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L.A. Galaxy's next coach is...

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Having plucked David Beckham out of the hat in the spring, the Galaxy has conjured up another trick for the fall by signing former Dutch standout Ruud Gullit as its new coach. Gullit, 45, will be formally introduced as the Major League Soccer team's sixth coach this morning. Although the league does not reveal details of player and coach contracts, reports in England, where Gullit has been working for Sky Sports as a television soccer analyst, suggested that he had signed a three-year contract worth an estimated $10 million. Former German national team coach Juergen Klinsmann also was approached by AEG, the Galaxy's owner, but said he preferred to continue coaching on the national team level.

Los Angeles Times

Ruud Gullit , Christof Koepsel/Getty Images Ruud Gullit , Christof Koepsel/Getty Images
November 9, 2007  08:56 AM ET

Let me be the first (and only) to say this. HORRIBLE MOVE BY AN MLS FRANCHISE.

Listen to my reasoning, then you can flame me all you want.

Let's look at every single foreign coach in the MLS who has had NO PREVIOUS EXPERIENCE WITH COACHING IN NORTH AMERICA.

Juan Carlos Osorio (Colombia), Chicago, one year (current), 6-3-6
Frank Stapleton (Ireland), New England, one year, 15-17-0
Carlos Queiroz (Portugal), New York, one year, 12-12-0
Carlos Alberto Parreira (Brazil), New York, one year, 13-19-0
Bora Milutinovic (Serbia), New York, one year, 7-25-0
Hans Westerhof (Netherlands), Chivas USA, one year, 3-14-4
Bobby Houghton (England), Colorado, one year, 11-20-0
Carlos Cordoba (Argentina), Miami, one year, 8-11-0
Ivo Wortmann (Brazil), Miami, 2.5 years, 21-28-4

In that list, there are BIG NAMES. BIG NAMES that were SUCCESSFUL in their respective countries, but FLOUNDERED in the MLS.

What makes anyone think that Ruud Gullit will be different, especially considering even in Europe, he's considered a "one hit wonder" as a manager?

November 9, 2007  10:11 AM ET

I am going to wait to see LA play before I start commenting on Gullit's management skills. From a publicity stand point, he is a great choice. We will see about the actually on field product.

I am exited with the prospect that he will bring "sexy football" to LA, though. I don't think anyone can say that they don't want to see some consistently beautiful, flowing soccer in the MLS.

November 9, 2007  10:53 AM ET

"Sexy football"?

His teams have been stagnant, ball holding teams.

He's going to give LA what New England is known for. Stagnant, ball holding defense that counter attacks. His name is "sexy," and his nationality is "sexy." There's nothing sexy about his style of managing unless you have a fetish for abuse.

LA would have been much better off with someone who knows even just a little about the American game.

November 9, 2007  11:55 AM ET

The only way this works is if he has a good assistant, who knows how the MLS works, I'll wait to see how he does next season before I cast judgement...

November 9, 2007  12:12 PM ET

There really is no reason to jump the gun on this one. The guy has some decent credentials and, like Kop said, people need to see who he surrounds himself with for coaching.

I do like the fact they went with a Dutch manager.

November 9, 2007  12:36 PM ET

At some point a foreign coach will win. Just playing the law of percentages leads one to believe that at some point, one of them will "get it" and take an MLS club to unseen heights.

That's like saying an American coach could never succeed overseas because there is no salary cap or draft. I just don't believe it. I think any of the coaches JHop mentioned could have succeeded in MLS had they made a true commitment to a club and the league. I see an awful lot of one-year coaches in that list and it simply takes more time than that to get everyone on the same page.

November 9, 2007  01:03 PM ET

$3 mil a year. are they insane?

November 9, 2007  01:42 PM ET

Not insane, just flush with cash since Beckhamania kicked off. They must have enough of it to pay him such a gaudy wage and still put out feelers for another DP.

November 9, 2007  02:47 PM ET

next up... capello to red bulls

November 9, 2007  04:24 PM ET

Rijkaard had the same comments when he started at Barca. Look at him now ;)
We just have to see what happens.

Good move of LAG.

November 9, 2007  04:41 PM ET

I think Gullit may end up being a good choice. His teams have always passed relatively well, although they were never balls-to-the-wall attacking teams. Expecting that with LA's dearth of striker depth and attacking abilities is foolish in my opinion. Another good point of getting a Dutch manager is because of "system" play. Dutch teams don't require super-star caliber players to do well, they just need to have a good strategy in place with everyone on the same page which suits the MLS pretty well, in my opinion. Let's wait and see what he does before jumping to conclusions.

BTW, Gullit was a beast in his prime.

November 9, 2007  05:33 PM ET

Indeed FC Barcelona,
look at Foppe de Haan, Louis van Gaal, Guus Hiddink , DickAdvocaat, "Don" Leo Beenhakker.

With the right system, using regular players you can make a great team.
You don t need great players.
(Gullit worked with Louis van Gaal at the national team)
Lets hope he can change something for LAG.

 
November 9, 2007  07:06 PM ET

Just read today that the Galaxy named Cobi Jones his assistant, so we'll see how that goes.

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