Familiar Faces Make It Special
Sigi Schmid is back in town, and so is Alexi Lalas.
For the Galaxy’s veteran players, that should make tonight interesting at the Home Depot Center. They’ll be playing against their former coach for the first time while simultaneously trying to impress their former teammate in his first game as their new boss.
Sound complicated? It isn’t.
Schmid used to coach the Galaxy until a short winless streak led to his unexpected and unceremonious ouster in August 2004, even though the team was in first place. He spent a year as coach of the U.S. under-20 national team and then returned to Major League Soccer in October as coach of the Columbus Crew, tonight’s opponent.
“It’s a game that has special meaning for me,” Schmid said, without having to elaborate.
Lalas, meanwhile, was a starter for Schmid on the Galaxy team that won three championships in as many years.
On Monday, Lalas was named the Galaxy’s president and general manager, taking control of arguably the league’s most successful club. The last word on hiring and firing is his, which makes things a little strange for his former teammates.
Six Galaxy players -- Chris Albright, Herculez Gomez, Kevin Hartman, Cobi Jones, Tyrone Marshall and Peter Vagenas -- were on the roster in 2003, Lalas’ final season as a player.
The combination of Schmid and Lalas returning in the same week has shaken things up in Carson.
“Everybody was like, ‘What’s it going to be like playing against Sigi this week?’ ” Hartman said. “And I was kind of like, ‘We’re not really playing against each other. I can get a jersey for him, put him out there....’ ”
Schmid will stick to the sideline, however, content to see if the Crew team he is rebuilding can earn its first victory of the season. Only 10 players remain from last season’s squad of 28.
“We’re a young team,” Schmid said. “I wish we were a little more mature at this stage, but it is what it is.”
Said Hartman: “They’re young, but I don’t necessarily know if it’s going to be easy. Sigi always puts together a bunch of guys who are pretty decent soccer players. I have nothing but respect for him.”
Vagenas had a similar view.
“This one has been circled on my calendar,” he said. “I’ve known Sigi for many years. I have the utmost respect for him, as everyone does in this organization.
“Columbus the first couple of weeks hasn’t displayed much, but if there’s a game for them to come out and play their best it’s this one. So I expect a tough match.
“I think all the players here who once played for him, we all want to beat him, and I think he wants to come back and beat us.
“I’ve been waiting for this game since the schedule came out.”
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TONIGHT
vs. Columbus, 7:30
Site -- Home Depot Center.
Radio -- 830.
Records -- Galaxy 1-1-1, Crew 0-2-1.
Record vs. Crew (2005) -- 0-1-1.
Update -- The Crew is 11-8-5 all-time against the Galaxy and has not lost to the Galaxy the last four times the teams have met. Columbus features U.S. national team players Jon Busch, Frankie Hejduk, Chad Marshall and Eddie Gaven, as well as former Chilean international striker Sebastian Rozental. Two other key newcomers are midfielder Jacob Thomas and forward Kei Kamara.
Tickets -- (877) 342-5299.
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Sigi in charge
The Galaxy’s record under Sigi Schmid, who returns to Los Angeles tonight for the first time as coach of Columbus:
*--* YEAR W L T Conf. 1999 * 17 9 0 1st 2000 14 10 8 2nd 2001 14 7 5 1st 2002 16 9 3 1st 2003 9 12 9 4th 2004 9 6 7 ** Totals 79 53 32
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* took over six games into season; ** In 1st place when fired on Aug. 16
