WVHooligan - Soccer Blog

This will sort of go down like the Dallas coaching search from earlier in the year. Only difference will be the owners of the LA Galaxy are probably a bit clueless about who exactly they want to bring in to coach their club, and FC Dallas knew who they wanted from day one (or five years ago depending on how you look at it).

Lots of names will float out there and with 11 games left on the menu for the Galaxy I am beginning to wonder if the Galaxy will just hold on to interim coach Cobi Jones for the rest of the year. Would it really work out to bring in a coach this late in the year to take over? I think the smart answer is no. But with the way AEG wants to bring in the money I have a feeling they may push hard for a quick change here in the coming week. Even Jones has said he has the club for the next game and that’s all he’s been told about the timetable here.

Though if they do the smart thing and give Jones the time for the rest of the year, that will allow themselves to get the coach they all want for this club.

SO who exactly will be on that short list of coaches that the Galaxy could be looking at here?

• Peter Nowak - Most people believe Nowak will be the top choice for this position. For good reasons too. He knows the MLS. He knows how to handle veteran players. He also works well with young players (the Galaxy has plenty of them). The former Polish international player has won MLS championships as a player with the Chicago Fire and as the coach of D.C. United. The drawbacks right now seem to just be his current situation with the US National team. Word has it he loves where he’s at right now. The only thing they could possible do to lure Nowak away from that situation is to throw some crazy money at him (which they have).
• Bruce Arena - I discussed this a couple days ago. Some will be quick to put him on the list because of his desire to prove himself again in the league after a disastrous time in New York. Plus the guy has won time and time again in this league and knows how to develop players well. I have a feeling though he will wait another year and come on board with Philadelphia in 2010 though.
• Paul Mariner - The current New England assistant has been the hot assistant that everyone talks about for a while now. He wants a chance to coach a club but he also isn’t for leaving Boston anytime soon. Again, it will take a big contract to get him out of a great situation with the Revs. Plus there is a feeling that he will be the top candidate for the Seattle job next year. Its always better to start from scratch than to try and fix a four-year mess.
• John Spencer - Another top assistant that has been rumored with many clubs over the last couple years. I have a feeling if they wait and decide they want Spencer, they will end up in a bidding war with Colorado for him. Though Colorado has no chance if it comes to that. Plus there is the fact that AEG also pays his salary in Houston so a move to a “sister club” wouldn’t be too hard of a thing to do.
• Sigi Schmid - Yeah, believe it or not his name is being thrown out there for this opening. Would he return to LA? I wouldn’t hold my breath for it. Since the Galaxy fired him back in 2004, the club has pretty much gone down hill. Schmid went to Columbus and has rebuilt that club into a real winner. I think it would take a lot for him to go back to LA too, and pretty much he would need to get fired by Columbus to do so. Something I don’t see happening.
• Cobi Jones - Promote from within? It would be a great choice but most feel Jones needs more time and experience as an assistant before he moves into a head coaching role.

Who else is out there that deserves a look?