Torrential rain during the first Galaxy practice drove a small knot of reporters into the drier depths of Home Depot Center this morning.

That meant no wifi access, so I was unable to tweet live, but here’s what we learned today:

*The big question is who will replace Omar Gonzalez in central defense? Coach Bruce Arena sounded like a coach who knows they have to bring in an experienced defender to partner A.J. DeLaGarza in the middle of the back four and the club is looking overseas at several options.

*Leonardo is expected to return, but is not yet in camp so his name was not included in a list of 34 players that make up the club’s roster at this point (Paolo Cardozo is on the list and will remain with the club, incidentally). The Galaxy must still come to terms with the central defender’s Brazilian club for a new loan, but the player is also still recovering from the injury that sidelined him for most of 2011. I’ll have more on this including some words from former Chivas USA defender Andrew Boyens in Tuesday’s column.

*The biggest news of the day was the fact that veteran Jovan Kirovski has retired and replaced Gregg Berhalter on the club’s coaching staff.

*Of the aforementioned roster, five other players are not in camp: Robbie Keane and Landon Donovan remain on loan with EPL clubs, DeLaGarza is with the national team and goalkeeper Brian Perk and midfielder Michael Stephens are with the U-23s.

*Chris Birchall’s status remains uncertain. He had initially wanted to explore opportunities with British clubs, but Arena said more recently he’s expressed interest in returning to the Galaxy. Whether there’s space on the roster for him at this point is unclear.

*Defender Chris Leitch has opted to retire rather than join the Galaxy, while neither Frankie Hejduk or Dasan Robinson will return to the club.