The LA Galaxy has announced the firing of President Chris Klein after a series of underwhelming performances that failed to meet the expectations of both the team’s fans and its ownership. Klein, who had been in the position for 11 years, was suspended in December 2020 for financial misdeeds, one of which included an undisclosed payment to Argentine forward Cristian Pavón in 2019. The team was fined $1 million for this incident. In addition, the franchise has failed to make the Major League Soccer (MLS) playoffs in five of the past six seasons, despite the high-profile acquisition of international players such as Zlatan Ibrahimovic of Sweden and Javier “Chicharito” Hernández of Mexico.
Following the announcement of Klein’s departure, Sporting Director and Head Coach Greg Vanney will oversee soccer operations for the interim period as the team looks to rebuild under a new leader. The LA Galaxy has struggled in the Western Conference in recent seasons, finishing no higher than sixth in the overall MLS standings since their last championship win in 2014. The team currently has only nine points in 14 games and is last in the league table.
The firing of Klein comes after fans boycotted games this year, calling for his removal. The team has faced criticism from supporters over its front office’s handling of the franchise’s recent struggles. Moreover, the LA Galaxy is currently subject to transfer sanctions that prevent the team from signing players from overseas during this summer.
While the Galaxy has won the MLS title five times, the franchise’s recent failure to meet expected standards led to the decision to make a change. Dan Beckerman, President, and CEO of AEG, stated that it was in the team’s best interest to seek new leadership that would return the club to the level expected by fans and partners.
Looking ahead, Vanney will have the task of leading the team through the rest of the MLS season and beyond. Although the LA Galaxy has struggled recently, the franchise has a strong history, and supporters hope for better performances moving forward.
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