Galaxy fills out its coaching staff
Galaxy Coach Curt Onalfo filled out his first-team coaching staff Tuesday, naming former Seattle Sounders Coach Ante Razov and LA Galaxy II assistant Rob Becerra to the squad and promoting Daniel Gonzalez from Galaxy II to the first team as goalkeeper coach.
The three men replace associate head coach Dave Sarachan, assistants Pat Noonan and Kenny Arena and goalkeeper coach Matt Reis, who followed former Galaxy Coach Bruce Arena to the U.S. national team.
“All three will provide valuable experience and insight that will help improve our players in their development on and off the field,” Onalfo said in a statement. “I am confident in the staff we have put together and look forward to continuing to prepare for the 2017 season.”
Razov, 42, a former U.S. men’s national soccer team and Major League Soccer veteran, is a former Galaxy academy assistant who worked with both Arena and Onalfo in addition to coaching the U-14 and U-18 teams. He left for Seattle ahead of the 2015 season and helped guide the Sounders to their first MLS Cup title last fall.
As a player, the Whittier native made 262 MLS appearances between 1996 and 2009, scoring 114 goals for the Galaxy, Chicago Fire, Columbus Crew, New York MetroStars and Chivas USA.
His addition fleshes out an executive and coaching staff that has a long track record of both playing for the Galaxy and working in its academy system. President Chris Klein, General Manager Peter Vagenas and Onalfo also played for the franchise and were involved with building out the academy.
Becerra joined the LA Galaxy II coaching staff during the team’s inaugural 2014 season. Before that, he coached at the University of Redlands, where he led the Bulldogs to their most successful run in school history, going 126-28-8 in eight seasons and earning the school’s first NCAA playoff appearance.
Gonzalez, who began his playing career in his native Argentina before coming to the U.S. and playing in the North American Soccer League, coached with both the Colorado Rapids and Chivas USA. Since joining Galaxy II, he also served as the goalkeeper coach for the men’s and women’s teams at Cal State Dominguez Hills.
Twitter: kbaxter11
