“The Los Angeles Galaxy looks more and more like a Saturday Night Live sketch every day,” writes Steve Davis in the aftermath of the sacking of GM Alexi Lalas, and the departure “for personal reasons” of coach Ruud Gullit. The new vacancies will create “ample room for the next round of material that will keep soccer writers steadily employed.”
“Honestly, they just can’t get anything right out there,” he continues. “The team is a mess, hobbling along on a seven-game winless streak. The field is little better than a good dog track. They built a roster with about five legitimate pro soccer players and a bunch of guys who might or might not catch on in USL next year.”
Davis suggests that David Beckham’s management team, which reportedly had a big say in Gullit’s ill-fated appointment, should be kept out of the discussions about his successor. But who would bet against another “splashy choice”? Tom Cruise, anyone? Or the next American Idol?
But at some point AEG President and team operator Tim Leiweke needs to accept some responsibility. “He sets the tone as the club sings the tune of entitlement. They don’t want to work for it in L.A., they want it to happen magically, because they think they deserve it.” It was Leiweke who sacked Sigi Schmid in 2004 when the Galaxy was top of the league, “but apparently weren’t kicking teams up and down Victoria Street with sufficient arrogant sexiness. The Galaxy record since then: a joyless 41-47-27.”