LA Galaxy: Spotlight Episode 7

Welcome to another edition of LA Galaxy Spotlight. Joe Tutino here with you for the next 30 minutes of this program. As we get things underway, thank you to Pompeii collaborating with the Galaxy. Their merchandise available at the LA Galaxy team store. On this program today, we check in with episode 11 of our Galaxy and meet the new G's. Plus, we hear the sounds of the Galaxy with Harry Mack. But, as we mentioned, new Galaxy's in, some Galaxy are former. Time to talk to Galaxy General Manager, Will Koontz. And I'm pleased to be joined by the Galaxy General Manager, who has one of those championships to his name, and that is Will Koontz. Thanks for taking the time, Will. Hey Joe, thanks for having me. We had one team going into the break and we don't have necessarily a complete change, but some big names that are coming in. Definitely. We've been active and looking to improve sort of every level on the pitch. So, that means that we have a different look, but a lot of talent and a lot of quality still here. So, we keep consistency and add some special pieces. Guys that are going to help this team offensively. Kyogo comes in as a DP, as a forward for your LA Galaxy. You have Sergi Roberto, who's coming in for this Galaxy club. Robert Taylor, that's here for the club as well, including players that are coming back from injury. Jael Klaus, you're going to have him soon. And Eric Tommy is a little bit off in the distance. So, these are guys that are all going to help this club going into the playoff run. Yeah, a little guy named Irving Lozano also. He's another piece that is going to help us a lot too. So, let's talk a little bit about Irving, because in passing at the start of the year, we heard the rumors that he was going to become available. And I know that the Galaxy had interest in him in the past. So, how did this deal come about? So, he was a player we looked at three years ago during our banned transfer window in 2023. You were doing some window shopping? Trying to. It was a little bit of a Sudoku, trying to line up a guy who's in Napoli, but can't come until January of 24. And how did it work? We couldn't pull it off then. And then this year in January, when we got the news about Ricky's injury, it meant we had a new DP slot available and we kicked the tires on Irving. That's when we really started going into his character and getting a feel for everything that's been going on with him in San Diego. But ultimately, as you saw, we went with Joao Claus up top, more of a traditional nine profile. But Irving was on the short list of guys that we thought would be a really positive add to our attacking front three. And we sold Gabriel Peck this summer. Obviously, a great move for Gabriel. Bittersweet moment. The first DP I ever signed as a GM, but it's a great story. He gets to go to a really big club in Cruzeiro, but that meant we had an opening and that was the right time then because it was more of a football fit. So Gabe, having played on the right, but now Joe can shift over to the right. Irving's always been a left winger and it's a more natural position for him. So it was a really good football fit that it wasn't in the winter. So really excited about it. A lot of movement because I've noticed on the socials where people are kind of paying attention to the Galaxy saying, Galaxy are moving players out. They're bringing players in. You're moving a 16-year-old out onto Chelsea in the future, a $3 million deal reportedly, which is nice to see. And you're bringing these players in. So maybe the Galaxy has been the most active team in major league soccer in this transfer window. Yeah, we've been busy. In MLS, it's always to bring something in, something's got to go out. And look, we're part of a global ecosystem. And so if we're doing our jobs right, we've got good players who have value in other parts of the world. And I think it's a sign of a healthy club that you can move guys out and then still attract new guys to replace them or have some young players from within. So we're really excited about what Harbor Miller will bring as a right back. So Mickey Amani is leaving, but we don't have to go out and get another body because we've got the guy here. LA Galaxy Spotlight continues right after these words. We continue with LA Galaxy Spotlight as promised. Will Koontz continues with me and we have a chance to talk about what this sprint season is all about in 2027. So in your mind, what is the LA Galaxy? What do they mean in terms of what is the standard? You know, the standard, I'll start there. That's a simple one. The standard is winning, right? The standard is championships. And it's not making the playoffs. It's not making a good run in the playoffs. It's adding a star to the crest. That's, I think, the remit of all the biggest clubs in the world, whether it's in football or it's in the other domestic sports. And that's what our fans expect. And, you know, that's what our challenge is to deliver year over year. And so you're not going to necessarily get there every year, but our expectation is that if we haven't done that, that we fail. So what's the pressure? Because obviously you hear about it. You have an iPhone. You know, you see what fans say and other media types, supposed media types pontificate on your job and the players and the coaching staff and so forth. What's that pressure cooker like? You know, it's something that I think I've been a nerd to from coming up with the New York Yankees, where you get a very similar experience, right? It's like you must win. And just like with the Yankees, you know, you get a job like this. Doesn't matter how long you work and grind to get there. As soon as you get this job, everybody thinks they know better than you. And it's difficult because, you know, I think especially in our football, when you are a fan of teams and other leagues, it's a single table. And so, you know, if we were in a single table league, there'd be zero chance for us right now. But we're not that, right? This is a league where you have to be at your best at the end of the year. And so how we navigated that in the first part of the season, it was a combination of keeping some guys healthy, getting some other guys back to health, getting some young guys minutes and trying to figure out what the group is really like in order to then go heavy in this transfer window and build our team for the stretch run. So with the amount of personalities that are coming in now to this, and they all bring different points of view and different versions of the English language, getting everybody together and on the same page, and maybe this is a better question for Greg Vanney, but you also have that responsibility of getting these guys all on the field at the same time so they can ramp up in the playoffs in time. How's that look? No, that's part of the job, right? And we're lucky that the lingua franca we have is the itself. And once guys get onto the field, I think that kind of starts to take care of itself. I look at it as I'm the first check of that, right? Making sure that we're doing our due diligence on guys in terms of character, the work ethic, you know, what they bring to the group, what they're like as people, right? That's really important. So we sort of say, hey, we know that we're getting a bunch of guys who are flexible, adaptable, good guys, open-minded workers. And then, you know, the second check is Greg getting them on the field and understanding, hey, this is what we need you to do. And this is our philosophy. This is how we play. This is how we have success. And so it's, you know, but we do it in concert, right? So Greg's keyed in on what we're looking at, who we're looking at, making sure that, you know, I'm ticking the right boxes for what he needs. And when guys come in, it's not like, hey, Greg, they're all yours. It's making sure that, you know, I'm following up with them to make sure that they have what they need, you know, not just on the field, but really off the field, right? Helping them adapt, helping them settle, making sure that, you know, they can come to LA and feel comfortable. Because it's hard to come from a different team, let alone a different country, different league, and settle in, especially when we need you to get to speed quickly. It's crazy to think that in the next 18 months, we're going to basically see the end of three seasons, you know, between this season, the sprint season, and the calendar flip year. You know, for those who are the real sickos and follow the J-League in Japan, they just went through this because they're doing a calendar flip this summer. It's going to be a shotgun blast of football, right? Starting in February and ending in June, you play everybody in the conference. So it's, you know, it's going to feel, I think, like an old school baseball pennant race a little bit. And I think it's going to be really exciting. Every game is going to mean so much more, right? Because there's only 14 of them, and they're all, you know, coming with a chance to compete for a playoff spot. So I think what you're going to see is a lot of teams going for it. You know, for some teams, it's going to be their best chance to win a championship, all right? For some teams, you're going to use it as an opportunity to blood some young guys. I mean, I think for us, it's going to be massively important to see how Ricky Pooj is coming back, and it's going to be Ricky's first time in competitive matches in two years. So, you know, what we look to get out of it is going to be different than maybe some other clubs. But it's, again, for us, like I said before, it's always about winning, and it's a chance for us to kind of get this group, what we're going to see now coming together, continue to push them on. And we treat it almost like a really long playoff push. Let's talk a little about Ricky, since you brought him up, because I know he's on campus here, and I know that he's going through whatever his protocols are to get back. He's on a different timetable, shooting towards February of 2027. We thought we were going to have him back this year, and then all of a sudden, we had the setback, right? Another year of that. Do you handle him differently now, knowing that he's had two situations with his knee to make sure he can get back? How do you guys handle him? Yeah, the program is still the same for a guy coming off of ACL, and I think the one thing that we've really seen is that Ricky's approach is different now. He's in a much better place with respect to his timetable and his progressions, but when he's coming back from ACL, it's just about putting in the work. So it's great that he's on the field now. He's touching grass, and then our hope is that we have him integrated into the group for training in about a month or so. Major League Soccer switches to the new calendar. We're hearing about a different salary structure, a different perhaps floor, and another salary cap or luxury tax. What can you tell the fans? Look, I'm hearing a lot of the same things, but we just had CSO meetings in Charlotte for the All-Star break. We don't know, and I think owners are playing this pretty close to the vest. We have a CBA negotiation coming up, which is also really impactful, but with the new commissioner, Larry Berg, who I know well from my time across town, I think he recognizes that things do need to change, and we need to find ways to allow our clubs to be a little more free in their spending. I think sometimes the restrictions that we find ourselves dealing with, they impact, if you want to call it product quality, if you want to call it quality of play. These are really big opportunities for us to get better and be a little more aggressive, because I think across the board, we're all spending enough money, but we're really restricted in the ways we spend it. I think a lot of clubs feel like if we can just spend the same money that we're spending now differently, we'll be even better. And then there are other clubs saying, hey, if we can spend the same money differently and then spend more, that will be even better. So I think it's a really exciting time. I think changes are coming. I think there's going to be a lot of discourse and back and forth about what those look like. It's far from baked yet, but I'm really encouraged by what we've been hearing and seeing so far. Well, I have some ideas, but you know what? I'll share those in the breaks. Will, thank you for taking the time. Thanks, Joe. Good to see you. LA Galaxy Spotlight will continue right after these words. Stay with us. What up, y'all? This is Harry Mack, known for All The Way Live, Off Top, fully improvised freestyle raps. I'm here with the LA Galaxy, about to freestyle, tell you guys a little bit about my story. I have no idea what words I'm going to be thrown, so I'm going to improvise and do what I love to do. Let's get it. Impact, tribulation, and inspiration. Should we do this? Okay. Yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah. If the cypher's hot, y'all know that I'm in that. Ever since a youngin' been striving to have an impact. I'm blowing minds with these strong frees, but many artists had an impact on me. My flows hit the mark. I saw Jin rapping on the 106 in Park. Freestyle Friday on BET, that inspired me the most, yo, easily. Back when I was just a kid, 10 years young. At the same time, I started playing the drums, making an impact with the drumstick. Feeling the rhythm inside that was thunderous. And now I get to have an impact on stage. Had to face my fear so I could break up out the cage. I be blowing minds with the spit creation. Had to overcome the obstacles and tribulations. But the biggest tribulation that I had was the man up in the mirror, because I had to overcome my fear. Get over that hurdle so I could be the one. So I could hop on stage and start shining like the sun, spitting UV rays. In the form of lyrics that I truly crave. Yeah, to the youngins, you don't ever have to follow what I do or say. Just follow your own heart. Go ahead and press play. I was just inside my room making beat after beat. Freestyling with my friends and they told me it was heat. But they said, Mac, if you wanna make an impact that will consume, you gotta get outside of this room. So I took it to the streets. Yeah, it felt like my goal was in reach when I went to Venice Beach. I formed the crowd when I was all up on the scene. We posted the video back in 2017. Me facing my fears in that moment was vital. Cause when we posted that freestyle, it went viral. I couldn't believe it. It was seen across the earth. All from one rhyme verse. I keep a microphone all within reach. More lessons to teach. I'm about to break it down for anyone that's listening with these rhyme innovations. I dig inside my own spirit for the inspiration. Yeah, all across the planet, man, we popping up. And now they couldn't challenge me cause I'm about to rhyme with the galaxy. H Mac, I be spanning through the universe. Pay attention each and every time I spill the verse. Have an impact to inspire, lift them higher through the tribulations. Y'all know the kid's amazing. Los Angeles, LA Galaxy, we here. We can block, we all come together. Form a bond to the instrumental that's tougher than leather. Yeah, hey yo, this a true fan. He's gonna send it. I can tell he got the galaxy up on his pendant. Yeah, when I rhyme, I'm improvising like Coltrane. Rhyming tight and shining bright just like homie I drive them crazy. I blow up like I'm 80. I've never been lazy. Shouts to the lady, shouts to the baby. Yeah, y'all know we about to do it for the kids. Cause every time I'm rapping, I be doing it big. LA, if y'all are feeling this joy, someone out here better make some noise. We love y'all so much, LA. We love y'all. Morning. It's important because, you know, people will come here for the first time and, you know, they'll walk around and be like, wow, you know, these guys actually take pride in what they do. If things look a mess, then it gives us that notion that we don't care about what we do. And we're trying to make that first impression on people when they come here that, you know, this is a beautiful facility and we take pride in what we do. My name is Sean Ilton, Senior Director of Turf and Grounds, and I am currently in my 19th year at Dignity Health Sports Park. I oversee pretty much all 125 acres here on the property. We have nine grass fields, two synthetic fields, advantage clay courts, the galaxy park. We have, you know, the first team. We have the newly VCFC, Cal State Dominguez Hills men's and women's soccer teams. We also this year have RFCLA, which is a major league rugby team. Not only, you know, do we do soccer, we also do various other events. So we're very versed in the things that we do out in the stadium field and our practice fields. My name is Claudio Carrillo. I'm the turf manager and I've been here about seven years. I manage all of the landscapes, everything outside of the turf. So I take care of all the flowers, all the landscape, grass around the facility, weeds, parking lots, trees. Where our typical days usually start at six in the morning, you know, we'll stretch and we'll do different different tasks starting with our clay courts. We'll blow, you know, important areas like galaxy park, you know, the front, and it just continues to just maintain the property in some sort of sequence. So we'll start, you know, these areas and then whatever we have for that week is what we're working on. Sometimes it's our main drive or, you know, on our berm or, you know, in the back of, you know, by our velodrome. It's important for us to have a clean facility and typically, you know, leaf blowing and getting everything back in order. It provides everybody that's coming into our property a better, like, an environment when they come in. So I think that's the most important for me at least. My name is Gio Murillo, Manager of Turf and Grounds here at Dignity House Sports Park. I've kind of been with the club since 07. As the Manager of Turf and Grounds, responsible for the maintenance of all fields, we maintain nine grass fields, two synthetic turfs. All of our fields are a priority. Try to keep them up to the best level, to the highest level possible. An average day for us, just mowing, blowing, painting, the soccer lines, making sure the fields are well kept in terms of mowing, the hardness, the soil moisture, and just making sure the coaches are happy. If something's off, they'll come talk to us and we'll just fix it that afternoon or if not that morning before they come out to train. So everything's perfect in the right conditions for them to train. If the field's too hard, you know, they get aches on their lower back, calves, feet. If it's too soft, you know, they start slipping. So we try to get it just right so they can play at the highest level. The best thing about being a groundskeeper is obviously being outside when it's sunny and 75. Being able to be with the coaches and the team, you know, that's the most exciting part. You know, we do so much work, build up during the week. It's just an awesome feeling when the stadium's full and you got that energy going and everybody's seeing your field and our product. You know, that's what we love, you know, having the stadium packed. Just giving that energy, it's just an awesome feeling. All right, that's this edition of LA Galaxy Spotlight. We have a reminder for you. The Galaxy's back at the digs on September the 5th as they take on an old rival. In fact, the team that they've met three times in the MLS Cup Final and three times LA Galaxy victories. The New England Revolution come to town. Tickets are available at lagalaxy.com, so we hope to see you right here. Thanks again for watching LA Galaxy Spotlight. I'm Joe Tutino, and as always, Go Galaxy!