The 2023 season was forgettable for the Galaxy.
From the front-office turmoil, the early-season supporters’ boycott, the 13th-place finish in the Western Conference, the 67 goals allowed … the only good thing was that the season ended when it did.
Although Sunday is just one of 34 games, it is the first chance to put 2023 deep in the past.
“It’s a like a breath of fresh air, a new beginning, new faces, new things around the stadium, the locker room, really gets you excited to get the season going,” Galaxy midfielder Mark Delgado said. “It’s a new beginning. It’s a new season ahead of us that’s unwritten and we’re ready to go after it.”
The new chapter begins Sunday at home against Lionel Messi and Inter Miami CF at Dignity Health Sports Park (5:30 p.m., Apple TV+).
“It’s definitely exciting, to be our first game to start our season (against Inter Miami) and hopefully we come out of it with win and I think it could set a tone,” Delgado said.
Last season was the fifth time in seven years that the Galaxy missed the postseason. The task this offseason turned into another makeover with 16 players departing.
The biggest move came in the front office, with Will Kuntz being promoted to general manager. That freed up Greg Vanney from his role as technical director, which he held last season.
Kuntz initially was hired as Senior Vice President of Player Personnel in April. Before coming to the Galaxy, he spent six seasons as the Senior Vice President of Soccer Operations and Assistant General Manager at LAFC (2017-22).
“If you told me 10 years ago, I would be standing here, I wouldn’t have believed you,” Kuntz said. “The drive in, you have to pinch yourself sometimes because I think we have massive potential. At my old place, we were always worried about the Galaxy waking up, that was always something you had in the back of your mind. You can see it now, with just the excitement around the building, around the stadium, field, from the fans online, it’s great. It’s everything we’re looking for.”
Two reasons for the excitement is the acquisition of new Designated Players: Gabriel Pec (Vasco da Gama) and Joseph Paintsil (Genk). With two open slots, the Galaxy took an aggressive and expensive approach, bringing in Pec and Paintsil.
“It starts with the profile and making sure we identify the right type of players that we want and then going out and finding them,” Kuntz said. “We’re extremely excited about having these young men here with us. Ten years ago, it wouldn’t have been possible to get somebody to come join MLS from Genk or a rising star from Vasco da Gama, so I think it speaks to not just how much the league has grown, but also to the prominence of the Galaxy and what a fantastic club we have and that goes all the way from our ownership and everybody behind the scenes.”
The Galaxy have been hit and miss under Vanney. In 2021, the club missed the playoffs on the final day of the regular season. The following year, the Galaxy advanced to the Western Conference semifinals. Then came last year’s miserable season.
Vanney is in the final year of his contract. He believes that now, with Kuntz in charge, he’s now able to focus on strictly on-field duties.
“Last year, the things I was involved in, meeting with the supporters, you name it … I was sitting in every single meeting that there was,” he said. “It just became a lot. I felt like I was helicoptering in to coach the team and then I was back out to try to help put out fires and do other stuff.
“This offseason, I got away, I went to England, watched games and I was able to step back and really fall back in love with coaching. Just being really clear of what I want to see from our team, setting up how I want to achieve that every day, empowering my staff in a different way. I feel like we’re just in a better position as a club to be successful. My strength is with the group on the field and preparing them to win games and to compete and to work with them as individuals … I feel refreshed.”
Inter Miami CF at Galaxy (season opener)
When: 5:30 p.m. Sunday
Where: Dignity Health Sports Park
How to watch: Apple TV (MLS Season Pass)
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