The Alexi Lalas Legend takes a jolt after Dooley gets the last-minute nod Days before the game, Costa Rica coach Juan Luis Hernandez was asked to talk about the United States. He chose to speak of Alexi Lalas: “When you think of Lalas, you should remember the story of David and Goliath ù one rock right in the middle and that’s the end of Lalas.” This analogy didn’t get Hernandez reported to the Secret Service again ù U.S. Soccer had alerted the White House after the effusive coach said something about missiles and the president ù but it revealed how Lalas has come to symbolize the United States team. The Costa Ricans had already nicknamed him Uncle Sam and General Custer. In Italy, they called him Buffalo Bill, and there he recorded a Bruce Springsteen song (“If I Should Fall Behind”). And Hernandez singled Lalas out even though the big defender was of no threat to the Costa Ricans in their previous encounters with the U.S. Before the game, Lalas is Goliath. But the U.S. wins 1-0. The Ticos didn’t smite the redhead. They didn’t have to. Coach Steve Sampson had benched him. Sampson benched the player who has played in every important U.S. game since June 9, 1993. No one has played as much for the U.S. since that day, when he knocked a ball off the back of his head and into the England net in a historic 2-0 win. With that, Lalas became Bora Milutinovic’s favorite. The emperor’s new player also had a personality to suit stardom, which he attained even before the World Cup.
A ‘global celebrity’?
In April 1994, I met a group of Norwegian boys in Henningsvar, a fishing town of 4,000 that lies above the Arctic circle. I asked if they knew any U.S. soccer players. “Yes, the man with the beard,” one boy answered before another said, “Lalas!” Lalas had yet to play in a professional league at that point. But in the World Cup, he was one of five U.S. players who played every minute of all four U.S. games. The Milutinovic system funneled the opponents’ attacks down the middle, where a duo of Lalas and equally big and tough Marcelo Balboa waited to sweep away intruders. Lalas, who happened to play guitar, sing and cut CDs, entered the mainstream of America as no soccer player ever had. During the World Cup, he appeared on David Letterman, who trimmed the Lalas goatee while the two traded quips. Later that night, he appeared with a more high-brow set on PBS’s Charlie Rose show, and his beard was as long as ever. But even Lalas can’t pull off that kind of trick ù Letterman’s show was taped after Rose’s but shown first. Still, much of his career has had a magical air to it. He landed on FIFA’s World Cup all-star team as an honorable mention ù beating out Franco Baresi, Aldair, Juergen Kohler, Ronald Koeman et al. ù and then signed with Padova to become the first U.S. product to play in the Italian Serie A. He played every minute of the 1995 Copa America, where he scored in another historical win ù 3-0 over Argentina. After a season in Italy, Lalas signed with MLS. In reference to marketing value, deputy commissioner Sunil Gulati called Lalas, “the most important player-signing for this league.” U.S. Soccer president Alan Rothenberg has said, “Alexi Lalas is a true all-American superstar.” An MLS operator-investor said, “For soccer, Lalas is Michael Jordan. No one else comes close.” The press kit put out by his agent claims that “like soccer legend Pele, Alexi is a genuine global celebrity.” But Lalas is no longer indispensable for the U.S. national team.
The loyalty factor
“Alexi has as much to do with this win as anyone else,” said Jeff Agoos. Except that Lalas didn’t play. Instead, Tom Dooley, Eddie Pope and Marcelo Balboa played a three-man central defense in a 5-3-2 formation. Agoos, the only player who had seen more time in qualifying play than Lalas before Sept. 7, played wide left in an outside back/wide midfielder position. Ernie Stewart played that role on the right. All three of the central defenders played well, with Balboa dropping the ball back that Tab Ramos hammered into the goal. In 1996, Balboa was made a national team exile ù only partly due to injury ù and he was even benched in March’s Costa Rica game after a decent showing against Canada. He had to watch as Lalas was wrong-footed on the winning goal. Lalas’ best recent performance came when he was reunited with Balboa against Mexico. But his play throughout qualifying had been shaky enough to endanger his status. Moreover, Lalas’ New England Revolution was been in the midst of an eight-game losing streak. The Revolution defense he commandeered was looking pathetic for the second straight season. And the timely goals that Lalas was known for weren’t coming. As a result, rumors started flying around ù among media, fans, and even U.S. teammates ù that Sampson was under pressure from somebody ù sponsors, MLS, federation bigwigs? ù to keep him in the lineup. I doubt the veracity of these rumors. More likely, Sampson’s reluctance to bench Lalas had to do with loyalty. Lalas’ commitment to the national team has been exceptional. Remember U.S. Cup 1995? Lalas flew all night to join the U.S. for a game against Nigeria after helping his Italian team guarantee its Serie A status by winning a relegation playoff. He was brought to the game in a police car, sirens blaring and all. Then he played the second half. Sure, the event may also have been an example of the federation getting more publicity out of Lalas ù and MLS announced his signing soon thereafter ù but he did forego Padova’s celebration and risked embarrassing himself with a jet-lagged performance. And earlier that year, Lalas flew from Italy to play in a meaningless game in Dallas against Uruguay. Again, something he didn’t have to do. He also played in the 1997 U.S. Cup and toured China when other regulars rested. But prior to the Costa Rica game, the case against starting Lalas become stronger and stronger. Especially the because of the Dooley factor.
The Dooley factor
Sampson had apparently penciled in Lalas as a starter and Dooley as a reserve. Something Dooley couldn’t understand, since his Columbus Crew defense was among the best in the league. His own play ù since joining MLS in June after 12 years of pro ball in Germany ù included some spectacular goals and solid central defensive play. But Sampson said Lalas was a better pure defender, which he needed more than Dooley’s ability to attack. That tune would change after the game, but before it, Dooley said, “I just can’t understand that.” He has, after all, played every central defensive position. Lalas, meanwhile, defended his performances with the Revolution. “The problems New England has are a combination of things,” Lalas said. “Factors that I have no control over ù injuries, a lot of stuff combined. They have no bearing on my national team performance. I put them aside when I came here on Sunday. I feel very comfortable.” But on the eve of the game, Lalas received the news that he was benched, and Dooley received the good news. “I had been playing well in the league, so I could not understand what was happening,” Dooley said. “Then the night before the game, when we had our team meeting, Sampson starting writing the lineup on the board. I saw Agoos, ‘Celo [Balboa], and then I couldn’t see what he wrote, because his arm was covering it. I figured it was Lalas. It was a big surprise when I saw ‘Dooley.”’ The win, of course, made all of Sampson’s decisions look good. He explained the benching of Lalas: “That was a tactical decision. The reason was exactly for what happened in game. If we need a defender to move into midfield for whatever reason, Tom Dooley can do that. Alexi cannot do that. He cannot slide into midfield. That’s the reason I started Dooley. It wasn’t that difficult a decision, although I must admit I didn’t make that decision until last night. I felt the only way we could play against Costa Rica was with five midfielders. “Dooley has been playing very well. Every thing that I hear is that Thomas Dooley has been the best player in MLS in the last month.” The last time Lalas was benched, during his clashes with ill-fated New England coach Frank Stapleton, Lalas lashed out. But he immediately apologized. This time, he handled the situation gracefully. “You accept the coaching decision and the most important thing is that we got three points regardless of who played,” Lalas said. “There were different reasons [why I was benched], some of them have to do with MLS and the situation with New England. All I can do is continue to work and do my best with New England and get back in the lineup somewhere.” Lalas stressed that the key for him wasn’t doing well with New England, but winning with New England. “I’ll do everything I can,” he said. “Getting to the World Cup is a long process. Hopefully I’ll be there, on the field. If not, I’ll be supporting my teammates.”