Gullit’s Out of the Loop? Not Again! (Some Lessons for AEG From Business 101)

By: Laurie | April 22nd, 2008

I’m assuming AEG didn’t get where they are by being clueless about business. Right? And one of the key tenets of business is that you don’t separate authority from responsibility. Meaning people should have some control over the things you’re holding them responsible for.

Let’s go wonkish and head to a business website for some basic terminology:

Authority is seen as the legitimate right of a person to exercise influence or the legitimate right to make decisions, to carry out actions, and to direct others. For example, managers expect to have the authority to assign work, hire employees, or order merchandise and supplies.

Compare that to

Responsibility is the obligation to accomplish the goals related to the position and the organization.

So, basically, it’s best for an organization to align the obligation to accomplish goals with the ability to make the decisions to do just that. Make sense?

Why is this important again? LA Times soccer reporter Grahame Jones has this to say about the Franchino trade. (Scroll down to the bottom of the linked article)

So the questions here are: Just who made this trade? Did Galaxy Coach Ruud Gullit know anything about it? Was another 30-something (Franchino will be 32 in August) with a troubled history really what L.A. needed?

It appears that Gullit is not totally in the loop on the transaction front. Last week he was asked about the acquisition of defenders Scott Bolkan and Vardan Adzemian and their subsequent loan to the Portland Timbers. Gullit looked blank. He had never heard of either player.

Troubling signs that things in Lalas-land really have not improved over the chaotic last two seasons.

Small wonder, too, that the dark storm clouds of rumor about coming upheaval and change continue to gather on the horizon.

We went through this last season, remember? The odd midseason upheavals that Frank Yallop seemed unhappy with, and not quite on top of, and not able to work into the team, but was unable to stop? Is the same thing hapening again?

Nothing against Franchino, who may turn out to be just what we need, but…

Maybe it’s time to send AEG and Alexi back to school?

Some Related Galaxy Posts:

Category: 2008 Season, Off the Field, Player News, Team News

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Laurie

"Oh God," I would agree with you that it's a write playing games if we hadn't all watched it happen this way last year.

And bringing in Franchino just doesn't feel like a Gullit decision. Franchino is former LA, from WAY before Gullit's time. As is Vanney. As is Ruiz. This just feels to me like somebody else is pulling the strings.
Nathanhj

While I agree with the explanations here about the way responsibility for player moves is currently being handled by the G's, I also think that the coach should also, you know, be told about what's going on with player acquisition.

Now, Gullit has probably the least understanding of MLS and least knowledge of MLS players out of any MLS coach, so his input would be negligible. But he should at least be informed of what's going on so he knows what kind of options are being thought of and what kinds of players he may be having come his way.

But then, AEG has never been one for keeping all parties in the loop.
mag

pic=pick
mag

Gullit isn't sporting derector he is a coach,his job is to pic right players from the first team and ask for new players. This boys have never been part of the first team,this is sporting derector's role to deal with them.
Don't see any problem, guy trys so hard to make something out of nothing
Oh God

The reason Gullit does not know about the two kids sent to Portland is because that's Paul Bravo's doing [not Lalas'] -- Bravo, as a soccer director is ensuring that Galaxy has prospects ready and avaialable should Gullit need them.

Having said that, Justin is 100% right, Gullit admitted that he had seen videos of Franchino, and said that he specifically requested Franchino arrive on Saturday and not on Sunday as he "knew he was going to need him."

Graham Jones plays a very clever trick of the hand here. Notice how he starts by talking about Franchino and goes on to say that Gullit was questioned.... about the TIMBER players. On top of that, other than by having his name mentioned in the journalistic gem of a phrase "Lalas-land", there is nothing else in that article that would prove or effectively convey the idea that Lalas has anything to do with those transfers.
Justin

Well in an interview I read or saw it said that Gullit had only seen Franchino on video so at least Ruud new something of him or the deal before it happened. The other two was probably something that was done by Bravo for our future and could be part of some deal for getting Jordan and Wicks. Who knows but I don't think Ruud is the type of guy to take that type of crap didn't he quit from Chelsea?
RHYbread

Something to think about. SanHo hasn't looked as atrocious as TFC was last season. Obviously Yallop is doing something right, in both expansion and Superdraft while also signing players. He's also well under the salary cap.

I know the Galaxy is pulling in the megabucks with Beckham, but if we don't win, at the end nothing has been achieved besides making lots of money...
jen

I'm grrr-ing again.

Yes, I would like to know exactly who is doing what. I had assumed that Ruud had a bit more say in matters this year than Yallop had last year -- primarily because Ruud seems like someone who doesn't take crap and will stand up for himself.

But if AEG/Lalaland is making these decisions -- like who will fill their developmental roster and then send them off to Portland -- and if Ruud and Cobi are okay with it . . . I don't know, it leaves a lot of questions. Are Ruud and Cobi just the "yes" men for Lalas? And if so, why? Or are they part of the process this year and making these decisions jointly? And if so, why are they bringing in and letting go who they are?

It'll be interesting to see what happens in June. I just wish someone could figure out who's really calling the shots.