Greg Vanney Receives Contract Extension with LA Galaxy Despite Disastrous Start
Head coach Greg Vanney has been rewarded with a multi-year contract extension by LA Galaxy, the current MLS Cup champion. This decision comes despite a historically difficult start to the season, with a 13-game winless streak.
The official announcement of the agreement was made on Friday, although the team has accumulated 10 losses and three draws, marking the worst start to a season in MLS history.
Galaxy general manager Will Kuntz explained that the decision to keep Vanney long-term was made last year. Vanney, who has been a two-time MLS Cup champion as a coach, was only under contract until the end of the current season.
“Greg is one of the most respected and successful coaches in MLS history, and we are excited to continue under his leadership,” commented Kuntz.
Will Kuntz
Kuntz added that, although this season’s results do not meet the team’s standards, the decision was made after the 2024 MLS Cup victory. They trust the project they are building with Vanney and have a clear path to becoming MLS champions again. He highlighted Vanney’s commitment to development, culture, and high standards.
Caption: LA Galaxy shows confidence in Greg Vanney, despite the winless start.
Vanney guided Galaxy to their sixth MLS league title last season, a remarkable achievement for a team that hadn’t had much success in the previous decade. The team finished second in the Western Conference before advancing through the playoffs and defeating the New York Red Bulls 2-1 at home in the MLS Cup final.
During his time in Toronto, Vanney also won the MLS Cup and reached three MLS Cup finals. In 2021, the former Galaxy defender returned to his native Southern California. In his first four seasons in charge of Galaxy, the team reached the playoffs on two occasions.
However, the new season has been complicated for Galaxy, partly due to the absence of star midfielder Riqui Puig, who led MLS in touches last season before injuring his knee in the conference final.
Other important players such as Dejan Joveljic, Mark Delgado, and Gastón Brugman had to be transferred in the offseason due to salary restrictions.
The designated players Joseph Paintsil, Gabriel Pec, and Marco Reus returned for the new season, but have been dealing with injuries, and Galaxy is struggling, with only three points in 13 matches. The team has only managed one victory this season, against Herediano (4-1) in a Concacaf Champions Cup match in March.
The team lost 1-0 against Sporting Kansas City earlier this month, despite not allowing any shots on goal, with an own goal by Maya Yoshida. Then, Galaxy matched the worst margin of defeat in MLS history, suffering a 7-0 thrashing against the Red Bulls.
In their last match, Galaxy lost 3-2 against Philadelphia on Wednesday. The next match will be against Los Angeles FC on Sunday night, in the El Tráfico derby.
