Pssst! Alexi! Go With the French Guy!

By: Laurie | February 14th, 2007

Eight-hundred hopeful (and occasionally delusional) soccer players tried out in the Galaxy open tryouts last weekend. Of those, two earned an additional one-week trial with the team. One of these was Portuguese. 24-year-old midfielder Rui Fortes, and one was French, 22-year-old forward/midfielder Laurent Merlin. (This is totally irrelevant, but the French guy happens to share his name with a French cognac brand. I’m not sure if this is familial or coincidental.)

“Merlin and Fortes are raw but they showed some potential, and therefore their adventure will continue,” said Galaxy President and General Manager Alexi Lalas. “It remains to be seen if both can adapt to the MLS level.”

Fine and dandy. But since I know everybody is wondering what I think, well, here’s my advice to anyone and everyone associated with the Galaxy:

Go with the French guy.

No, I’ve never seen him play, although his credentials are good. Time spent playing for France at the U-18 and U-19 levels. A couple of years with the not-inconsequential French team Marseille, followed by time at AC Ajaccio on Corsica, and most recently with Ligue 2 team Chateauroux. So he comes with some credibility.

But now that we’ve established his bona fides…Well the reasoning behind my recommendation is more basic.

Galaxy guys, you are trying to build a fan base beyond your teenage male demographic. A female fan base would be especially good, because the women will drag their men, families and friends to the games. Am I right? So allow me to let you in on a basic fact of life: Put this guy on the team, and then put him in front of a microphone. Females will feel a French accent all the way down to the bottom of their XX chromosomes.

Or…er…so I’m told.

Disclaimer: For the record, if I were speaking from personal experience (which I’m NOT, of course, being, y’know, happily married and all), I would be speaking about, say, theoretically, the France 1998 World Cup team demographic. Not the twenty-two-year-old current player demographic. Which would be just…icky.

Although my younger female friends and relatives tell me this guy is also rather easy on the eyes. So what I say stands.

Are you listening, Alexi?

Some Related Galaxy Posts:

Category: Player News, Team News

« Feeding Beckham’s Terrapins | Home | Galaxy Preseason Game (Or: Bermuda, Anyone?) »

Connor

The French guy does have good credentials. If he becomes a star they could make a movie about him, like Invincible!
Laurie

Oh, and plus? I couldn't find any picture of Rui. Maybe by the end of his tryout this week.
Laurie

What's wrong with him? How about he's not French? I tend to lose interest quickly when they're not French.

Although I guess a Portuguese accent might do in a pinch.
Martha

Hey, where's all the love for Rui? Rui! Rui! Rui! (That's a chant, in case that wasn't clear.)

Sigh. Where's Luis when I need him?
Laurie

Brian, I was thinking the same thing. I'll admit to having a pro-French soccer bias, and Laurent has spent more than his share of time on the bench recently, but I just have to think he would bring a European sensibility to the team.

(Oh, darn, is my Euro-bias showing again?)
brian

His resume is already more impressive the most of the players on the Galaxy.