CARSON, Calif. – The LA Galaxy have welcomed Giovani dos Santos with open arms this week, and deservedly so.
The Mexican international is recognized as one of the top players in CONCACAF, and the Galaxy are hoping he can help them claim their fourth MLS Cup in the last five seasons and sixth overall.
To say this new partnership is an intriguing one is putting it mildly. Dos Santos, after all, is a mainstay with the Mexican national team with just under 100 caps despite having just turned 26 and is joining a squad that features three current members of the U.S. national team in Omar Gonzalez, Alan Gordon and Gyasi Zardes.
But don’t expect any animosity to carry over – at least before World Cup qualifying begins later this year. For now the Galaxy are one big, happy family.
“I like it a lot. I like it a lot,” Zardes said about Dos Santos’ signing. “It’s nice to have another player like him, you know?
“I think it’s very positive.”
Jovan Kirovski, the Galaxy’s technical director with more than 60 appearances with the U.S. national team to his credit, remembers several spirited battles with his Mexican rivals. Kirovski said he and Alberto Garcia-Aspe used to kick each other during matches. He also got entangled with Cuauhtemoc Blanco on more than one occasion.
But any lingering animosity between respective national-team members is history now that everyone is wearing the Galaxy blue and gold.
When you’re on the same team, you’re fighting for the same thing now,” Kirovski said. “It’s out the window. You’re an LA Galaxy guy now and you don’t think about that stuff until you’re playing against them in October.”
Gordon smiled and called it “interesting” having Dos Santos on the Galaxy’s roster despite the heated history between the two countries.
But the key to diffusing any ill feelings is to get know a player off the field. He brought up the San Jose Earthquakes’ Steven Lenhart, widely recognized as one of MLS’ most physical – some might say dirty – players.
“He’s two different people,” Gordon said of Lenhart. “You have an impression of somebody on the field and there’s a lot of heated matchups. You face guys for years, and then you get to know them on a personal basis.
“We’re intense competitors on the field, and more often than not guys are good guys off the field.”
The Galaxy’s Dan Gargan, in his 10th MLS season, talked about some of the fierce battles he had with current teammate Robbie Rogers when the latter was with the Columbus Crew.
“He’s one of my better buds on the team,” Gargan said, “and it’s kind of comical how it all works out. Robbie and I talk about it all the time … we used to square off against one another and go at it.”
Gargan said he expects Dos Santos to have a dramatic impact on the defending MLS Cup champions.
“He’s worn his country’s colors well,” Gargan said of Dos Santos, “and I expect him to do the same thing for us.”