Gullit gets Galaxy camp going
The jigsaw puzzle pieces that eventually will coalesce into the 2008 Galaxy gathered for the first time in Carson on Monday.
New Coach Ruud Gullit was there, as was new assistant coach Cobi Jones. David Beckham was there, as were Carlos Ruiz and Celestine Babayaro, the team’s two major off-season signings.
In all there were 41 players who took the field at the Home Depot Center to begin righting the Galaxy’s wrongs of the last two Major League Soccer seasons, when the team failed to advance to the playoffs.
Beckham was clear about what the goal needs to be this year.
“To win something,” he said. “That’s what we’ve got to do. . . . We have to get it right from the first game and carry it on all the way through the season.”
Getting it right will be up to Gullit, the Dutchman whose credentials include winning a European title with Holland and twice being FIFA world player of the year while with AC Milan.
Gullit, 45, will be cracking the whip as he tries to reshape the Galaxy.
“They’re going to work their butts off,” said Alexi Lalas, the team’s president and general manager of Gullit’s planned fitness regime in the two months leading up to the start of the league’s 13th season.
“I think Ruud brings not just a credibility and a personality and an aura about him,” but also “an ability to deal with players regardless of who they are, what their name is, how much money they’re making, in an equal way. And to get the most out of them, whether it’s a young draft pick or the most famous player in the world.”
The most famous player in the world was ready for that one.
“I know his reputation,” Beckham said. “He’s a hard coach, a hard man, and he was the best footballer in the world. Everyone’s got respect for him and everyone will respect every decision that he takes. We’re excited about this.”
The Galaxy has preseason trips planned to Hawaii, South Korea and China before its March 29 season opener at Denver.
Lalas said there would be further roster changes because having Beckham, Ruiz, Babayaro and Landon Donovan -- who was with the U.S. team in Houston on Monday preparing for Wednesday’s game against Mexico -- on the squad means the Galaxy is over the salary cap.
“Everybody’s fighting for a roster spot, even the players who have been here and are under contract,” Lalas said. “There will be some other moves that we probably will have to make . . . we will do everything that we possibly can to have it disrupt the team the least.”
Chivas USA also opened its preseason camp Monday and announced the signing of former Swiss international midfielder Raphael Wicky.
Wicky, 30, played more than 70 times for Switzerland, including at the 2004 European Championship and the 2006 World Cup. Among others, he also played for Hamburg SV in Germany and Atletico Madrid.
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