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Los Angeles Times
7 days ago
- Sport
- Los Angeles Times
Why are the Galaxy the worst — and also somehow among the best — in MLS this season?
The Galaxy are the worst team in Major League Soccer. That's not subjective opinion, it's objective fact. Just look at the MLS standings, where the Galaxy are dead last after Sunday's 4-0 loss to the Seattle Sounders, a game that wasn't nearly as close as the score would indicate. But the Galaxy are also one of the four best teams in Major League Soccer. That, too, is not subjective opinion but objective fact because, after an unbeaten run through Leagues Cup group play, the Galaxy are one of just four MLS teams to advance to the tournament quarterfinals. How can both things be true simultaneously? That's a good question — and one that can be only be answered subjectively. 'It takes time for a group to come together and a team to find out who they are,' Galaxy general manager Will Kuntz offered. 'We had to discover ourselves a little bit.' That doesn't really capture the depth of the Galaxy's decline. The team had one of the most successful seasons in franchise history last year, matching the modern-era record for victories (19) and going unbeaten in 21 games at Dignity Health Sports Park en route to their sixth MLS Cup. This season, they got off to the worst start ever for a reigning champion, going 16 games without a win while being outscored 36-13. Since May 31, however, the Galaxy are 5-3-4 in all competition, with two of the wins coming against Mexican clubs Tijuana and Santos Laguna, whom they outscored 9-2 in Leagues Cup matches. In between there were no trades, no acquisitions and no major lineup or strategic changes. Nor are there likely to be any for the reason of the season; although there are 10 days left in the MLS summer transfer window, Kuntz said 'I don't foresee us doing anything.' So it's pretty much been the same players and will pretty much stay the same players. Only now they're playing (slightly) better. 'The rosters are the same, but the minutes and who's getting them have maybe changed a little bit. Our start of the season was more of an aberration than where we're at now,' Kuntz said. Defender Mauricio Cuevas, for example, started just two of the team's first 24 MLS games, but he started two of the Leagues Cup games and contributed three assists. The Galaxy were winless in league play when forward Matheus Nascimento made his first start; with Nascimento scoring six goals, they've lost just four of 13 games in all competition since then. And winger Joseph Paintsil, who appeared lost early in the season, has found his form from a year ago, notching six goals and an assist in his last eight matches. Still, Kuntz's subjective analysis feels like a bit of a cop-out since the Galaxy returned 10 of the 14 players who appeared in last year's MLS Cup final, a game midfielder Riqui Puig, the team's most indispensable player, missed with injury. But it's not so much how many players left as it is where they played that matters, the GM said. Two of the three players he traded — Mark Delgado and Gastón Brugman — were midfielders. And with Puig yet to play this year, the Galaxy started the season missing three of their top five midfielders in terms of minutes played in 2024. 'The midfield is the heart of any team,' Kuntz said. 'That's not to say we haven't had some players who underperformed or took longer to get to speed than we thought. But the midfield consistency also impacts guys. Everything's sort of interrelated.' Coach Greg Vanney agreed. His team's decline, he said, can't be blamed on one thing. 'There are a lot of things,' he said. 'I don't think we have a super deep group when it comes to a lot of games in a short period to match some of the physicality. 'We haven't executed. We have given up goals soft. We've never been able to catch any sort of consistent sort of form and rhythm inside of the league and gotten results out of it and closed out games when we need to.' And that's just the short list. The Galaxy's tepid turnaround — 'We've been a lot better over the last stretch,' Vanney said — hasn't been nearly good enough to lift the team out of the deep, deep hole it dug in the first three months of the season since their 3-15-7 record has them buried at the bottom of the MLS table and their 52 goals allowed are most in the league. Yet a win over Mexico's Pachuca next week, at home, would leave the Galaxy a win away from a berth in next season's CONCACAF Champions Cup and two victories away from raising the Leagues Cup, giving them a second major title in nine months. And they have another chance at hardware in October's Campeones Cup against Mexican champion Toluca, whom they could also face in the Leagues Cup final. 'It is important to compete for trophies, right?' Kuntz asked. 'The other thing you've see in this tournament is a bit of a fresh start for us. And guys kind of embrace that. It's like this is what you'd see if the MLS season started today. This is kind of where we'd be.' Where they are is last. Winning a trophy while finishing at the bottom of the MLS standings has been done before; in 2013, DC United set an MLS record for fewest wins in a season with three and broke the record for fewest points in a 34-game season with 16. 'Hey, you can still qualify for Champions [Cup]. Pretty incredible,' Kuntz said. 'You need to be a goldfish, right? Have a short memory. It's important that you not dwell on what's already passed. 'Because the most important stretch is what comes next.' That's not subjective opinion. It's objective fact. ⚽ 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.
CBS News
18-05-2025
- Sport
- CBS News
Galaxy give multi-year contract extension to coach Greg Vanney while mired in historic winless skid
Head coach Greg Vanney has been given a multi-year contract extension by the defending MLS Cup champion LA Galaxy despite their historic 13-game winless skid to start the new season. The Galaxy announced the deal Friday for Vanney even though the club has 10 losses and three draws in the worst start to a season by any team in MLS history. Galaxy general manager Will Kuntz said the decision to keep Vanney for the long term was made last year. Vanney, a two-time MLS Cup champion coach, was previously under contract only through the current season. "Greg is one of the most respected and successful coaches in MLS history, and we are excited to be continuing under his leadership," Kuntz said in a statement. "While this season's results haven't reflected our standards, this was a decision made following our 2024 MLS Cup victory, and we remain confident in the project we are building with Greg and we have a clear path forward to returning to an MLS champion level. Greg's commitment to development, culture, and high standards is unwavering." Vanney led the Galaxy to their MLS-record sixth league title last season in a stunning turnaround for a team that had almost no success in the previous decade since winning the 2014 title. LA finished second in the Western Conference before streaking through the playoffs and beating the New York Red Bulls 2-1 at home in the MLS Cup Final. Vanney also won the MLS Cup and reached three MLS Cup Finals during his lengthy tenure with Toronto before the former Galaxy defender returned to his native Southern California in 2021. The Galaxy made the playoffs in two of Vanney's first four seasons in charge. But the new season has been horrific for the Galaxy without star midfielder Riqui Puig, who led MLS in touches last season by a wide margin before he tore a knee ligament in the conference final. Forward Dejan Joveljic, midfielder Mark Delgado and MLS Cup MVP Gastón Brugman were among the contributors who had to be moved in the offseason due to the salary cap constraints annually created for MLS champions. Designated players Joseph Paintsil, Gabriel Pec and Marco Reus all returned for the new season, but all have struggled with injuries — and the Galaxy are foundering with just three points from 13 games. The Galaxy have earned one victory this season, beating Herediano 4-1 in a CONCACAF Champions Cup match in March. The Galaxy lost 1-0 to Sporting Kansas City earlier this month despite not giving up a shot, falling on an own-goal by Maya Yoshida. LA then matched the worst margin of defeat in MLS history during a 7-0 drubbing from the Red Bulls. The Galaxy lost 3-2 to Philadelphia on Wednesday. They host Los Angeles FC on Sunday night in the El Tráfico rivalry game.
The Guardian
16-05-2025
- Sport
- The Guardian
LA Galaxy give Greg Vanney multi-year extension amid historic winless skid
Countering speculation that Los Angeles Galaxy head coach Greg Vanney might be relieved of his duties following a brutal start to the season, the club instead signed the 50-year-old to a contract extension. According to the Athletic, Vanney's extension is for three years through the 2028 season and will make him one of the highest-paid coaches in MLS – highest among those who don't also have sporting director duties. The actual financial terms were not reported. The club won the sixth MLS Cup title in club history last season despite missing star midfielder Riqui Puig due to an ACL injury. That title triggered a one-year extension for Vanney through this season. Amid some roster changes, while Puig remains out, Los Angeles has gotten off to a disastrous 0-10-3 start this season. No MLS club has ever gone 13 games to start a season without a victory. The contract extension comes as the club lauded Vanney's 'vision' for the road ahead. 'Greg is one of the most respected and successful coaches in MLS history and we are excited to be continuing under his leadership,' general manager Will Kuntz said in a release. 'While this season's results haven't reflected our standards, this was a decision made following our 2024 MLS Cup victory and we remain confident in the project we are building with Greg.' Vanney played seven seasons with the Galaxy, starting his MLS career with the club from 1996-2001. He played four seasons in France before returning to MLS with FC Dallas, the Colorado Rapids and DC United, then finished his playing days with the Galaxy in 2008. Vanney led the Galaxy to a 19-8-7 record in the 2024 regular season, which was capped by a run through the playoffs that culminated with a 2-1 victory over the New York Red Bulls in the MLS Cup final. He has a 54-56-39 record in five seasons as Galaxy head coach. He previously coached Toronto FC from 2014-20. 'I'm honored to continue this journey with a club that has meant so much to me,' Vanney said in a release. 'We know we haven't started this season the way we intended, but we believe in the group, in the process, and in what we're building. I'm fully committed to our players, our fans, and this organization, and I'm excited for what's ahead.' In addition to signing Vanney to an extension, the club hired Ravi Ramineni to the newly created role of director of quantitative analysis, promoted former midfielder Juninho to senior advisor to the general manager, and promoted Zack Murshedi to director of team administration and player care.
Reuters
16-05-2025
- Sport
- Reuters
Amid historically poor start, Galaxy extends coach Greg Vanney
May 16 - Countering speculation that Los Angeles Galaxy head coach Greg Vanney might be relieved of his duties following a brutal start to the season, the club instead signed the 50-year-old to a contract extension. According to the Athletic, Vanney's extension is for three years through the 2028 season and will make him one of the highest-paid coaches in MLS -- highest among those who don't also have sporting director duties. The actual financial terms were not reported. The club won the sixth MLS Cup title in club history last season despite missing star midfielder Riqui Puig due to an ACL injury. That title triggered a one-year extension for Vanney through this season. Amid some roster changes, while Puig remains out, Los Angeles has gotten off to a disastrous 0-10-3 start this season. No MLS club has ever gone 13 games to start a season without a victory. The contract extension comes as the club lauded Vanney's "vision" for the road ahead. "Greg is one of the most respected and successful coaches in MLS history and we are excited to be continuing under his leadership," general manager Will Kuntz said in a release. "While this season's results haven't reflected our standards, this was a decision made following our 2024 MLS Cup victory and we remain confident in the project we are building with Greg." Vanney played seven seasons with the Galaxy, starting his MLS career with the club from 1996-2001. He played four seasons in France before returning to MLS with FC Dallas, the Colorado Rapids and D.C. United, then finished his playing days with the Galaxy in 2008. Vanney led the Galaxy to a 19-8-7 record in the 2024 regular season, which was capped by a run through the playoffs that culminated with a 2-1 victory over the New York Red Bulls in the MLS Cup final. He has a 54-56-39 record in five seasons as Galaxy head coach. He previously coached Toronto FC from 2014-20. "I'm honored to continue this journey with a club that has meant so much to me," Vanney said in a release. "We know we haven't started this season the way we intended, but we believe in the group, in the process, and in what we're building. I'm fully committed to our players, our fans, and this organization, and I'm excited for what's ahead." In addition to signing Vanney to an extension, the club hired Ravi Ramineni to the newly created role of director of quantitative analysis, promoted former midfielder Juninho to senior advisor to the general manager, and promoted Zack Murshedi to director of team administration and player care. --Field Level Media
CNA
16-05-2025
- Sport
- CNA
Amid historically poor start, Galaxy extends coach Greg Vanney
Countering speculation that Los Angeles Galaxy head coach Greg Vanney might be relieved of his duties following a brutal start to the season, the club instead signed the 50-year-old to a contract extension. According to the Athletic, Vanney's extension is for three years through the 2028 season and will make him one of the highest-paid coaches in MLS - highest among those who don't also have sporting director duties. The actual financial terms were not reported. The club won the sixth MLS Cup title in club history last season despite missing star midfielder Riqui Puig due to an ACL injury. That title triggered a one-year extension for Vanney through this season. Amid some roster changes, while Puig remains out, Los Angeles has gotten off to a disastrous 0-10-3 start this season. No MLS club has ever gone 13 games to start a season without a victory. The contract extension comes as the club lauded Vanney's "vision" for the road ahead. "Greg is one of the most respected and successful coaches in MLS history and we are excited to be continuing under his leadership," general manager Will Kuntz said in a release. "While this season's results haven't reflected our standards, this was a decision made following our 2024 MLS Cup victory and we remain confident in the project we are building with Greg." Vanney played seven seasons with the Galaxy, starting his MLS career with the club from 1996-2001. He played four seasons in France before returning to MLS with FC Dallas, the Colorado Rapids and D.C. United, then finished his playing days with the Galaxy in 2008. Vanney led the Galaxy to a 19-8-7 record in the 2024 regular season, which was capped by a run through the playoffs that culminated with a 2-1 victory over the New York Red Bulls in the MLS Cup final. He has a 54-56-39 record in five seasons as Galaxy head coach. He previously coached Toronto FC from 2014-20. "I'm honored to continue this journey with a club that has meant so much to me," Vanney said in a release. "We know we haven't started this season the way we intended, but we believe in the group, in the process, and in what we're building. I'm fully committed to our players, our fans, and this organization, and I'm excited for what's ahead." In addition to signing Vanney to an extension, the club hired Ravi Ramineni to the newly created role of director of quantitative analysis, promoted former midfielder Juninho to senior advisor to the general manager, and promoted Zack Murshedi to director of team administration and player care.
