David Beckham started and played 89 minutes with A.C. Milan in a 2-2 draw against AS Roma on Sunday. Meanwhile, teammate Landon Donovan made his debut with Bayern Munich in a friendly against Al Jazeera Sports Club on Saturday. Donovan helped Bayern to a 3-2 victory including an assist on Bastian Schweinsteiger's goal in the 31st minute. Both Beckham and Donovan are scheduled to re-join the Galaxy on March 8, in time for the club's MLS season opener on March 22 vs. D.C. United.
Sunday, January 11, 2009
Friday, January 9, 2009
Paul Bravo Leaves the Club; Named Technical Director of the Colorado Rapids
Paul Bravo (pictured above in between Frank Yallop and Trevor James during the 2007 SuperLiga Final), the Galaxy's Director of Soccer has left the club to become the Colorado Rapids' Technical Director, effective immediately.
Read the full press release below...
The LA Galaxy announced today that Director of Soccer Paul Bravo has left the club to join the Colorado Rapids as their Technical Director. The Rapids’ all-time leading scorer, Bravo played for the club from 1997-2001 before joining their coaching staff in 2002.
“I want to thank Paul for his service and dedication to the Galaxy during his time with the club and wish him well in this next step of his career,” Galaxy General Manager and Head Coach Bruce Arena said.
Bravo, 40, originally joined the Galaxy in June 2006 as an assistant coach under Frank Yallop. He held that position until August 24, 2007 when he was named the club’s Director of Soccer. In that role, Bravo was responsible for overseeing all technical aspects of the club, including scouting and evaluating players both nationally and internationally. He traveled to every continent in the world in this role, identifying potential players and meeting with foreign clubs.
“This is a great opportunity for me and my family as I get a chance to continue to move in a positive direction in my career,” Bravo said. “I’ve enjoyed my time with the Galaxy, both as an assistant coach and as the Director of Soccer, and being a part of the change that the club has gone through over the past couple of years. I wish the club nothing but the best of luck and would like to thank Bruce Arena, Tom Payne and the rest of the Galaxy organization for the opportunities they gave me.”
“I want to thank Paul for his service and dedication to the Galaxy during his time with the club and wish him well in this next step of his career,” Galaxy General Manager and Head Coach Bruce Arena said.
Bravo, 40, originally joined the Galaxy in June 2006 as an assistant coach under Frank Yallop. He held that position until August 24, 2007 when he was named the club’s Director of Soccer. In that role, Bravo was responsible for overseeing all technical aspects of the club, including scouting and evaluating players both nationally and internationally. He traveled to every continent in the world in this role, identifying potential players and meeting with foreign clubs.
“This is a great opportunity for me and my family as I get a chance to continue to move in a positive direction in my career,” Bravo said. “I’ve enjoyed my time with the Galaxy, both as an assistant coach and as the Director of Soccer, and being a part of the change that the club has gone through over the past couple of years. I wish the club nothing but the best of luck and would like to thank Bruce Arena, Tom Payne and the rest of the Galaxy organization for the opportunities they gave me.”
Prior to joining the Galaxy, the San Jose, Calif. native served as an assistant coach under former Galaxy player Jorge Salcedo at UCLA from 2004-2005, helping the Bruins win two Pac-10 Championships and a two-year record of 26-9-5. During his two years in Westwood Bravo, who scored once in four appearances with the U.S. National Team, recruited a number of players who have gone on to successful careers in MLS and Europe, as well as with the U.S. National Team, including Jonathan Bornstein, Benny Feilhaber, Kamani Hill, Marvell Wynne, Sal Zizzo and many more.
Galaxy Acquire Stefani Miglioranzi
The Galaxy welcomed back a familiar face today as the club acquired midfielder Stefani Miglioranzi (seen above in a Reserve Division game from 2006) from the MLS Cup champion Columbus Crew in exchange for a conditional pick in the Fourth Round of the 2010 MLS SuperDraft.
You can read the full press release below...
The LA Galaxy have acquired midfielder Stefani Miglioranzi from the Columbus Crew in exchange for a conditional pick in the Fourth Round of the 2010 MLS SuperDraft. The 31-year old Brazilian began his MLS career with the Galaxy in 2006, appearing in three games with the club before being traded to Columbus after the season.
Following an eight-year career in England with Portsmouth and Swindon Town, Miglioranzi first joined the Galaxy in September 2006. He appeared in three games for the club, all as a substitute, that season before being traded to Columbus in January 2007 in exchange for a Third Round pick in the 2008 MLS SuperDraft. A central midfielder who is also capable of playing in defense, he appeared in 37 games for the Crew in his two seasons in Columbus, scoring three goals and adding three assists. He played in 14 games in 2008, making seven starts, while helping lead the Crew to the 2008 MLS Cup, a game in which he was an unused substitute.
A native of Pocos de Caldas, Brazil, Miglioranzi moved to the United States at the age of 12 before attending Iona College, where he was the MAAC Rookie of the Year as a freshman in 1995. He transferred to St. John’s for the 1996 season and helped lead the Red Storm to the National Championship that year.
Following an eight-year career in England with Portsmouth and Swindon Town, Miglioranzi first joined the Galaxy in September 2006. He appeared in three games for the club, all as a substitute, that season before being traded to Columbus in January 2007 in exchange for a Third Round pick in the 2008 MLS SuperDraft. A central midfielder who is also capable of playing in defense, he appeared in 37 games for the Crew in his two seasons in Columbus, scoring three goals and adding three assists. He played in 14 games in 2008, making seven starts, while helping lead the Crew to the 2008 MLS Cup, a game in which he was an unused substitute.
A native of Pocos de Caldas, Brazil, Miglioranzi moved to the United States at the age of 12 before attending Iona College, where he was the MAAC Rookie of the Year as a freshman in 1995. He transferred to St. John’s for the 1996 season and helped lead the Red Storm to the National Championship that year.
Galaxy to Host Pan-Pacific Championship in February
The LA Galaxy will host the Second Edition of the Pan-Pacific Championship on February 18 and 21 at The Home Depot Center. The Galaxy finished third in the inaugural PPC in Hawaii in February 2008, losing to the eventual champion Gamba Osaka in the opening round and then defeating Sydney FC in the Third Place Game.
This year's tournament will see the Galaxy open against the J.League’s Yamazaki Nabisco Cup Champion Oita Trinita at 8 p.m. on February 18 before facing either Suwon Samsung Bluewings of Korea or Shandong Luneng Taishan FC of China in either the Final or the Third Place Game.
Here is the full press release and be sure to check out the video at the bottom of the post...
ASIA'S TOP SOCCER CLUBS TO COMPETE IN LOS ANGELES THIS FEBRUARY AS LA GALAXY HOST THE SECOND EDITION OF THE PAN-PACIFIC CHAMPIONSHIP
Club champions from Japan, Korea and China join the Galaxy for two international doubleheaders at The Home Depot Center in February
NEW YORK & LOS ANGELES (Friday, January 9, 2009) – Four premier professional soccer clubs, including three of Asia’s current champions, will participate in the second edition of the Pan-Pacific Championship (PPC), the international soccer tournament launched last year by Soccer United Marketing (SUM). The tournament will be played at The Home Depot Center in Carson, Calif. on Wednesday, February 18 and Saturday, February 21, 2009, in a two-date semifinal and final doubleheader format.
For 2009, the tournament will move to the U.S. mainland, with Major League Soccer’s LA Galaxy hosting the marquee event just outside of Los Angeles. In addition to the host team, the tournament will feature the best clubs from Japan, Korea, and China - J.League’s Yamazaki Nabisco Cup Champion Oita Trinita, K-League champion and winner of the Samsung Hauzen Cup 2008 Suwon Samsung Bluewings, and Chinese Super League winner Shandong Luneng Taishan FC.
The tournament will kick off on Wednesday, February 18, at 5:30 p.m. local time with Suwon Samsung Bluewings (Korea) taking on Shandong Luneng (China) in the opener, followed by the LA Galaxy (USA) hosting Oita Trinita (Japan). The two winners will battle for the Pan-Pacific Championship 2009 on Saturday, February 21, preceded by the third-place match, starting at 5:30 p.m. local time.
The inaugural 2008 championship, which was embraced by soccer fans worldwide, was won by 2007 Japanese Nabisco Cup champions Gamba Osaka after defeating 2007 MLS champion Houston Dynamo in the final at Aloha Stadium in Honolulu. The 2007 SuperLiga finalist LA Galaxy defeated Australia’s Sydney FC of the Hyundai A-League to capture third place.
Tickets for the Pan-Pacific Championship 2009 will be available starting Monday, January 12 at 10 am PT by calling the LA Galaxy at 877-3GALAXY. Fans are encouraged to visit the tournament’s official website, http://www.ppchampionship.net/ for further information.
Pan-Pacific Championship 2009 – Schedule (All times local)
Wednesday, February 18
5:30 p.m. Suwon Samsung Bluewings (Korea) vs. Shandong Luneng Taishan FC (China)
8:00 p.m. LA Galaxy (USA) vs. Oita Trinita (Japan)
Saturday, February 21
5:30 p.m. Third place match
8:00 p.m. Championship match
Information on the different teams can be found below.
LA Galaxy - Major League Soccer (USA)
The two-time MLS Cup winners, LA Galaxy, will look to improve upon their third place finish from the inaugural Pan-Pacific Championship in 2008. Under the direction of former U.S. National Team Coach Bruce Arena, who led the U.S. to a Quarterfinal berth at the 2002 FIFA World Cup in Japan/Korea, the Galaxy will look to start 2009 on the right foot by hosting and winning the second installment of the PPC.
Oita Trinita - J.League (Japan)
Branded the miracle team of the J.League, Oita Trinita managed to win the Cup title with one of the lowest budgets in the first division thanks to the “Chamusca magic” tactics (named after Head Coach Péricles Raimundo Oliveira Chamusca), and its emphasis on youth development. Two Oita players represented Japan at the Beijing Olympics, and their standout 19-year-old, Mu Kanazaki, has already been called up to the senior squad.
Suwon Samsung Bluewings - K-League (Korea)
Suwon Samsung Bluewings will look to its coaching, led by Korean legend Cha Bum-Kun, the first Korean to play in the Bundesliga. A number of Bluewing players count on World Cup experience, including Lee Chun-Soo, the Korean side’s star player, who represented his country at the 2006 edition.
Shandong Luneng Taishan FC - Chinese Super League
Nicknamed the “Real Madrid of China”, Shandong Luneng has dominated their opponents thanks to talents like Li Jinyu, who scored his 110th goal this year and will look to put his mark on this year’s Pan-Pacific Championship by adding even more to his account.
http://www.ppchampionship.net/
NEW YORK & LOS ANGELES (Friday, January 9, 2009) – Four premier professional soccer clubs, including three of Asia’s current champions, will participate in the second edition of the Pan-Pacific Championship (PPC), the international soccer tournament launched last year by Soccer United Marketing (SUM). The tournament will be played at The Home Depot Center in Carson, Calif. on Wednesday, February 18 and Saturday, February 21, 2009, in a two-date semifinal and final doubleheader format.
For 2009, the tournament will move to the U.S. mainland, with Major League Soccer’s LA Galaxy hosting the marquee event just outside of Los Angeles. In addition to the host team, the tournament will feature the best clubs from Japan, Korea, and China - J.League’s Yamazaki Nabisco Cup Champion Oita Trinita, K-League champion and winner of the Samsung Hauzen Cup 2008 Suwon Samsung Bluewings, and Chinese Super League winner Shandong Luneng Taishan FC.
The tournament will kick off on Wednesday, February 18, at 5:30 p.m. local time with Suwon Samsung Bluewings (Korea) taking on Shandong Luneng (China) in the opener, followed by the LA Galaxy (USA) hosting Oita Trinita (Japan). The two winners will battle for the Pan-Pacific Championship 2009 on Saturday, February 21, preceded by the third-place match, starting at 5:30 p.m. local time.
The inaugural 2008 championship, which was embraced by soccer fans worldwide, was won by 2007 Japanese Nabisco Cup champions Gamba Osaka after defeating 2007 MLS champion Houston Dynamo in the final at Aloha Stadium in Honolulu. The 2007 SuperLiga finalist LA Galaxy defeated Australia’s Sydney FC of the Hyundai A-League to capture third place.
Tickets for the Pan-Pacific Championship 2009 will be available starting Monday, January 12 at 10 am PT by calling the LA Galaxy at 877-3GALAXY. Fans are encouraged to visit the tournament’s official website, http://www.ppchampionship.net/ for further information.
Pan-Pacific Championship 2009 – Schedule (All times local)
Wednesday, February 18
5:30 p.m. Suwon Samsung Bluewings (Korea) vs. Shandong Luneng Taishan FC (China)
8:00 p.m. LA Galaxy (USA) vs. Oita Trinita (Japan)
Saturday, February 21
5:30 p.m. Third place match
8:00 p.m. Championship match
Information on the different teams can be found below.
LA Galaxy - Major League Soccer (USA)
The two-time MLS Cup winners, LA Galaxy, will look to improve upon their third place finish from the inaugural Pan-Pacific Championship in 2008. Under the direction of former U.S. National Team Coach Bruce Arena, who led the U.S. to a Quarterfinal berth at the 2002 FIFA World Cup in Japan/Korea, the Galaxy will look to start 2009 on the right foot by hosting and winning the second installment of the PPC.
Oita Trinita - J.League (Japan)
Branded the miracle team of the J.League, Oita Trinita managed to win the Cup title with one of the lowest budgets in the first division thanks to the “Chamusca magic” tactics (named after Head Coach Péricles Raimundo Oliveira Chamusca), and its emphasis on youth development. Two Oita players represented Japan at the Beijing Olympics, and their standout 19-year-old, Mu Kanazaki, has already been called up to the senior squad.
Suwon Samsung Bluewings - K-League (Korea)
Suwon Samsung Bluewings will look to its coaching, led by Korean legend Cha Bum-Kun, the first Korean to play in the Bundesliga. A number of Bluewing players count on World Cup experience, including Lee Chun-Soo, the Korean side’s star player, who represented his country at the 2006 edition.
Shandong Luneng Taishan FC - Chinese Super League
Nicknamed the “Real Madrid of China”, Shandong Luneng has dominated their opponents thanks to talents like Li Jinyu, who scored his 110th goal this year and will look to put his mark on this year’s Pan-Pacific Championship by adding even more to his account.
http://www.ppchampionship.net/
Wednesday, January 7, 2009
Player Moves, Generation adidas and A Look Back
The Galaxy made a series of roster moves today, signing midfielder Leonard Griffin, re-signing Steve Cronin and Jovan Kirovski and releasing Eduardo Dominguez. Read more about it here.
Also today, MLS officially unveiled the 2009 Generation adidas class, consisting of nine players who will be available in next week's MLS SuperDraft. The Galaxy, who currently have two Generation adidas players (Tristan Bowen and Israel Sesay), have not drafted a Generation adidas player in the SuperDraft since Nathan Sturgis (12th overall) in 2006.
Lastly, take a look back at the Galaxy's Holiday Assist Party that was held just a few days before Christmas.
Monday, January 5, 2009
It's Official; Landon Goes to Bayern Munich on Loan
We have received a lot of questions about this and just now official word has come through that the Galaxy and Bayern Munich have reached an agreement that will allow Landon Donovan to play for Bayern Munich on loan. The loan agreement will begin immediately, with Donovan scheduled to re-join the Galaxy on March 8 following Bayern's game against Hannover 96 a day earlier.
That will give Landon two weeks of training with the Galaxy prior to the season opener on Sunday, March 22 against D.C. United.
Back in Business
After taking some time off to recharge the batteries during the holiday period, The LA Galaxy is back and ready to go in 2009.
With that said, we'll be hitting the ground running with a number of events coming our way this month, including InterLiga here at The Home Depot Center, the MLS SuperDraft on Thursday, January 15 in St. Louis and the opening of the 2009 preseason camp shortly thereafter.
Additionally, we'll continue to have all the news, reviews and updates that you love so keep coming back here and we'll be sure that all of your wishes for Galaxy information are fulfilled.
So Happy New Year and get ready for an exciting 2009 at The LA Galaxy.
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