FC Hollywood, USA
Yesterday the news had come down that Ruud Gullit and Alexi Lalas were on their way out of the LA Galaxy, but I didn't have the energy to write a post on it (Monday is my extended work day). After reading around it's just the latest chapter in MLS' premier soap opera.
I'm not at all surprised that something like this happened at the Galaxy, especially after a very unsexy seven-match winless streak in a season where significant progress had to be shown. Gullit, in contrast to Frank Yallop, was suited to handle the media glare on a team with soccer's most recognizable star and media sensation. But he was unsuited to adapting to the pecularities of MLS and didn't seem to want to try, either. (I do believe that some of his critiques of league scouting and the reserve league have some merit and should be addressed.) In the end, though, I can feel some sympathy for Gullit. I do not feel the same way about Alexi Lalas. I am just amazed that he could manage to get the same kind of job in MLS after the previous two at San Jose and New York ended in failure. His constant meddling with the squad and the signing off of that farcical lopsided schedule sabotaged Frank Yallop's tenure, and the only phrase of his that people will remember is "the jewel of MLS."
Perhaps we should have seen this coming with the arrival of David Beckham. In order for this deal to work, the LA Galaxy -- and by extension, MLS -- had to de-emphasize Beckham in a way. It was possible to recognize that, by hiring the most recognizable face in world soccer, more attention would be placed on the league and there existed an opportunity to be exploited. At the same time, it was imperative that the Galaxy be operated like a proper club and MLS be run like a proper league where Beckham is not the consuming focus. On the latter, both entities have failed and run the risk of being taken even less seriously.
There are three and a half more years for everyone to get this right. In doing so, the owners at the Galaxy need to answer one question: are they a soccer club, or an entertainment company that happens to play soccer occasionally?


