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New York Times
17 hours ago
- Business
- New York Times
Curiosity and a new challenge drew former Bayern Munich Women's coach to Angel City
Alexander Straus, Angel City's new head coach, didn't arrive in Los Angeles on a whim. After turning down several chances to move to the U.S. in the past, he says this time, the stars aligned. 'Compared to other opportunities I've had, including the location, everything about this club, this team, which has been well documented all over the world in the media, intrigues me,' Straus told reporters on Thursday. 'I think there is still a lot of work to be done, but it's not done over 24 hours or one week or three weeks.' Advertisement While the decision to leave Europe wasn't an easy one, Straus emphasized that curiosity and challenge played a major role. 'It's a completely different culture. A different league. But football is a small world,' he said. 'There's this weird gap in understanding between Europe and the U.S.—we don't really know how good the best teams are on either side. I needed to find out. I'm halfway through my career, and I didn't want to wait until I have grandchildren to take that leap.' Straus is coming to Los Angeles after spending three years coaching German powerhouse Bayern Munich. He led the team to three consecutive Frauen-Bundesliga titles from 2022 to 2025. Before joining Bayern, the 49-year-old Norwegian coached SK Brann in the top flight of his native Norway, winning the league twice. The hiring marks a significant shift for the ambitious Los Angeles club, which is counting on his UEFA Champions League experience and understanding of youth development to steer an Angel City team that has struggled with consistency. If you ask him, there's no question that Angel City will eventually find success. 'Whether it's in one year or five, I don't know, but it will happen. Everything around this club says it will,' Straus said. 'I want to be part of that.' The move isn't just professional for Straus. California, with its weather and culture, was a draw, but so was the promise of a project where the women's team isn't playing second fiddle. And Angel City worked really hard to convince him to join. 'In Europe, even with clubs like Bayern or Chelsea, there's still a men's team getting the lion's share. Here, at Angel City, we are the team. That's rare,' he said. 'The facilities, the focus, the fan base, it's a powerful setup. That's something America has ahead of Europe right now.' The team has already made a signing that feels aligned with Straus' leadership. Last month, Angel City signed former Wolfsburg forward Sveindís Jónsdóttir who was used to seeing Staus on the opposite touchline in the Frauen-Bundesliga. Advertisement I'd already been talking to Angel City and I was trying to decide what I wanted to do, and then I saw that he's gonna be the coach, and it made me more excited about Angel City, knowing how well he's done for Bayern,' Jónsdóttir told The Athletic ahead of her signing. 'I know his style of play. He can make every team look good and play well. It made my choice even easier.' Though there may be an understanding gap between Europe and the U.S., according to Straus, the difference between domestic and international players isn't really a factor in his coaching. 'It's not about where they're from, it's about the environment they're coming into,' he said. 'We often overstate the difference between American and European (soccer). The structure is different. There is a wage cap. It's a playoff league. But ultimately, it's about creating a good environment for good players.' Still, the transition won't be instant. Straus acknowledges that he has work to do to build that environment in L.A. 'It's early days. I'm still the new guy in class,' he said jokingly. 'We're just starting to create the culture, the behaviors, the habits that we want.' Strauss arrived in LA last Sunday, and this weekend will mark his first with the full squad, many of whom were away on national team duty last week. He's had time to get acquainted with the team during the last few months through hours of videos on Angel City's games over the last couple of years. But he isn't in a rush. 'First of all, you need to know people, not the players,' he said. 'The players I knew long before I came. I need to know the people and I need to know what makes them tick.' Backed by one of the NWSL's most powerful ownership groups led by Willow Bay, Bob Iger, Julie Uhrman and Kara Nortman, Angel City is the league's most valuable club and a sponsor favorite, thanks to steady attendance and good brand awareness. But despite its off-field dominance, the club now finds itself at a critical crossroads; it's time to deliver results on the pitch. 'I wanted to see what we can do to get the legacy of Angel City to become like the other big sports brands in the city, to become the same here,' Straus said. 'That excites me.'
Yahoo
2 days ago
- Sport
- Yahoo
New Angel City coach Alex Straus sees communication as key to building winning culture
New Angel City coach Alex Straus said he values strong communication with players as he pushes to succeed. (Al Seib/For The Times) Alexander Straus was fewer than two weeks from his first training session as Angel City FC coach. Yet, Angel City president and co-founder Julie Uhrman wanted to see her new manager at work. She flew to Portugal, where Straus was completing his three-season stint as FC Bayern Munich coach — a club the 49-year-old Norwegian led to three consecutive Frauen-Bundesliga titles and a 57-7-2 league record. Advertisement As Uhrman watched Straus coach Bayern Munich at the inaugural World Sevens Football tournament, she already was familiar with his technical acumen that was on display en route to a championship victory over Manchester United. That was not a surprise. But what caught Uhrman's attention was Straus' relationships with his players. Angel City coach Alex Straus speaks to reporters during his first news conference while club president and co-founder Julie Uhrman looks on and laughs Wednesday in Thousand Oaks. (Al Seib/For The Times) 'What I saw was something that you don't get in an interview process and you don't read on the [curriculum vitae,]' Uhrman said. 'The connection he had with his teams was palpable. The way that they would celebrate him, the joy that they brought him, and vice versa, was just something you can't learn in an interview process and it's something that's so critical to Angel City.' Advertisement So, when Straus, reserved and quiet until he opened his mouth, began to speak during his introductory news conference Wednesday morning as the third Angel City head coach in four seasons since inception — with Uhrman and sporting director Mark Parsons bookending him at the podium — he leaned on his beliefs. How Straus wants Angel City to play on the pitch, is the same as how he wants to interact with his players in the locker room — and the state-of-the-art performance center on Cal Lutheran University's campus. 'My philosophy is centered around people,' said Straus, who asked the media to 'bear with' his English after spending four years in Germany. 'I'm here to facilitate for our players to be able to go out on a pitch, have a clear plan and know how to execute it.' Read more: Angel City hires Bayern Munich's Alexander Straus as new head coach Advertisement Straus continued: 'I need to know people, and I need to know what makes them tick. So how can I get the best out of Sarah Gorden or Christen Press or Riley Tiernan or Alyssa Thompson? How can I get the best out of them?' Earlier in his career, Straus said he overly cared about trophies, medals and success. In 2018, he said his worldview shifted. Straus — who said he considered previous coaching opportunities in America, but didn't feel the timing was right — realized he needed to craft bonds and relationships with his players to cultivate a positive team culture, one that could lead to championships. Uhrman saw the bonds on display in Portugal while Straus was still with Bayern Munich and Parsons has watched the baby steps Straus is taking with Angel City in his first few days as official coach. 'Through this process, Meeting 1 to Meeting 3, I just didn't think this person existed,' Parsons said, adding that during the coaching search he spoke to Straus' former players and staff. 'I really mean that I didn't believe this type of quality existed, and I couldn't be happier that we've got him here.' Advertisement Read more: Not done yet: Christen Press embracing her role as Angel City's elder stateswoman What stood out to Parsons, he said, was that even players who didn't play much under Straus — who may have left for better opportunities — would still speak positively about the clarity, confidence that Angel City's new coach provided them. Straus — and the Angel City backroom staff — are well aware that winning isn't an overnight process. The club sits in seventh place in NWSL standings with a 4-2-4 record. In some matches, Angel City has exerted control and played the style Parsons said he wants to see asserted. But in other matches, such as recent defeats to Bay FC and Racing Louisville, Angel City has faltered — often losing despite controlling possession. Uhrman stressed she wanted a coach who could help the team bounce back from defeat, or setbacks. She and Parsons believe Straus can do that. He doesn't take falling short lightly. When pushed on his UEFA Women's Champions League record since 2022 on Wednesday during a side media session, Straus spent six-and-a-half minutes breaking down why Bayern Munich fell short in the quarterfinals or group stages, adding what he learned from each losing experience. Advertisement Straus said he's always open to talking. Angel City players, however, will have only a few more days to get to know the new coach before Straus takes the touchline Saturday at BMO Stadium against the Chicago Stars. 'One thing is to win one year, one game,' Straus said. "But it needs to be consistent, and it needs to be built on a foundation where you are always the ones that have been spoken about when it comes to challenging for winning the championship. 'That's why we are here, and that's what we want to do.' Get the best, most interesting and strangest stories of the day from the L.A. sports scene and beyond from our newsletter The Sports Report. This story originally appeared in Los Angeles Times.
Los Angeles Times
2 days ago
- Sport
- Los Angeles Times
New Angel City coach Alex Straus sees communication as key to building winning culture
Alexander Straus was fewer than two weeks from his first training session as Angel City FC coach. Yet, Angel City president and co-founder Julie Uhrman wanted to see her new manager at work. She flew to Portugal, where Straus was completing his three-season stint as FC Bayern Munich coach — a club the 49-year-old Norwegian led to three consecutive Frauen-Bundesliga titles and a 57-7-2 league record. As Uhrman watched Straus coach Bayern Munich at the inaugural World Sevens Football tournament, she already was familiar with his technical acumen that was on display en route to a championship victory over Manchester United. That was not a surprise. But what caught Uhrman's attention was Straus' relationships with his players. 'What I saw was something that you don't get in an interview process and you don't read on the [curriculum vitae,]' Uhrman said. 'The connection he had with his teams was palpable. The way that they would celebrate him, the joy that they brought him, and vice versa, was just something you can't learn in an interview process and it's something that's so critical to Angel City.' So, when Straus, reserved and quiet until he opened his mouth, began to speak during his introductory news conference Wednesday morning as the third Angel City head coach in four seasons since inception — with Uhrman and sporting director Mark Parsons bookending him at the podium — he leaned on his beliefs. How Straus wants Angel City to play on the pitch, is the same as how he wants to interact with his players in the locker room — and the state-of-the-art performance center on Cal Lutheran University's campus. 'My philosophy is centered around people,' said Straus, who asked the media to 'bear with' his English after spending four years in Germany. 'I'm here to facilitate for our players to be able to go out on a pitch, have a clear plan and know how to execute it.' Straus continued: 'I need to know people, and I need to know what makes them tick. So how can I get the best out of Sarah Gorden or Christen Press or Riley Tiernan or Alyssa Thompson? How can I get the best out of them?' Earlier in his career, Straus said he overly cared about trophies, medals and success. In 2018, he said his worldview shifted. Straus — who said he considered previous coaching opportunities in America, but didn't feel the timing was right — realized he needed to craft bonds and relationships with his players to cultivate a positive team culture, one that could lead to championships. Uhrman saw the bonds on display in Portugal while Straus was still with Bayern Munich and Parsons has watched the baby steps Straus is taking with Angel City in his first few days as official coach. 'Through this process, Meeting 1 to Meeting 3, I just didn't think this person existed,' Parsons said, adding that during the coaching search he spoke to Straus' former players and staff. 'I really mean that I didn't believe this type of quality existed, and I couldn't be happier that we've got him here.' What stood out to Parsons, he said, was that even players who didn't play much under Straus — who may have left for better opportunities — would still speak positively about the clarity, confidence that Angel City's new coach provided them. Straus — and the Angel City backroom staff — are well aware that winning isn't an overnight process. The club sits in seventh place in NWSL standings with a 4-2-4 record. In some matches, Angel City has exerted control and played the style Parsons said he wants to see asserted. But in other matches, such as recent defeats to Bay FC and Racing Louisville, Angel City has faltered — often losing despite controlling possession. Uhrman stressed she wanted a coach who could help the team bounce back from defeat, or setbacks. She and Parsons believe Straus can do that. He doesn't take falling short lightly. When pushed on his UEFA Women's Champions League record since 2022 on Wednesday during a side media session, Straus spent six-and-a-half minutes breaking down why Bayern Munich fell short in the quarterfinals or group stages, adding what he learned from each losing experience. Straus said he's always open to talking. Angel City players, however, will only have a few more days to get to know the new coach before Straus takes the touchline Saturday at BMO Stadium against the Chicago Stars. 'One thing is to win one year, one game,' Straus said. 'But it needs to be consistent, and it needs to be built on a foundation where you are always the ones that have been spoken about when it comes to challenging for winning the championship.' 'That's why we are here, and that's what we want to do.'
Yahoo
3 days ago
- Health
- Yahoo
Not done yet: Christen Press embracing her role as Angel City's elder stateswoman
Angel City's Christen Press celebrates after scoring against Utah on May 9. Press is embracing her mentor role on the club. (Luiza Moraes / NWSL via Getty Images) It doesn't seem that long ago that Christen Press was helping the national team to consecutive World Cup titles. She was unstoppable then, a key cog in the greatest women's soccer team in history. Yet she played her 155th and final match for the U.S. in the Tokyo Olympics. Advertisement It doesn't seem that long ago that Press, just 18 days removed from those Olympics, became the first player signed by expansion club Angel City. She was bringing the NWSL to her hometown and was being rewarded with what was then the richest contract in league history. Yet she's started just 10 games since then, losing most of the last three seasons to a stubborn anterior cruciate ligament injury that took four surgeries to repair. Read more: Angel City's Riley Tiernan used desire and opportunity to prove she belongs Press eventually will be inducted into the National Soccer Hall of Fame, but she isn't ready for that trip just yet. If her body isn't always willing, her mind and her heart are still keen on the sport, so Press makes her most valuable contributions now in the quiet of the locker room. Advertisement At 36, she has completed the transition from wunderkind to elder stateswoman. And on a Angel City team with 13 players under the age of 25, her presence is being felt. 'It's a different role. I wasn't that type of person,' said Press, who admits she has grown into the job. 'When I was 20 I didn't have a relationship with a senior player like they have with me. I'm enjoying the presence that I have with these young players.' Press has paid special attention to Alyssa Thompson, the 20-year-old Angel City player whose early career may be most reminiscent of her own, taking the locker next to Thompson in the team's spacious dressing room. Advertisement Both are Southern California natives who played soccer and ran track in high school, led their teams to CIF titles and won national player of the year awards. Both committed to play for Stanford — Press went, Thompson didn't. Angel City forward Alyssa Thompson controls the ball during a match against Seattle in October. (Lindsey Wasson / Associated Press) But Thompson's career is just starting while Press is winding hers down. So the most valuable thing she can offer now is advice. 'The thing that I'm good at is scoring goals. It is an art and I love it,' Press said. 'I'm now kind of showing Alyssa how I trained to become a goal scorer. How you can think about goal-scoring in a very nuanced and methodical way. 'I'm learning as I teach her. I'm seeing the ways that she approaches it differently. It's just kind of a spirit of collaboration I see as a win-win for everybody.' Advertisement Thompson agrees, saying she appreciates the chance to learn from a master. 'She's definitely my mentor,' Thompson said. 'She's entering a new era of her career and she still wants to continue to play and stuff like that. But when she's not playing, she's able to [offer] her guidance and support.' Goalkeeper Angelina Anderson, the team's vice captain and, at 24, a key member of Angel City's youth movement, isn't sure Press fully appreciates the impact she's having. The extra work Press puts in with Thompson, for example, has also made Anderson better. Read more: Japanese soccer players forming connections with L.A.'s Japanese American community Advertisement 'After training she'll pull me aside and say 'Hey, Ang, can you stay? I'm going to play a few balls through for Alyssa.' That alone, dealing with such an elite finisher, is making me better obviously,' said Anderson, who was recently called up to the national team for the first time. 'She's probably had to change a lot; just her mindset and mentality going through her injury and being older. I think she's embraced her role and she seems like she's in a really healthy spot.' Listen to Press for a moment and the depth of her wisdom, experience and intelligence is obvious. But that doesn't exactly make her rare in the Angel City locker room. Ali Riley, Press' former Stanford teammate, and Scottish international Claire Emslie also have played on multiple continents and in multiple international championships and have become mentors to the team's younger players. 'I enjoy that,' Emslie said. 'I definitely find myself saying things to the younger players that I remember getting told and I think it's important to pass on that information and have those relationships. Advertisement 'I want to help them as much as I can because they're going to go on and have even better and more successful careers. If I can help them along the way, it's rewarding.' That approach seems to be working. Angel City (4-4-2) is in playoff position through 10 games despite starting six players younger than 25. 'It's important to have experienced players like Christen around. Especially when you've got so many players that are so young and exciting and dynamic,' interim manager Sam Laity said. How long Press continues to do that in person is uncertain. The one-year contract extension she signed in January ends when the season does and she has a budding business empire to manage, one that includes a wildly entertaining podcast and a social entrepreneurship company founded with former USWNT teammates Megan Rapinoe, Meghan Klingenberg and Tobin Heath. Advertisement Read more: NWSL commissioner confident league can grow by following 'do good, do well model' But if her playing days are indeed numbered, she's enjoying those she has left. And that may be the most important lesson Professor Press passes on to her young students. 'There's only one thing I haven't done in soccer and that's enjoy it,' she said. 'All of my peers retired and I'm still here. I'm still given this gift of being able to appreciate it, play with gratitude, be a role model. And when I think about Angel City and my legacy, I think about 'wow, what an opportunity to show the next generation that this can — and should be — fun and rewarding and it's a gift that we get to chase greatness. 'The truth is the other things that I'm doing, from a career standpoint, are more lucrative than playing for Angel City this season. [But] there's no better job in the world. We get so wrapped up in winning and greatness and titles and trophies that sometimes we don't just get to be there. Like, I run around for my job. And I'm grateful that I have the opportunity to do so.' Advertisement ⚽ You have read the latest installment of On Soccer with Kevin Baxter. The weekly column takes you behind the scenes and shines a spotlight on unique stories. Listen to Baxter on this week's episode of the 'Corner of the Galaxy' podcast. Get the best, most interesting and strangest stories of the day from the L.A. sports scene and beyond from our newsletter The Sports Report. This story originally appeared in Los Angeles Times.
Los Angeles Times
3 days ago
- Health
- Los Angeles Times
Not done yet: Christen Press embracing her role as Angel City's elder stateswoman
It doesn't seem that long ago that Christen Press was helping the national team to consecutive World Cup titles. She was unstoppable then, a key cog in the greatest women's soccer team in history. Yet she played her 155th and final match for the U.S. in the Tokyo Olympics. It doesn't seem that long ago that Press, just 18 days removed from those Olympics, became the first player signed by expansion club Angel City. She was bringing the NWSL to her hometown and was being rewarded with what was then the richest contract in league history. Yet she's started just 10 games since then, losing most of the last three seasons to a stubborn anterior cruciate ligament injury that took four surgeries to repair. Press eventually will be inducted into the National Soccer Hall of Fame, but she isn't ready for that trip just yet. If her body isn't always willing, her mind and her heart are still keen on the sport, so Press makes her most valuable contributions now in the quiet of the locker room. At 36, she has completed the transition from wunderkind to elder stateswoman. And on a Angel City team with 13 players under the age of 25, her presence is being felt. 'It's a different role. I wasn't that type of person,' said Press, who admits she has grown into the job. 'When I was 20 I didn't have a relationship with a senior player like they have with me. I'm enjoying the presence that I have with these young players.' Press has paid special attention to Alyssa Thompson, the 20-year-old Angel City player whose early career may be most reminiscent of her own, taking the locker next to Thompson in the team's spacious dressing room. Both are Southern California natives who played soccer and ran track in high school, led their teams to CIF titles and won national player of the year awards. Both committed to play for Stanford — Press went, Thompson didn't. But Thompson's career is just starting while Press is winding hers down. So the most valuable thing she can offer now is advice. 'The thing that I'm good at is scoring goals. It is an art and I love it,' Press said. 'I'm now kind of showing Alyssa how I trained to become a goal scorer. How you can think about goal-scoring in a very nuanced and methodical way. 'I'm learning as I teach her. I'm seeing the ways that she approaches it differently. It's just kind of a spirit of collaboration I see as a win-win for everybody.' Thompson agrees, saying she appreciates the chance to learn from a master. 'She's definitely my mentor,' Thompson said. 'She's entering a new era of her career and she still wants to continue to play and stuff like that. But when she's not playing, she's able to [offer] her guidance and support.' Goalkeeper Angelina Anderson, the team's vice captain and, at 24, a key member of Angel City's youth movement, isn't sure Press fully appreciates the impact she's having. The extra work Press puts in with Thompson, for example, has also made Anderson better. 'After training she'll pull me aside and say 'Hey, Ang, can you stay? I'm going to play a few balls through for Alyssa.' That alone, dealing with such an elite finisher, is making me better obviously,' said Anderson, who was recently called up to the national team for the first time. 'She's probably had to change a lot; just her mindset and mentality going through her injury and being older. I think she's embraced her role and she seems like she's in a really healthy spot.' Listen to Press for a moment and the depth of her wisdom, experience and intelligence is obvious. But that doesn't exactly make her rare in the Angel City locker room. Ali Riley, Press' former Stanford teammate, and Scottish international Claire Emslie also have played on multiple continents and in multiple international championships and have become mentors to the team's younger players. 'I enjoy that,' Emslie said. 'I definitely find myself saying things to the younger players that I remember getting told and I think it's important to pass on that information and have those relationships. 'I want to help them as much as I can because they're going to go on and have even better and more successful careers. If I can help them along the way, it's rewarding.' That approach seems to be working. Angel City (4-4-2) is in playoff position through 10 games despite starting six players younger than 25. 'It's important to have experienced players like Christen around. Especially when you've got so many players that are so young and exciting and dynamic,' interim manager Sam Laity said. How long Press continues to do that in person is uncertain. The one-year contract extension she signed in January ends when the season does and she has a budding business empire to manage, one that includes a wildly entertaining podcast and a social entrepreneurship company founded with former USWNT teammates Megan Rapinoe, Meghan Klingenberg and Tobin Heath. But if her playing days are indeed numbered, she's enjoying those she has left. And that may be the most important lesson Professor Press passes on to her young students. 'There's only one thing I haven't done in soccer and that's enjoy it,' she said. 'All of my peers retired and I'm still here. I'm still given this gift of being able to appreciate it, play with gratitude, be a role model. And when I think about Angel City and my legacy, I think about 'wow, what an opportunity to show the next generation that this can — and should be — fun and rewarding and it's a gift that we get to chase greatness. 'The truth is the other things that I'm doing, from a career standpoint, are more lucrative than playing for Angel City this season. [But] there's no better job in the world. We get so wrapped up in winning and greatness and titles and trophies that sometimes we don't just get to be there. Like, I run around for my job. And I'm grateful that I have the opportunity to do so.' ⚽ You have read the latest installment of On Soccer with Kevin Baxter. The weekly column takes you behind the scenes and shines a spotlight on unique stories. Listen to Baxter on this week's episode of the 'Corner of the Galaxy' podcast.
