Galaxy Announce Changes for Head Coach and President/General Manager Positions

As has been reported in various media outlets this morning, the Galaxy have made a pair of changes today, with Ruud Gullit leaving the club for personal reasons and Alexi Lalas having been relieved of his duties as President/General Manager.

Cobi will take the reins as the interim head coach while a search for Ruud's replacement is undertaken.

Here is the official word from the club today...

LOS ANGELES GALAXY ANNOUNCE CHANGES FOR HEAD COACH AND PRESIDENT/GENERAL MANAGER POSITIONS

CARSON, Calif. (Monday, August 11, 2008) – Ruud Gullit, the head coach of the Los Angeles Galaxy Major League Soccer (MLS) club, will leave the team for personal reasons it was announced today.

"Both parties have agreed on mutually-agreeable terms to part company,” said Timothy J. Leiweke, President & CEO AEG, investor/operators of the Galaxy. “It is an amicable arrangement and we appreciate and respect the issues that Ruud has highlighted with the club and are very grateful for all the hard work he has contributed while with the organization. Hopefully, he has laid the foundations for future success for the Los Angeles Galaxy."

Gullit, 45, the world-renowned soccer player who was named world player of the year in 1987 and 1989, joined the club in November last year. He commented: "In truth, it has proved a lot more difficult than I anticipated for my family to settle in the area and the club has been very supportive and understanding of my decision. I would like to thank the players and the fans for their fantastic support and I wish the LA Galaxy much success in the future. I would now like to spend some time with my family before considering any other position in football."

Galaxy assistant coach Cobi Jones will serve as the club’s interim head coach while a search for a new head coach is undertaken. He will be assisted by current Assistant Coach/Director of Player Development Trevor James and Goalkeeper Coach Ian Feuer.

Jones, 37, an original member of the Galaxy, is in his first year on the team’s coaching staff. A Los Angeles native, Jones played more than 300 games for the Galaxy during his 12-year MLS career (1996-2007). Before joining the Galaxy, Jones played college soccer at UCLA as well as playing professionally abroad with Coventry City of the English Premier League and Brazilian side Vasco de Gama. Jones was also a member of the U.S. National Team with whom he appeared a record 164 times. He played in three FIFA World Cups for the Red, White and Blue (1994, 1998 and 2002), twice helping his country advance past the tournament’s group stage.

Jones is the Galaxy’s all-time leader in nearly every statistical category, including goals (70), assists (91) and games played (306), making him one of just four MLS players to have appeared in more than 300 games and one of three players to have both 70 goals and 90 assists.

His first game in charge of the Galaxy will come on Thursday, August 14 when the Galaxy take on intra-city rivals Chivas USA at The Home Depot Center in a game that can be seen live on ESPN2 starting at 8 p.m. (PT).

It was also announced that Galaxy President and General Manager Alexi Lalas has been relieved of his duties effective immediately. Lalas joined the team in April 2006 after serving in the same capacity with the New York Red Bulls (formerly MetroStars).

“With Ruud moving on, we believe that this is the right time to make more sweeping changes throughout the organization,” said Leiweke. “Our commitment continues to be focused on not only winning the MLS Cup this and every season but to build a club capable of competing at the international level. This decision is the right one for the organization, the right one for the players and the right one for our fans. We thank Alexi for the tremendous hard work and dedication he brought to his job each and every day.”

Paul Bravo, the Galaxy’s Director of Soccer, will continue in this role overseeing all issues related to the Galaxy’s roster including scouting and evaluating players (collegiate and professional), overseeing the club’s development system and other team administrative functions.

Assistant General Manager Tom Payne will continue to oversee the Galaxy front office, including corporate partnerships, ticket sales, marketing, programming, communications, operations and community development. Payne has been with the organization for six seasons.