The Daily Dirt, November 10: Hollywood Blues

Do you think the incoming presence of LAFC will cause the LA Galaxy to reconsider who they are as a club? If there was ever a time to change course, this is it.

The Galaxy started as the original Hollywood club of MLS. I mean, they had Andrew Shue of Melrose Place on their first inaugural roster. When they signed David Beckham, they achieved their goal of becoming relevant worldwide and strove to become a Super Club in MLS. Big sponsors and other big players followed him. This season was the epitome of a club making one more desperate attempt at a title before their window closes. Going into the season with a core of Nigel de Jong, Jelle Van Damme (great signing, by the way), Ashley Cole, Giovani Dos Santos, Robbie Keane, and Steven Gerrard is maximizing every last drop of Hollywood that you could muster.

It didn’t work.

Gerrard was never a good fit for the club or the league. While he did an admirable job anchoring the midfield, de Jong caused plenty of headaches during his short stay. Dos Santos has underperformed during his time in LA. Keane is getting older and battled injuries all season. Cole and Van Damme have been bright spots in an otherwise subpar season when it comes to the club’s superstars.

LAFC recently announced that they have 10,000 season ticket deposits for their 2018 launch, which is roughly the same number that the Galaxy have currently. Their downtown stadium and huge ownership group will provide more competition for the Galaxy than Chivas USA ever did. Will the Galaxy change course and not try to compete with LAFC dollar for dollar?

With Bruce Arena and many of the team’s stars out of contract, this could be the time for a makeover. There is a core of young talent ready to break through, and the Galaxy’s academy and USL club are among the league’s best in developing talent. Could they cede the Hollywood moniker to LAFC and chart a new course along the lines of how Dallas has developed?

It will be fascinating to watch the evolution of the LA Galaxy over the next two years.

Domestic

Toronto is not a fan of Sebastian Giovinco’s exclusion from the Italian national team (Waking the Red)

Thoughts on the Vancouver Whitecaps’ 2016 season (Eighty Six Forever)

Javier Morales is not retiring and says he did not want to leave RSL (RSL Soapbox)

LAFC looming as Galaxy slide backwards (LA Daily News)

International

Wayne Rooney will return to captain England against Scotland on Friday (BBC)

Joey Barton to Derby? (The Sun)

Oh Lukaku...

Local

Eighteen Georgia ODP players named to 2016 Region III rosters (US Youth Soccer)