I am sorry if this has already been mentioned. Rumors are buzzing around saying that the Galaxy are interested in some Central American players. These players include Costarican Walter Centeno, and Guatemalan players Guillermo Ramirez, who plays for Municipal and Angel Sanbria, who plays for Coban Imperial, respectively. This is from La Opinion newspaper http://www.laopinion.com/deportes/futbol/?rkey=00041116190609233308 Están de gira El técnico del cuadro angelino aún no toma decisiones. Aún quedan pendiente saber qué jugadores finalmente, perderá en el draft, para complementar sus opciones de compra. Ayer, dijo que tenía planeada una gira de trabajo por Brasil, Argentina, Guatemala, El Salvador y Costa Rica, en busca de encontrar prospectos para reforzar al equipo. Ya se mencionan a algunos jugadores como los chapines Angel Sanabria y Guillermo Ramírez, así como el costarricense Walter Centeno. “No queremos hablar de candidatos, porque no somos de la idea de manejar los contratos mediante la prensa, ya que esto puede perjudicar cualquier tipo de negociación. Con el tiempo seguiremos viendo nuestras opciones”, dijo Sampson. It pretty much says that Sampson will go scouting in Central and South America but that he does not want to mention names just yet. http://www.rojomania.com/extrasFram...cionales&prin=noticiasInter¬icia_id=354651 Here, Sampson explains that the Galaxy need a #10. Someone who will defend and attack. Someone who will connect well with Ruiz and Ramirez is a leading candidate.
From little I know and have seen, I would like to see Walter C in LA. 1st, we can't rely on Ruiz being here so i don't think the Guatemala connection is relevant as to the Guatemala player. 2nd, Sampson knows Walter and vice versa. 3rd, He's 29 or 30 yrs. old with experience. He's got a good 3-4 seasons left in him. 4th, a hell of a passer with a good work-rate on defense. 5th, He's not the best looking guy, which means he won't be distracted by the nookie (unlike a certain striker we all know and love).
I heard Steve on the radio say that he is also going to Argentina to make a deal like the one with Sao Paulo of Brasil and will do his best to bring a or some players from there. He is visiting countries like Guatemala, Honduras, San Salvador, Costa Rica, Argentina and Brasil. He also mentioned that he wants a playmaker to replace Herzog, a forward to help Ruiz, a defensive Mid to replace Saragoza and a deferder to replace Marshall, Califf, Albright and Suarez in case they get called for World Cup qualifying games.
So he pretty much is saying he is lookinf for a striker, midfielder, and defender? Geez, thanks for narrowing it down Steve.
Hard to narrow it down with a roster that, in truth and fact, DOES need all those things. This is not a knock on Sampson as much as it is a knock on the state of the team/roster and lack of talent (dawgpound will buy into this.)
By my count we have 4 strikers on the roster: Ruiz, Moreno, Ngwenya, Gordon. right? So, which of those 4 are leaving? We should only be carrying 3. Personally, I think we are competitive in the back and front. "It's the midflied dummy!"
Given that the rosters are expanding and with WCQ and injuries factored in I don't think carrying 4 up top is a bad idea. We do need the help in the middle though.
I guess we have 0 talent in So. Cal? Steve S. at one time tried hard to destroy the ODP in So. Cal, he should be familiar with all the local So. Cal talent, he can not find 1 or 2 players locally that can strengthen the G's? So. Cal supposedly one of the hottest regions for soccer in this country yet Stevie has to do his shopping in Central and South America??
I "bought" this for a long, long while trying to watch what we call talent. I agree with the post that says it really is about the midfield right now for this team. Remember in early 2003 when we were battling a then-1.Bundesliga team in 1860 Munich tooth and nail WITHOUT Califf and Ruiz? Now, we have the least amount of talent on any roster in MLS (sans the newbies, FOR NOW). That just tells me we let a rapidly improving league pass us by because we relied too heavily on the peaked-and-heading-down players like V + V.
Yep. The last sentence is very insightful. Circa 2001, V & V were useful MLS players who could hold their own (ChiBear may disagree.) But, now it seems Sasha is pretty overmatched and Pete is a borderline starter/role player. We need to realize the rest of the league has gotten better.