LA Galaxy are heading to Asia at the beginning of March for a tour that will include stops in Seoul and Shanghai.
Soccerphile.com had a
chance to exchange a few e-mails with the owner of the California club -Alexei
Lalas.
Lalas, who played 96 times
for the US National Team, was, of course, the man behind the David Beckham
transfer.
Is Asia important to LA
Galaxy’s plans to become a seriously big club?
You can't be in business
and ignore the Asia markets. Asia Satta King Chart holds huge potential for clubs hoping to expand their
brand and business. There is incredible interests in the sport, the teams and
the players. Our hope is that when someone in places like Korea, Japan or China
thinks about American soccer, they think about the Galaxy. Right now we have
the unique opportunity to expose the Galaxy brand to million of potential fans
and ultimately customers, and we're not going to waste it.
How can Galaxy maintain
the same sort of profile when Beckham retires/leaves?
David is completely
unique. His ability to produce on the field, create interest and and generate
business off it, is hard to find.
We'll cross that bridge
when we come to it. But we're thinking of our next big move. We've set the bar
pretty high with David but there will be other stars.
Can Beckham ever repay the
investment made in him?
He already has. Some of it
is quantifiable and some of it isn't. But there is definitely a method to any
perceived madness when it comes to the amount we have invested.
You will play FC Seoul in
March...
We're excited to come back
to Seoul, Korea. The Galaxy played there in 2003 and it was a great experience
on and off the field. It will be the first trip to Seoul of many of our
players, including David Beckham, and they are looking forward to experiencing
the wonderful football and culture of the country.
What about Beckham is
different that the public’s preconceptions? What about him surprised you?
Apart from his family,
soccer is really what he cares about the most. He understands the machine that
swirls around him and he recognizes the responsibility that comes with it.
Class player, class guy.
At first glance, the MLS
has many similarities to the Korean league –same number of teams, similar
attendances and no promotion/relegation. The last point is the subject of
debate in Korea. How about the US? Can a league be strong without promotion and
relegation?
There will not be
promotion and relegation in MLS anytime soon. We are in sport that is still
striving to succeed and our investors have enough to worry about without having
to worry about their team not even playing in the highest division.
What is the next step for
the MLS to continue its development?
Expansion and more
stadiums. At some point we also are going to have to figure out a way to play
mid-week games. Our TV rating must increase. I think all of this comes over
time, but we need to be pushing at an accelerated rate in order to continue to
attract business. We cannot continually rely on being the sport of tomorrow,
eventually we have to transition into the sport of today.
What is one (or more)
thing that you think the MLS could teach other leagues?
A realistic business plan
and a willingness to stick to it are crucial. At times it's painful but it
enables you to survive long enough to thrive.
There are few (if any) US
players playing professionally in Asia? Is there a reason for this?
I don't think that the
Asian leagues look at American players as quality.
LA Galaxy will take part
in a pan-pacific tournament with J-League and A-League teams. What is the
purpose of this and why those leagues?
It's a league initiative
but I think it's wonderful to bring teams from all the regions together. The
more integration and competition we can have the better for all league. We love
playing against teams from other countries and leagues. It's a great way to
advertise your sport a
The J-League started at
around the same time as MLS and has become a real success story. Are there
lessons that the MLS, or Galaxy, has learned from Japan?
It doesn't happen
overnight and you can't build a league with old players looking for a vacation
and a big paycheck.
LA Galaxy recently played
in Australia and New Zealand – was that a successful trip?
Great trip. We had a
wonderful time in both countries and we may return in the near future.
Are there any plans to
forge links with any clubs in Asia?
We're always looking for
potential partnerships with quality clubs around the world. It has to be the
right club at the right time.
There is a large Asian,
especially Korean, population in LA. Are there any plans to sign some Asian?
Korean players?
Good Asian players are
very expensive, but if there was the right player we'd definitely look to sign
him. But we still haven't come across the right player.
Why did you appoint Ruud
Gullit?
He has experience and he
welcomes the pressure of being the coach of the LA Galaxy.
Do you get annoyed with
European arrogance towards US football?
Because of our structure,
MLS is the most competitive league in the world. It may not be the most
beautiful or exciting, but it is the most competitive. There is horrible soccer
being played all over the world, and much of it is coming from what many
perceive to be the elite leagues of the world. There's no accounting for bad
taste.
