Dennis te Kloese could bring much-needed change to the LA Galaxy

Now that the LA Galaxy have fired Pete Vagenas, the club are seeking someone Chris Klein repeatedly labeled a “leader”, a individual who can both assume the GM role and run the soccer operations.

Dennis te Kloese, the current director of Mexico’s national teams, is rumored to have “serious interest” from the organization. As they should: Te Kloese is the right man for the job.

While his name might be unknown to many in the United States, his track record and knowledge of the game should exciteGalaxy supporters. Te Kloese has done wonders for the Mexico Football Federation (FMF) at various levels of competition.

Given the recent shortcomings of the club, the Galaxy should be looking to invest more in player development and youth talent rather than investing so heavily in international signings. This is certainly the direction that te Kloese would take the club if he accepts the position. The Dutch native is a firm believer in player development through competition at both the club and international level. The growth of highly competitive Mexican league games at the U-20, U-17 and U-15 levels has translated into considerable success for the national team at those levels.

When te Kloese served as the director of Mexico’s youth national teams, various teams from the country achieved success at major competitions. This includes the U-23 Mexico team that beat Brazil 2-1 for the men’s gold medal at the 2012 Olympics in London. Mexico’s U-17 team also reached the semifinals of the U-17 World Cup twice and most recently, the U-20 women’s team won the 2018 CONCACAF U-20 Championship.

A dilegent executive with a reputation for hard work, te Kloese played a heavy hand in recruiting Jonathan Gonzalez to the Mexican national team, even though he could have played for the U.S. national team. Galaxy fans are likely already familiar with youth prospect Efrain Alvarez’s decision to represent Mexico over the U.S. at the international level.

Given the heavy Mexican-American population in Southern California, te Kloese could prove to be invaluable in recruiting young prospects. His experience with the FMF and track record of success may persuade these players to pursue a career in Major League Soccer instead of Liga MX. It is also worth mentioning that te Kloese is familiar with the Major League Soccer system. Prior to his time with the FMF, te Kloese spent three years as Chivas USA’s director of soccer from 2005 to 2008. Throughout that time, the club experienced the most success it ever had in its short history, including four consecutive appearances in the western conference semifinals.

After missing the playoffs in consecutive seasons, the Galaxy should be looking to move away from signing expensive international players that don’t deliver. The team needs to utilize the homegrown talent it has at the youth levels. Vagenas was unable to do that during his tenure, but te Kloese could be the right candidate to lead the club in a brighter direction.