Gordon sees Galaxy come full circle
Forward has watched team go from MLS Cup to last place and back
Related
Gordon, who joined the Galaxy in August of 2004 after a stint with the USL's Portland Timbers and is the longest-tenured player on the roster, was there when they won their second championship in 2005. He also was there when the club sank to its lowest depths in 2008, when it tied for the worst record in MLS. He was there when the arrival of David Beckham touched off a circus-like atmosphere and he was there through three general managers and several head coaches, including two on an interim basis.
But somehow, through the firings, disappointments of missing the playoffs for three consecutive years and seemingly endless roster upheavals, he has been steadfast in his belief that the team would be back where it is now, preparing to play Real Salt Lake in Sunday's MLS Cup in Seattle.
"I felt like we were always right there," he said. "I felt like we always had good players, we just failed to win games. I knew it was a couple of little adjustments, a couple of additions and we were going to have a solid team."
A couple of additions this year translated into 16 new players brought in by head coach/general manager Bruce Arena and a long-overdue Western Conference championship.
"There are a lot of changes every year," he said. "For a long time it's been that way. I don't think it has to do so much with the personnel. I don't think we've let go bad players ... we've let go a lot of good players. But it's just the system that Bruce brings.
"It's defensive-minded, and when you keep the ball out of the net you can accomplish anything."
Gordon praised Arena for his organizational qualities. "He does his homework," he said.
He also had his thoughts on the previous Galaxy coaches he's played for.
On Steve Sampson: "He was a good coach. He was interesting. Everybody has their style. Everybody liked Sampson. The best thing he ever did was give the leadership to the older players, the veterans. Ultimately, that helped him out in the end."
On Frank Yallop: "Frank was a player's coach. He was a good coach, just a little but unlucky. I think the times with David coming over were tough. Maybe he didn't make the best decisions but overall he's a good coach."
On Ruud Gullit: "Ruud was interesting. He was a nice guy. I don't think that he was the best coach. Maybe he was a good coach but I don't think he was ready for MLS and a lot of the restrictions that we have here. He's used to a different style in Europe, where he can buy players. When he got here he wasn't really familiar so he struggled."
Now Arena is in charge, and the Galaxy's fortunes have risen dramatically. Gordon, who has 15 goals and 12 assists in his Galaxy career, including three goals and three assists this season, is enjoying what he is seeing but won't say this year has eased all of the pain from the club's three-year playoff drought. But it's definitely helped.
"You play one year at a time," he said. "You always have to throw the last year, good or bad, out the window and start a new chapter every single year. It's been good, it's been easier to forget the bad years, but every year you've got to put it aside and start over.
"Yes, it's been memorable, because as a player you don't want to be part of the worst season as a member of the Galaxy. You want to be remembered for the championships and the best years. Through that rough stretch it was like when I look back on my career I don't want to look back and say I was with the worst years the Galaxy ever had.
"I want to say I won some championships or I had a major part in some success. It's just good to get back on the other side of things."
Larry Morgan is a contributor to MLSnet.com.
