Legends meet in SuperClasico
Jones, Preki face off in coaching matchup
But he isn't the only former league star who is now a coach based at The Home Depot Center. Preki was joined in the coaching ranks by Cobi Jones, who will take a spot on the opposing bench for Thursday's SuperClasico between Chivas USA and the Los Angeles Galaxy.
Jones took over with the Galaxy on an interim basis Monday when Ruud Gullit resigned his post. Stepping into the fray for the first time is one thing, but to do so in a Chivas USA-Galaxy match will bring an added element to the final game of the 2008 edition of the SuperClasico.
Having gone through the same process before -- player to assistant coach to head coach -- Preki felt his former teammate on the U.S. national team would enjoy success in his latest job.
"Cobi is going to do just fine," Preki said. "He has a lot of experience. He's played many years at the highest level so I think he'll do a good job.
"But not (Wednesday)."
A gathered crowd laughed before Preki was asked another quick question.
"How about Thursday then?"
Preki paused.
"(Wednesday) he'll do fine," he replied. "Thursday he won't."
Perhaps the biggest difference between Preki and Jones was the timing of their respective moves into their coaching positions. Preki took over in January 2007, nearly two months after former coach Bob Bradley resigned to take over the U.S. national team. Preki spent the entire 2006 season as Bradley's assistant and went through an entire season and part of an offseason as well as an interview process before assuming the full coaching duties.
Jones, meanwhile, was an assistant under Gullit for all of 19 league matches. In the span of a few days, Jones was bumped up to a job that will require a quick turnaround. The Galaxy are struggling in the standings, having not won in seven games. The skid also cost general manager Alexi Lalas his job.
Preki though said Jones' biggest challenge as coach would be to deal with not having much of a direct influence in the game.
"The hardest part is that you don't have control anymore," Preki said. "When you are on the field, you control a lot of things yourself. Now, you can work with your group, you can prepare with your group but when they step on the field and the whistle blows you are just looking at the team, watching and hoping that the things that you've been working on now they do it on the field."
Ultimately, though, Preki said that the Galaxy's instability won't play a role in the match on Thursday, at least not when it comes to Chivas USA and their game plan.
"I don't know how it affects them or what they're going to do. I'm sure they are trying to sort everything out. I really don't know," Preki said. "I'm trying to take care of my group."
Luis Bueno is a contributor to MLSnet.com. This story was not subject to the approval of Major League Soccer or its clubs.
