Schmid a Roster Wizard
If he ever decides to give up soccer, Sigi Schmid could try his hand as a palm reader.
The Galaxy coach, in Tampa, Fla., for tonight’s game against the Mutiny, looks almost prescient in light of his recent player moves.
On Friday, he signed free-agent defender Craig Waibel and waived midfielder Brian Kelly.
On Saturday, defender Alexi Lalas was sidelined with an injury that likely will keep him out for several weeks.
Did Schmid know Lalas was injured when he signed Waibel?
“No,” Schmid said by telephone Tuesday. “I mean, we knew Lalas was having some aches and pains, but the reason we signed Waibel was with the switch to four [from three] in the back, we felt it was important to bring in maybe one more defender just in case we had a couple that were called up [to the U.S. national team].
“If that happened and we had an injury or something, we’d immediately be short.”
Waibel, a 6-foot-1, 170-pound defender from the University of Washington, played 54 games with the Seattle Sounders of the A-League in 1999 and 2000 before being drafted by the San Jose Earthquakes, then waived before the Major League Soccer season began.
Schmid likes the 26-year-old’s versatility.
“He can play any of the back four positions,” he said.
Meanwhile, Lalas’ injury is less severe than believed.
On Sunday, after Lalas had undergone an MRI exam, the Galaxy said the defender “has been diagnosed with a torn lateral meniscus [cartilage] and a partially torn posterior cruciate ligament in his left knee.”
By Tuesday, however, that diagnosis had been changed, after an examination by Ronald Kvitne, the team doctor. Now Lalas is listed as having simply a sprained left knee ligament.
Still, he won’t return to full-time training for 10 days or more, so it’s just as well the Galaxy brought Waibel on board.
TONIGHT
at Tampa Bay, 4 PDT
Fox Sports Net 2
(tape, 10:30 p.m.)
Site--Raymond James Stadium, Tampa.
Radio--KRLA 870 (delayed, 7 p.m.); KTNQ 1020 (live, Spanish).
Records--Galaxy 3-2-0; Mutiny 2-3-0.
Record vs Mutiny (2000)--1-1.
Update--After an 0-2 start, the Galaxy has won three consecutive league games. Tampa Bay, which has lost two in a row, will be without defenders Steve Trittschuh (broken right fibula) and Chad McCarty (broken left ankle). Last season’s MLS leading scorer, Mamadou “Big Mama” Diallo, who missed the last two games because of a red card and league-imposed suspension, returns. Midfielder/defender John Maessner, who sat out the Mutiny’s 2-0 loss at Chicago on Saturday because of a red card, also is back. Defender Joe Addo is listed as probable after missing two games because of a hamstring strain.
