Schmid May Not Have a Full Galaxy of Stars
Less than a week before a tournament that could earn the Galaxy a place in the third FIFA World Club Championship in Spain this summer--and a minimum $1-million bonus--Coach Sigi Schmid finds himself not knowing which players he will have available.
* Winger Cobi Jones, whose contract negotiations with Major League Soccer have dragged on for several months, might well be missing. He met with league officials Wednesday to try to resolve the situation in person, but the outcome was not immediately known.
* Defender Greg Vanney, one of only four players who have been with the Galaxy since its formation in 1996, has an offer to play for Racing Ferrol in the Spanish second division, an offer from MLS and a third, unidentified offer. He is undecided and his tournament availability also is in doubt.
* Defender Robin Fraser still is recovering from off-season shoulder surgery and definitely is sidelined.
* Midfielder Danny Pena also is unavailable, having not yet recovered from knee surgery.
* No resolution has been reached in talks between the Galaxy and Club America of Mexico over the temporary release of forward Luis Hernandez.
In other words, five Galaxy starters--almost half of the starting lineup--could be absent when the team opens CONCACAF Champions Cup play against Real Espana of Honduras on Wednesday night at Cal State Fullerton.
To Schmid’s considerable relief, however, the week has brought at least one piece of good news.
Alexi Lalas has signed a short-term contract with MLS that will allow him to play for the Galaxy in the tournament, which serves as the regional qualifier for the July 30-Aug. 10 World Championship.
Lalas is in talks with the league about ending his one-season retirement and returning to play. Although he has been given permission to play for the Galaxy in the Champions Cup, that does not necessarily mean he will be with the team for the regular season.
Meanwhile, doubts over the availability of Jones, Vanney and Hernandez have taken a toll on Schmid, if not the team.
“It makes it very difficult,” Schmid said of preparations for the Champions Cup.
“What I’m happy about is that [among] the guys who have been out to training, and that includes Cobi and Vanney, the effort has been super. I think they’re fit, I think they’re ready. They’re playing with enthusiasm, even with all the obstacles and the uncertainty that exists.”
Ivan Gazidis, assistant commissioner of MLS, flew from New York to meet with Jones and his agent, Corey Clemetson, on Wednesday.
Even if no long-term agreement is reached, it is possible that Jones, like Lalas, could sign a short-term pact enabling him to play in next week’s tournament.
Vanney said the same possibility exists in his case.
“I’m so kind of torn between all these [contract offers],” he said. “That’s why it’s taking so long. It’s not clear-cut.
“At some point in my career, I definitely would like to play in Europe. There’s no two ways about it. It’s a new challenge. There are lots of things that go along with it.”
Vanney said he has been talking frequently to another former UCLA player, Ante Razov, who left the Chicago Fire at the end of the MLS season to join Racing Ferrol.
“There are so many things you have to weigh in a decision like this,” Vanney said. “It seems like there’s a billion things to sort through in order to make the right decision.”
Vanney said Schmid wants him to remain in Los Angeles but is hampered by the MLS salary cap of $1.72 million. Schmid said that if both Jones and Vanney sign MLS contracts, the Galaxy will have to make a move to get under the cap.
“I’ve talked to Sigi a ton and he’s doing everything in his power to keep me here,” Vanney said. “He’s been great about it.”
As for Hernandez, Schmid doesn’t know what to believe.
“We don’t have a definite answer on that, either,” he said. “I know a lot of things have been done. There are some paths that have been cleared, but there still are some more hurdles to go through.”
If it gets past Real Espana, the Galaxy would play the winner of Wednesday’s first game between Washington D.C. United and Alajuelense of Costa Rica.
The Champions Cup begins with a Tuesday night doubleheader when Toluca of Mexico plays Olimpia of Honduras and Pachuca of Mexico plays Joe Public FC of Trinidad and Tobago.
The semifinals are Jan. 19 at the Coliseum, with the two winners reaching the World Championship. The tournament final and third-place match will be played Jan. 21 at the Coliseum.
