The former Crew player, Guillermo Barros Schelotto, returns to the United States Professional League (MLS) football through the front door after being confirmed as the new coach of the Los Angeles Galaxy.
In his first interview offered through the team, the former coach of Boca Juniors, acknowledged that accepting the offer presented by the Galaxy was easy because he is aware that he arrives at a large organization in which his goal will be none other than achieving a league title.
A title he already had in his possession in the 2008 season as a Crew player when he was also named winner of the Most Valuable Player (MVP) of the MLS and the grand final.
Now, Schelotto, 45, joins the LA Galaxy after completing his third season with Boca Juniors, where he led the historic club to win two championships in the First Division Argentina.
“I am honored to be the coach of the most winning MLS club,” said Schelotto. “This is a tremendous opportunity for me and I’m excited to start working, the Galaxy has long been the benchmark in MLS and I’m ready to take the club back to the top.”
As a player, Schelotto won six league titles and four Libertadores Cup trophies in 10 seasons with Boca Juniors before signing for the Crew in 2007, whom he championed.
“After an extensive search, national and international, we believe that Guillermo will be an emblematic signing for this club,” said the new general manager of the Galaxy, Dennis te Kloese. “Guillermo is a winning coach who has experience as a coach, player and winner in big clubs.”
Te Kloese is convinced that the offensive style of play that Schelotto likes and the familiarity of the league will be the “perfect” combination for new trophies and championships to come to the showcases of the team and the city of Los Angeles.
“That is my goal, in addition to giving the team an offensive style of play that is natural and does not cost to develop, regardless of the field in which we compete,” said Schelotto, who praised the good understanding he has had from the beginning with you Kloese. “From the first moment he made the proposal everything has been perfect in the way we see the future of the team.”
Schelotto, who reiterated that he knows the league and the American way of life very well, acknowledged that the team will have to undergo a process of adaptation to the new style that they want to work on and is convinced that with the foreign and national talent that exists in the workforce they will form a great group and in the end complete a “good year”.
The new Galaxy coach said that besides being a great honor, directing the Galaxy is also a “challenge” for all that the team represents both within the league and in the international football scene.
“To put it back on top and fight for a title that in recent years have not been able to achieve, without a doubt, it is a great challenge, something very important that was also what made me decide to accept the position,” he said. Schelotto.
As for how he sees the current competition of MLS, which he left in 2010 when he left the Crew and returned to Argentina, Schelotto acknowledged that the change has been “important”, with growth in all aspects and is convinced that will continue with the same trend in the future.
“I think it will continue to grow, I think that new contributions from both players and coaches will arrive and I see a future of very large growth,” Schelotto concluded.
Schelotto’s great official debut at the head of the Galaxy will be the first preseason game that the team will play next February 9 against Toronto FC, in his field of Dignity Health Spots Park, former Home Depot Center and StubHub Center, in Carson (California).
While the first opening game of the Galaxy league, with Schelotto on the bench, will also play on the same stage, on Saturday March 2, against the Chicago Fire. (EFEUSA) .-
