The Galaxy had an early start on the 2024 season.
That’s because the 2023 season ended up being one of the worst in the club’s history. The end result was a team that allowed 67 goals, finished 13th of 14th in the Western Conference and missed the playoffs for a fifth time in seven seasons.
“I’m glad it’s over,” midfielder Mark Delgado said at the end of the last season.
“It was embarrassing,” defender Maya Yoshida said.
As the saying goes, there really was nowhere to go but up.
“Coming off of a year last year that had so many challenges, the first (message in preseason) was, ‘Guys, you’re never going to encounter a season that had that many challenges,’” Galaxy coach Greg Vanney said. “It was unique … You’re never going to see a year that had with that many challenges, so let’s leave that behind us. Now it’s just a process of growing this group together, the new pieces that we brought in, how they’re going to complement one another. Because we knew on paper that they would and then let’s just stick to the process of trying to get better every day.”
The Galaxy had to work with a transfer ban for the 2023 season after the previous regime, led by president Chris Klein and then-general manager Dennis te Kloese, were found to have violated “salary budget and roster guidelines” during the 2019 season.
With those restraints gone, they went out and won their offseason, bringing in goalkeeper John McCarthy, signing defenders Miki Yamane and John Nelson and forward Miguel Berry and adding Designated Players Joseph Paintsil and Gabriel Pec. All were in place before the start of the season, which was a goal.
The Galaxy have also been aided by the summer acquisitions of midfielder Marco Reus and defender Emiro Garces.
The arrival of Paintsil and Pec carried a big price tag, with the Galaxy reportedly spending $19 million combined in transfer fees. The payoff has been worth it. Pec, with 19 goals and 15 assists, was selected MLS Newcomer of the Year. Paintsil, with 13 goals and eight assists, has brought flair and precision to the Galaxy’s attack.
After a history of bringing in veterans with big names, the Galaxy reversed the trend, bringing in younger star talent – Pec is 23 and Paintsil is 26.
“The important thing for us was getting a little bit more dynamic on the wing and in our attack and being more goal dangerous,” Galaxy general manager Will Kuntz said in the preseason. “We tried to prioritize those positions as we went out in the offseason.
“Everybody knows the Galaxy, whether you’re a younger player or older player, I think the club’s history speaks for itself. Our history of players does its own recruiting job and Southern California finishes the rest, I’m really just a guy who maybe opens up a Powerpoint or a video presentation.
“This is a very ambitious club and I think it really resonates with players that they have an opportunity to come here and help us get back to those lofty heights that we once occupied.”
The Galaxy has certainly had ups and downs recently. After winning MLS and U.S. Open Cup in 2005, the Galaxy went three consecutive years (2006-08) missing the playoffs. Bruce Arena arrived in late 2008, started a makeover and won three MLS Cups (2011-12 and 2014). After Arena departed in 2016, the Galaxy started their decline, missing the playoffs in 2017-18 and 2020-21. In Vanney’s first year in 2021, they missed out on the postseason on the last day.
After returning to the playoffs in 2022 but being eliminated by crosstown rival LAFC, the Galaxy hit the bottom last season. The supporters then took control, leading to a boycott from the start of the season. The fans stayed away in protest of the front office and the club’s downward spiral. In May, the Galaxy had just two wins in 14 games and Klein was dismissed as team president.
Despite the change, the Galaxy never a move in the standings.
With Tom Braun taking over as president and Kuntz as general manager, Vanney, who also served as sporting director last season, was able to turn his attention back toward the team.
“Last year, it was a perfect storm,” Vanney said. “I always say we didn’t sacrifice last year for where we could be at the beginning of this year and we took it on the chin last year, but we held tight to the notion that we were going to have two open DP (Designated Player) slots and we needed to find the right guys to fit what we were trying to do and we knew there would be a couple other spaces that we would have to fill.”
“As we got to this offseason and all through part of last year, all we were really talking about was what do we really need the team to look like when we come out of the penalties and all the challenges we had. A lot of people were doing some really good work here to identify the right types of players, the right options for us and then I give a lot of credit to the guys that were here last year that, when they came back from the first day of preseason, that the year prior was behind them and they were ready to attack this year. They were confident and fit and ready to go.”
Midfielder Edwin Cerrillo, who arrived amid last season’s dismal time, pointed to the opening game this season against Inter Miami as the first step on this MLS Cup run.
“I think the first game of the season was a big statement,” he said. “Miami and Messi and that team starting the season off was such a huge game and such an environment that game was played in. I think from the first game, we showed that we could be together and we can play together and fight for one another. I think it set the standard and we just built off that.
“And as the season went on, we got familiar with each other. We got more comfortable with each other. We found joy in the games. We cleaned things up defensively and I think all that came together.”
MLS Cup final
Who: New York Red Bulls at Galaxy
When: 1 p.m. Saturday
Where: Dignity Health Sports Park
TV: FOX (Ch. 11), Apple TV (free)
