"Cuddly" Carlos Ruiz Arrives in Toronto
Carlos Ruiz, AWOL after his trade from the Galaxy to Toronto FC, (get used to it Canucks) has finally arrived in the Great White North.
This storymarks the first time I've ever heard a coach of Ruiz talk about cuddling him (!), but then if you were down to one healthy striker who is all of 16-years-old you'd probably have the same reaction.
More interesting to me is that we can add Ruiz to the list of Galaxy players who had major problems with the now departed Ruud Gullit.
Of course, considering his temperament that's not exactly a surprise.
But the more we learn about the Gullit era at the Galaxy, the more it sounds like a case of good riddance Ruud.
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About 100 Percent Soccer
Sportswriter Nick Green has written the 100 Percent Soccer column since 2005. The blog of the same name began in 2007. 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 and is married to a long-suffering soccer widow. Join Nick on FaceBook.
The more we learn about the Gullit era, the more we know that Gullit was hired primarily for his name (not his coaching ability) under the influence of 19 Productions (the agency that represents Beckham). Yes, we knew this already but all the garbage coming out now seems to reinforce the idea.
It seems that Leiweke and Simon Fuller, despite being best buddies, engaged in a power struggle for prime influence over the Galaxy. By making Arena coach *and* GM, Leiweke is telling Fuller who actually captain the sinking Galaxy ship.
Of course, Leiweke knows as much about guiding the Galaxy ship out of the scholls as Helen Keller and Stevie Wonder do. But threaten the man's power and he becomes Blackbeard.
Joseph - Who's Simon Fuller?
I could imagine that he's a scapegoat, much like Lalas. To anyone who pays attention to the world of sports, AEG and Lieweke just don't understand what sports is all about: passion. Why do they think its OK to charge more than 5 bucks to go see the MLS in that dusty trap they call the HDC. Don't they care to pay someone to really take care of the pitch? I see dust clouds from my couch. They're all about selling to the ignorant. Make enough noise and send enough junk emails and a few thousand will show up, I guess.
If they weren't such fools, they wouldn't have a salary cap and they could go get some real talent. Someone who could actually pull down Beckhams passes and control the ball. Milan Barros, Craig Bellamy, these guys are being swept aside by the EPL but can't come here to school the young americans. To improve the players coming up, they need to improve the overall quality, not watch as they become a minnow of a feeder league.
You know, I also have to say this:
AEG, if you ever read what football fans write or listen to what they say, wizen up. You are not creating NEW fans of the game. People have more access to real football leagues than ever before and want to watch them because its a great sport. If we were to base our interest in "soccer" on the MLS, nobody would care. The league is horrible for the most part, and you haven't even modeled your league on those around the world? Did you think you needed to reinvent the wheel? Those leagues are great because it means something just to be at the top level. Here, you have a hard time dominating the USL with a ton more resources. Just because you have the power and money to drag the NHL down beneath you with your place on the board of governors, whining about profits, and destruction of a once-proud LA Kings, it doesn't mean your league is better. It just means you suck at "sports-entertainment" overall. Finally, its not "sports-entertainment," its sports. People invest their entire lives in becoming a professional. They sacrifice relationships, other careers, and their health. So get rid of your freeking salary cap and pay these poor cusses. Nobody nobody begrudges Big Phil his dirty oil profits.
Cristobal, Simon Fuller is Beckham's agent. He and Leiweke arranged for Beckham to come here. Fuller also heads 19 Entertainment, which manages Beckham's wife as well as other entertainers. The guy might be the most big time entertainment agent in the world. If the Galaxy is interested in glitz, glam and "sexy soccer,"
Fuller would be an appropriate ally. It seems, however, that he and Leiweke got into a power struggle, and Fuller lost. If so, perhaps the days of "sexy soccer" are gone for good. Let's hope so.