CHANGING OF THE GUARD New GM Lalas ready to make some changes
Alexi Lalas: "If I need to make changes on and off the field, I will. We don't have time to screw around." BigAppleSoccer.com photo
By Michael Lewis
BigAppleSoccer.com Editor
Only minutes after he was introduced to the media as the new MetroStars general manager and president on Monday, Alexi Lalas admitted he faced a daunting task as he aims to take the club out of its decade-long malaise.
"If I need to make changes on and off the field, I will," he said. "We don't have time to screw around."
And he sounded like he meant it.
In one of the biggest mid-season front office shake-ups in the MLS's 10-year history, Lalas, the San Jose Earthquakes president and general manager took over similar roles with the Metros. He replaced Nick Sakiewicz as the main front office man. Sakiewicz, the president and GM since 2000, will become president of AEG Soccer for New York/New Jersey to finalize the proposed stadium in Harrison and eventually run it.
"We are not happy with the results on the pitch the last 10 years and we have told Alexi he has complete control," said Tim Leiweke, president and CEO of Anschutz Entertainment Group, which owns five MLS teams, including the Metros. "I will back him 100 percent for any or all decisions, changes and directions he wants to go in.
"I have told Alexi we expect one thing out of him: Win a championship. Bring credibility back to this franchise and make New York, New Jersey and the MetroStars a dominant team within Major League Soccer and within the international community."
Leiweke felt he had his man in Lalas, a former Rutgers All-American who played one season with the MetroStars (1998) before he was traded to the Kansas City Wizards and played in 96 international matches (from 1991-98) and one World Cup (1994).
“I don’t think anyone has had as much success in this country as Alexi has on the pitch," Leiweke said in a conference call. "I think he understands locker rooms. He understand coaches. He understands talent and the players’ mentality, development, and what it’s going to take to for us to develop the young players going forward to make the MetroStars a dominant team.”
Leiweke could not better emphasize the enormity of the task. “If we don't fix the MetroStars, there might not be a league,” he said.
The Metros are only one of the original teams that have never reached MLS Cup or own its own stadium.
Currently, they are 4-3-5 and tied for third place in the Eastern Conference under coach Bob Bradley, who was brought in in October, 2002 to turn the fortunes of the team around. So far he hasn't. In his third season, Bradley is 26-25-11 overall and that doesn't include a pair of early playoff eliminations in which the Metros are 0-3-1 and one goal scored.
Depending on your vantage point, attendance has stagnated or slipped. The Metros average 17,320, but that number can be a bit deceiving. Subtract the 50,807 that showed up for the doubleheader with England and David Beckham last month and the average attendance is a lackluster 11,741, a rather poor amount for an area that boasts a population base of 16 million and hundreds of thousands of youth soccer players.
"We have a lot of work to do," said Lalas, who added the "club has the potential, on and off the field to become world renowned. In order to do that, we have to strive to become the first super club to emerge from MLS.”
Lalas, who was scheduled to arrive in the metropolitan area on Tuesday morning after a red-eye flight from San Jose to New York, will meet with the front office and Bradley, gave the coach a lukewarm endorsement.
"The first order of business is on the field,” he said. “It's not good enough. It has to improve. It's a lot better than people perceive. But for credibility in that market, perception is reality.
"If I feel changes need to be made, changes will be made on and off the field. . . . The good stuff we continue and we make sure that we try to improve it. The bad stuff we get rid or find a way to fix it. I truly believe this team has incredible potential.”
Bradley wouldn't say a word on Monday's shake-up. "I don't have any comment," he said.
There might be a good reason why Bradley remained tight-lipped. Under Sakiewicz, he had total control of player movement. Now, he will have to share it with Lalas, who will have final say.
Leiweke admitted AEG has neglected the Metros.
"We have nearly not put the resources, the time and the energy into that club that we have the L.A. Galaxy," he said. "We cannot be successful as league without being successful in New York. And as New York, so goes this league.
"We haven't given our best shot and I'm embarrassed by that. . . . What we need to make the Metros relevant in New York and make them a dominant team.
"I'm tired, quite frankly, of the MetroStars not being as good an organization as a good a team as they could be. . . . I think we've lost some of the interest in the market place and we're not going to let it erode any further."
Leiweke was optimistic that the stadium issue will be resolved within the next two weeks and get approved by New Jersey lawmakers.
"We're anxious in the next two weeks to get the agreement signed," he said.
Leiweke said that Sakiewicz's move wasn't a demotion, but a promotion.
“We’re putting Nick in an environment were he not only has the greatest chance for success for Nick, but success for the MetroStars," he said. "He has been the one who has shepherded us through this stadium project. Nick has a good relationship with all the officials involved in the negotiations, and now Nick will turn his full time attention to not only making it a reality, but making it successful.”
Michael Lewis can be reached at SoccerWriter516@aol.com. He will only answer letters and e-mails that are signed or have names.
