The LA Galaxy is used to making big splashes with signings on the field. On Wednesday, it made one off the field.
The club announced that it had hired Guillermo Barros Schelotto as its new head coach, replacing interim manager Dom Kinnear, who failed to turnout a rough season that saw the Galaxy miss the MLS Cup playoffs. It’s a return to MLS for Barros Schelotto, after he led the Columbus Crew to an MLS Cup title and two U.S. Open Cup titles a decade ago as a playmaking midfielder.
Chelsea host Southampton on Wednesday (Watch live, 2:45 p.m. ET on NBCSN and online via NBCSports.com) at Stamford Bridge and our Premier League analysts will be breaking down Pulisic’s move.
Vamos. #Since96 pic.twitter.com/1w9MYoS9nD
— LA Galaxy (@LAGalaxy) January 2, 2019
Barros Schelotto followed up a terrific career in Argentina, ten years with Boca Juniors and MLS with a successful transition to coaching. Barros Schelotto began coaching with Buenos Aires side Lanus in 2012 and a year later, he led his club to the Copa Sudamericana, South America’s Europa League equivalent.
The 45-year-old joined his former club Boca Juniors in March 2016 and led his side to back to back Argentine League titles as well as a place in the Copa Libertadores Final.
The news of Barros Schelotto returning to MLS comes exactly as the crisis around Argentine Soccer has become more severe, while leagues like MLS take advantage. Barros Schelotto could easily have continued at Boca or gone to Europe, but it’s likely that following the Copa Libertadores chaos last month in Buenos Aires, it showed that the Argentine security apparatus can’t keep players or fans safe before and during matches.
What is Argentina’s loss is MLS’ gain. It’s unclear how Barros Schelotto will handle Ibrahimovic, but he’s a player that will garner instant respect in the locker room. Barros Schelotto had no problem benching club legend Barros Schelotto at Boca the last few months, but his big job won’t be handling Ibrahimovic as much as retooling the Galaxy’s defense.
