Columnist Nick Green has written 100 Percent Soccer
since 2005. A
native of England, he began writing about soccer in
the mid-1980s and in 2000 permanently exchanged a seat
in the stands for one in
the press box. He lives six miles from Carson's Home
Depot Center, home of the Los Angeles Galaxy, Chivas
USA and the training headquarters for U.S. Soccer.
Married to a long-suffering soccer widow, he has a cat
named Pele.Galaxy Training Camp Update
Some 22 Galaxy players trained Saturday morning (Greg Vanney was not there) at Home Depot Center.
The Galaxy played two games against college opponents this week beating Loyola Marymount 6-0 or 7-0 Tuesday (no-one could quite remember the exact score by Saturday) and UCLA 4-1 Friday with the Bruins' moms and dads allowed in the stands, but warned not to bring any cameras in.
The games were divided into thirds and goalkeeper Steve Cronin played the first 30 minutes of each game.
He only faced one shot (against LMU).
"We were just trying to figure some things out," said Galaxy Coach Ruud Gullit, saying he couldn't remember who scored. "It's not about the score."
Midfielder Pete Vagenas sounded like he was looking forward to Hawaii, comparing this camp to the early Sigi Schmid years: "I'm exhausted," he said, adding that coaches usually slack off the double days - but Ruud and Cobi Jones haven't. "Its been unique. ... We're licking our wounds so to speak."
On the Greg Vanney trade: "I thought I'd stepped into a time machine or something."
For those playing catch-up, here's the report from today's dead tree edition (to steal a phrase).
Comments
Thanks for giving us some info, Nick. The Galaxy sure are secretive.
Nick replies: You're welcome. Ruud won't answer questions about favored line-ups, formations, players or positions, so there's not a lot to chat with him about. His stock reponse: it's always changing.
Remembering he'd played as a sweeper very early in his career I jokingly asked if he was going to go that route; he laughed and said "That's so old-fashioned."
Posted by: Nell | February 17, 2008 7:31 AM
Nick, great work on your blog! I've noticed it continues to get better and better! Please keep it up.
Nick replies: Thanks, Mike. Glad you're enjoying it.
Posted by: Mike | February 17, 2008 9:00 AM
Any word on if Carlos Ruiz will be playing with the team in the tournament?
No. Landon Donovan observed on Saturday that Ruiz didn't play in either of the Galaxy's closed-door games last week, so I guess we'll see.
Posted by: Jason | February 17, 2008 6:32 PM
Do you have the list of players that are on Galaxy's current pre-season tour?
Surprisingly, no - no press release or mention of the traveling roster on either the Galaxy Web site or the Pan-Pacific Championship Web site.
Hopefully we'll learn more at a tournament press conference scheduled to start at 4:45 p.m. our time.
Go to the mlsnet.com link to the right of the blog to listen in or click here.
Posted by: Far | February 18, 2008 1:26 PM