie Of The Year.

-The backline is bad, but it is made worse by the relative inability of the central midfield to hold the ball and link well with the attack. Having said that, they did a much better job this game than they did in Dallas. But if the Galaxy front office thinks they are going to solve this problem with new defenders, they are fooling themselves.

-This team needs to pull together and play smart, tight futbol as a team, or they are going to crash and burn. There is not enough talent and/or experience in the reserve players to take this team to the next level. They are going to have to play like the know exactly what every other guy is going to do in any moment or the playoffs will be out of reach.

-My kingdom for someone like Marcelo Saragosa, Shavar Thomas, or Paulo Nagamura. Wait, they were all on the roster in the past three years.

-My castle for a left-sided midfielder.

That’s all for now.

A little while ago Laurie invited me to be a part of this blog, which I can only imagine is a bout of temporary insanity, but before she gets wise and boots me off the blog, I’m going to take the liberty to post up thoughts and analysis on the Galaxy. (I’m using the word “analysis” in the broadest possible terms, you understand.)

As Laurie says I do a weekly Supporter’s View column covering the Galaxy over at Soccer By Ives, which ya’ll can check out by by clicking this link. Because of my agreement with Ives, I won’t be posting any of that content here, but feel free to leave me comments here and there if you want.

I’m hoping I can use this space for thoughts and tidbits I can’t get into that column for space limitations and to have wider ranging conversations about what’s going on with the Galaxy in specific and MLS in general.

See ya’ll in the comments!

NathanHJ

From here on out, I’m going to be joined on this page by three co-bloggers who I think will be able to provide interesting, insightful and somewhat irreverent commentary on our beloved team. I think you’ll recognize all of these names as longtime Galaxy Offside commenters.

First, you already know Jen, and I’m thrilled to say that she’s joining us again on this page. (Unfortunately she won’t have time to write both here and on the David Beckham page. If anybody would like to take that over, drop me a note — laurie[at]theoffside[dot]com.)

Second, NathanHJ has agreed to to join us as well. He’s currently writing game wrapups every week over on Soccer by Ives, and he’ll be applying some of that analytical skill here as well.

And next… Okay, technically commenter JustJack hasn’t absolutely agreed to be here. But I’m hoping that if I name him publicly, he’ll feel guilty if he says no.

And, of course, last and least, I’m not going anywhere. And I’m really looking forward to sharing the duties here so I can focus on the things I truly enjoy. You know. The little things. Like photos of Beckham in his underwear.

Or…well…not so little.

I mean…um…

I’m done now.

Please welcome our new bloggers and leave lots of nice comments!

That’s my theory, and I’m sticking to it.

In teaching theory, “Stephen Krashen offers three ‘affective variables’ that have been identified as being related to language-acquisition : these are ‘motivation’, ‘self-confidence’ and ‘anxiety’.” When the first two are in poor supply, and the anxiety level of the student is high, the student cannot perform.

That sounds exactly like what is going on with the Galaxy. There has been a departing Xavier’s criticism of Gullit’s coaching:

“[Gullit] doesn’t respect the players, he doesn’t communicate with the players. He never wants to listen to the players. It’s a bad environment. He doesn’t like players with personality. The players are afraid to speak out because, for most of them, their jobs are not guaranteed. They are afraid of losing their jobs. Look at Carlos Ruiz: One week Ruud Gullit wants to trade him and the next week he wants to be his best friend. … With all the friction between the coach and the players, how can you have a healthy environment?”

Okay, maybe Xavier isn’t exactly an impartial, or credible, source. I took all of this with a grain of salt until I read this quote from Chris Klein. To me, Chris Klein is a more reliable source:

“In general, the security of our players is not there.”

When the trade window is looming, the players play with less confidence and more anxiety. The play of the team as a whole suffers. Games are lost. Team attitude slumps.

With the trade window open and active, no one is guaranteed a spot, well, with the exception of Beckham, who happens to be playing with the most grit and determination of anyone on the team. (Chris Klein gets a nod for the same grit and determination.) Coincidence?

So here we go again. Traditionally the Galaxy take a downward dive during the trade window. Many blame it on personnel coming and going and new players getting used to the team. No doubt that’s true. But I blame it on Krashen’s affective filter theory, as applied to soccer. Few can play their best soccer when their necks are on the chopping block.

(Wait. I hate Ruiz. Don’t I?)

But that photo was the last game. Today’s topic is today’s game. FC Dallas vs. LA Galaxy. Last time we met, we came away with a 5-1 win and got Steve Morrow fired.

Heehee. Good times.

Sean Franklin is back in training. The Official Galaxy blog said they’d make a fit-or-not decision yesterday, but I haven’t found an official word one way or the other.

The official injury report:

INJURY REPORT: FC DALLAS - OUT: DF David Wagenfuhr (concussion); QUESTIONABLE: GK Ray Burse (R ankle); PROBABLE: MF Bobby Rhine (L ankle) …

LOS ANGELES GALAXY - OUT: GK Vito Higgins (R foot); DOUBTFUL: GK Charles Alamo (R knee); DF Sean Franklin (R knee); MF Bryan Jordan (R hamstring); MF Brandon McDonald (L foot); PROBABLE: GK Josh Wicks (L knee)

So it’s good news that we have so many who have been moved from “Out” to “Doubtful.” Right? This injury list is reminding me of last year, except that Beckham isn’t on it.

I’m hopeful, though. If the new guy plays to shore up the defense, we could do 5-1 again. Prove it wasn’t a fluke.

Right?

(If you’re watching the game, leave comments.)

Donovan was recently quoted by the English media giant as saying, “The older I get and the more I play, the more I’m yearning for that highest level I can play at.”

“I think the Premiership would be the best place the play.”

[...]The US international’s agent Richard Motzkin, though with few words, did not dispute the story.

“Yes, [Donovan has expressed to a desire to play in the Premier League,]” said Motzkin, before refusing comment about who, if any clubs had made contact this summer.

When asked if Donovan would entertain a move to the Premier League for the upcoming season if an offer took place prior to August 31, Motzkin quipped, “sure,” before adding that any potential suitors would be, “ones that play entertaining, attacking and technical soccer.”

Oh, ouch. Let’s just kiss our MLS Cup aspirations goodbye right now, why don’t we?

Landon! Don’t abandon us! Tell us you love us best!

Don’t LEEEEEEEEEAAAVVE!!!!!!!!

Wait. Did that sound needy?

————–Buddle—–Ruiz—————

——————-Cronin———————
Subs: Wicks, Dominguez, Franchino, Randolph, Tudela, Allen and Gordon.

We all knew Ruiz was going to start, right? And the new boy, Dominguez, is on the bench. I’m thinking this back line looks…old? (Except for Troy Roberts, of course.) I’d expect to see Dominguez subbed in forwhoever’s playing the worst at the half, wouldn’t you?

Should be a great game. I’m not expecting nine goals this time, but… I could be wrong. After all, we DO have the best offense and worst defense in the league. Let’s just hope that the majority of those goals are for our team.

From Soccer by Ives:

The Red Bulls are considering acquiring Guatamalan forward Carlos Ruiz from the Los Angeles Galaxy, sources within MLS have told SBI. The former MLS MVP is on the trade market as the Galaxy look to shed salary, and the Red Bulls could make room for Ruiz on their salary cap if they and the Galaxy can agree on terms (which would likely include the Galaxy paying a portion of Ruiz’s salary).

Would Ruiz be a good addition? He is a proven goal-scorer in MLS but has struggled this year since missing considerable time with a knee injury suffered early in the season (and also struggled with FC Dallas last season, finishing with seven goals in 22 games). He has no goals or assists in limited action this season (188 minutes in six matches). The 2002 MLS MVP is also likely to miss time due to World Cup qualifying with Guatemala later this summer and in the fall.

I’m thinking Red Bulls are one of the rare teams that could actually benefit from a Ruiz acquisition. And with Edson Buddle in the form of his life, it’s not like he’s doing himself any good here sitting on the bench. He ain’t getting any younger.

If New York has the money (or if, as was reported in a previous Ruiz trade rumor, the Galaxy is willing to pick up some of his salary,) this might be a chance for LA to free up some cap space and a senior roster spot.

Expect to see Carlos on the field today, spit-polished and shined up to make a good impression.

(Whether he’ll be motivated to make a good impression is another story. Probably depends on whether the alternative is staying in LA or being waived altogether.)