The MLS franchise announced Tuesday that Chris Klein has been fired as president of the Los Angeles Galaxy. Klein has held this position since January 2013.
The club have struggled in recent years, missing the playoffs in four of the past six seasons and failing to reach the quarter-finals since winning the MLS Cup in 2014.
The Galaxy currently sits last in the MLS with just nine points from their first 14 games.
Some LA Galaxy fans have protested the club and Klein’s involvement for much of the season. Klein was suspended over the winter as part of sanctions stemming from the club’s misreporting of the 2019 contract signed by Christian Pavon. Pavon was listed as a target allocation player when he should have been a designated player. Klein wrote to season ticket members in April saying he would resign if the club didn’t make the playoffs this year.
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Galaxy supporter says protests will continue until Chris Klein leaves club
It is unknown if any other changes were made. Jovan Kirovski is Galaxy’s Technical Director and Greg Vanny is Sporting Director and Head Coach. Kirovsky and Klein have long been linked within the front office. Kirovsky was also hired for the role in January 2013. Will Kuntz was recently hired as senior vice president of player personnel.
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What this means for LA
This means Vanny will be in charge of sporting decisions as the club approaches the summer transfer window. However, as part of the sanctions that resulted in Klein’s suspension, the Galaxy will not be able to sign international players this summer. They can add players from within the league or sign with US-based free agents, but the number of players to choose from is greatly reduced.
The Galaxy can still allow player transfers, a key aspect of a potential restructuring of a team that has been bottom-placed in the MLS by more than 40 percent all season. Getting out of underperforming players will free up resources for reinforcements, whether it’s domestically based players this summer or clearing the books for a more flexible offseason.
Chicharito and Douglas Costa’s DP contracts expire in the winter. Both players have performed poorly this year, with Costa in particular contributing zero goals but only one red card. He is the seventh highest-paid player in MLS.
The key question now is whether this opens the door for further movement. Given the fan outcry typical of club presidents, it would have been difficult for the Galaxy to make any sort of personnel changes under Klein. If the Galaxy continues to struggle now that Klein is gone, other changes could happen – whether it’s Kirovsky or Vanny – if things stay this bad on the field.
The news is a welcome development for protesting fans, and while it should bring some goodwill, it is likely to remain frustrating.Following Galaxy’s recent loss (1-0 at home to Charlotte FC) Supporters shouted ‘I want to be better’ Vanny and some players remained on the field.
The LA Galaxy’s next home game isn’t until June 21 against Sporting KC. They will face Real Salt Lake and St. Louis City away in the league, and away to RSL in the US Open Cup quarterfinals.
what they say
“As a club, we have fallen short of our goals and the standards we have set for LA Galaxy,” AEG president and CEO Dan Beckerman said in a statement. . “We believe it is in the club’s best interests to initiate a comprehensive process to make changes and seek new leadership to bring the club back to the level expected by its fans and partners. We thank Chris for his many years of service to the LA Galaxy, both as a player and as a manager.”
Mr Klein added: “I would like to thank Phil Anschutz and Dan Beckerman for the opportunity to serve as president of LA Galaxy for the past 11 years,” Klein said. “My family and I love this club and I am grateful to have spent 16 years in this organization as a player and as a manager. The passion, dedication and hard work of our supporters, partners, players, coaches and staff. will be grateful to.”
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(Photo: Katherine Lotze/Getty Images)
