CONTINENTAL SHIFT
Although his contract with Major League Soccer ends as soon as the Galaxy’s season does, Cobi Jones is not worrying about his future.
The Galaxy forward is taking a wait-and-see approach to impending contract talks. Besides, there are more pressing issues at hand, such as the MLS semifinals, which begin for the Galaxy Friday at Kansas City against the top-seeded Wizards.
“I haven’t heard anything from the league in three months now,” said Jones, a charter member of the Galaxy and MLS since the league’s inception in 1996. “The way I look at it, I’m just going to go and do my thing and look into the opportunities that are available elsewhere [after the playoffs].”
Jones, 30, arguably the most popular American player in the five-year-old league, is reportedly looking to secure a five-year, $5-million deal with MLS. Earlier this summer, however, he expressed a strong desire to test the European market, particularly France.
Before joining MLS, Jones had a successful stint with Coventry City of England’s Premier League in 1994-95 before a brief run with Vasco de Gama of Brazil’s first division in 1995-96. Jones, who is making a reported $270,000 base salary with MLS before endorsements and television revenue, likes the idea of another challenge abroad.
Ivan Gazidis, MLS executive vice president of player relations and operations, said the league wants to retain Jones.
“We want to do it, but right now is not the appropriate time for the team,” Gazidis said. “Their focus is on MLS Cup. As soon as the season ends, that’s going to be one of our first priorities.”
Gazidis also said the prospect of losing Jones to overseas overtures does not sit well with the league.
“It would be a big loss,” Gazidis said. “We hope to keep him and we realize that we’re going to have to compete with his other opportunities. But if we can do it, we will.”
Still, you couldn’t really blame Jones if he harbored a twinge of bitterness toward the league. Call it a “Marcus Allen complex.”
Toward the end of his Raider career, a capable Allen stood idly by while the team brought in a new running back seemingly every year--from Bo Jackson to Greg Bell to Roger Craig to Eric Dickerson.
In Jones’ case, despite being more than a competent scorer himself, the MLS powers that be have shuttled in a slew of high-scoring foreign strikers to join Jones on the Galaxy’s front line, from Eduardo Hurtado to Welton to Carlos Hermosillo to Luis Hernandez this season.
Jones says he is not bitter, but he has gotten frustrated with the lineup disruptions that occur every season with such additions.
“It’s always difficult when you’re bringing in new players,” he said. “It messes up the team’s chemistry and it takes a while to get that back, obviously.
“But the situation with Luis is one where he’s a quality player and a proven professional and you know in the long run it’s going to be worthwhile.”
Galaxy Coach Sigi Schmid, who coached Jones at UCLA from 1988-91, said that Jones’ international experience with the U.S. national team has been invaluable to the Galaxy. Jones is the all-time appearance leader for the U.S. with 131 caps since 1992.
“I think he’s really starting to step up his game now and I think that’s a reflection of Cobi knowing that this is the time of the year that’s very important and him responding to that,” Schmid said of the Galaxy’s playoff run. “Because of his notoriety and because of his fan [base], he takes a lot of pressure off of other players because people’s expectations are for Cobi to come through . . . so it makes it easier for some of his teammates to play because the pressure’s a little more on his shoulders and he’s willing to accept that.
“The key with Cobi is I think he’s learned to live with that pressure. You have to do what you do well. Cobi’s success and what has gotten Cobi all the accolades he has earned has been his speed, his quickness. He has to use that at the right times. And also that he’s a very disciplined player. He can fill a role for you in the game and he plays both sides of the ball, offense and defense.”
Jones is the Galaxy’s all-time leading scorer with 136 points (48 goals and 40 assists) in 131 regular-season games, but he has never led the Galaxy in playoff scoring.
He only recently began to find his rhythm in the postseason with the Galaxy. Before getting a goal and an assist in the 5-2 quarterfinal series-clinching win over the Tampa Bay Mutiny on Sept. 20 at the Rose Bowl, Jones had recorded just four points (one goal and two assists) in 19 MLS playoff matches.
“He can’t let the pressure get to him where he thinks he has to do more, so he does less of what he’s good at and does more of something else,” Schmid said. “In big games, what you need from players is for them to bring their game, not to change their game or to alter their game, but to bring their game. I think the last two years of the playoffs, Cobi has brought his game.”
Perhaps not coincidentally, Schmid has been at the Galaxy helm the last two years.
Yet while Jones’ modest 20 points (seven goals and six assists) led the Galaxy this year, it was the second-lowest point output of his MLS career. But if he was merely average, by his standards, with the Galaxy this season, he has absolutely thrived with the U.S. team in World Cup qualifying, leading the national squad with five goals and seven assists for 17 points in 13 games.
His star power is not lost on MLS officials, what with his being one of the league’s poster boys while starring in ESPN commercials, taking a television station hostage and demanding more coverage of MLS games.
“In terms of contributing, he has been first rate,” Gazidis said. “He has taken on every aspect of his role, on the field and also off. He’s promoted the game and proven himself.”
But there is one thing that has eluded Jones in MLS. And if he finally gets it Oct. 15 at RFK Stadium in Washington, maybe Jones’ future becomes that much clearer.
“I think everything’s going well here in the league at this point in time,” Jones said. “The only thing left to capture here is a title.”
MLS SEMIFINAL ROUND
GALAXY vs.
KANSAS CITY
FRIDAY
Galaxy at
Kansas City
5 p.m.
TUESDAY
Kansas City
at Galaxy
7:30 p.m.
OCT. 6
Galaxy
at Kansas City*
5:30 p.m.
*--if necessary
Times Pacific
