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.Joey Fights His Way Back to LA
Most recently, Franchino was rumored to be one of two Revs players dressed in Yankees gear who went to a Red Sox game between the teams, got drunk and was thrown out of the stadium.
Perhaps his most impressive stats: 52 yellow cards, two red cards in 210 regular season games.
Fighter. Drinker. Enforcer.
Like a character out of The Sopranos, 31-year-old Joey is back for a second go-around (you got a problem with that?) for the Galaxy in exchange for a 2009 second round draft pick.
From the Galaxy press release:
Franchino was selected by the Galaxy in the third round of the 1998 MLS College Draft and played 49 games for the club, helping the Galaxy reach the 1999 MLS Cup. In May 2000, he was selected by the Revolution in a special draft that followed the Galaxy’s acquisition of forward Luis Hernandez. Franchino would go on to play in 162 games for the Revs during his eight years with the club, placing him second in New England history in all-time games played.
To make room, defender Michael Gavin was moved to the Galaxy's developmental roster.
Comments
A World Class Organization needs a World Class AS%! like a hole in the head. What a disgrace on and off the field. Can't wait til Monday, La Times, World Soccer Daily and Jim Rome.
Lalas you suck.
Posted by: craig puller | April 19, 2008 2:07 PM
Okay, maybe I was looking at this wrong. I think of Franchino as a midfielder, but he can/does play in the back. Gullit may think of him as a part of the back line solution.
But does Gullit think the main problem is that they're getting physically intimidated in back, so that they need an enforcer, now that Tyrone Marshall is gone and Danny Califf, etc are long gone? Is he looking for somebody to protect Cronin?
I mean, Cunningham was able to push Vanney around last weekend, but it looks to me like speed is more a problem in back than physical presence. I can't imagine Franchino will improve the speed problem.
(And Gavin was faster, no?)
Posted by: Inigo Montoya | April 19, 2008 2:49 PM