LA Galaxy Extend Greg Vanney’s Contract Amidst Unprecedented Winless Streak
In a move that has left many fans scratching their heads, the LA Galaxy have decided to extend the contract of their head coach, Greg Vanney, for multiple years. This decision comes despite the team’s historic 13-game winless streak to kick off the new MLS season. The Galaxy, who are the defending MLS Cup champions, announced this surprising development on Friday.
For those keeping track, the Galaxy have endured 10 losses and three draws, marking the worst start to a season by any team in MLS history. Yet, the club’s general manager, Will Kuntz, insists that the decision to keep Vanney was made last year, following their triumphant 2024 MLS Cup victory. Vanney, who has two MLS Cup championships under his belt, was initially contracted only through the current season.
“Greg is one of the most respected and successful coaches in MLS history, and we are excited to be continuing under his leadership,” Kuntz stated in a statement. “While this season’s results haven’t reflected our standards, this was a decision made following our 2024 MLS Cup victory, and we remain confident in the project we are building with Greg and we have a clear path forward to returning to an MLS champion level. Greg’s commitment to development, culture, and high standards is unwavering.”
Vanney’s leadership was instrumental in guiding the Galaxy to their MLS-record sixth league title last season. It was a remarkable turnaround for a team that had seen little success since their 2014 title win. The Galaxy finished second in the Western Conference and went on a playoff run that culminated in a 2-1 victory over the New York Red Bulls in the MLS Cup Final.
Before returning to his native Southern California in 2021, Vanney had a successful stint with Toronto, where he won the MLS Cup and reached three MLS Cup Finals. Under his guidance, the Galaxy made the playoffs in two of his first four seasons.
Challenges and Setbacks
This season, however, has been a different story. The Galaxy have struggled without their star midfielder Riqui Puig, who was a dominant force last season, leading MLS in touches before suffering a knee ligament tear in the conference final. The offseason also saw the departure of key players like forward Dejan Joveljic, midfielder Mark Delgado, and MLS Cup MVP Gastón Brugman due to salary cap constraints.
Despite the return of designated players Joseph Paintsil, Gabriel Pec, and Marco Reus, injuries have plagued the team, leaving them with just three points from 13 games. Their sole victory this season came in a 4-1 win over Herediano in a Concacaf Champions Cup match in March.
Recent Matches and Upcoming Challenges
- The Galaxy suffered a 1-0 loss to Sporting Kansas City earlier this month, a match where they didn’t concede a single shot but fell due to an own-goal by Maya Yoshida.
- They also endured a 7-0 defeat to the Red Bulls, matching the worst margin of defeat in MLS history.
- Most recently, the Galaxy lost 3-2 to Philadelphia on Wednesday.
Looking ahead, the Galaxy are set to host Los Angeles FC on Sunday night in the highly anticipated El Tráfico rivalry game. Fans will be watching closely to see if Vanney can turn the tide and steer the Galaxy back to their winning ways.
Originally Written by: Associated Press
