Galaxy Sign Abel Xavier

Los Angeles Galaxy has announced the signing of former Portuguese national team player Abel Xavier. The fullback has been a feature in almost every league in Europe, most recently with Middlesbrough in the English Premier League. At the age of 34, he is looking to add some stability to a Galaxy back line that looked like glorified orange cones on Saturday vs Taylor Twellman and the New England Revolution. He will be joining the club after the player market opens for MLS again on June 15th.

Galaxy Signs 5-Year Deal With Herbalife

Galaxy Signs 5-Year Deal With Herbalife

AP

CARSON, Calif. (AP) - David Beckham and his Los Angeles Galaxy teammates will promote a nutritional products manufacturer in his first MLS season.

AEG, operators of the Galaxy, announced the signing of a five-year, multimillion sponsorship contract with Herbalife Ltd. on Friday, giving the direct-sales company the right to showcase its brand name across the front of the team jersey.

The agreement first was reported Thursday night in the online edition of the Wall Street Journal, which said the deal would pay the Galaxy between $3.5 million and $5 million a year through 2011.

MLS became the first American professional league to sell its jersey front last fall, and the Galaxy is the second team to do so. Real Salt Lake was the first, agreeing to a four-year deal with the Utah-based supplement juice company XanGo in November. Such sponsorship is common in Europe.

"With the tremendous amount of global exposure the Galaxy is expected to generate in the upcoming season, the time was clearly right for a professional league in the United States to create this branding platform," Shawn Hunter, the president of AEG Sports, said in a statement.

The Galaxy guaranteed that global exposure when they signed English star Beckham to a deal in January. The team opens the season April 8, and Beckham is expected to make his MLS debut in July.

Herbalife first became a sponsor of AEG-owned and operated events in 2005.

Galaxy launch Youth Development Program

from LA Galaxy Media Relations

CARSON, Calif. - The Los Angeles Galaxy Major League Soccer (MLS) club will launch its new official youth development program, Galaxy Rios (GR), beginning in April 2007 as part of MLS' latest youth development initiative, the club announced today. A native of Van Nuys, Calif., 16-year-old forward Tristan Bowen has committed to join the Galaxy Rios program, which will begin with two youth development teams starting next year, featuring a GR Under-15 and GR Under-18 boys teams with expanded age groups to be added in subsequent years.

"The Galaxy Rios program will enable us to develop an elite group of players who we feel have the potential to become the next Landon Donovan or Cobi Jones," said L.A. Galaxy President and General Manager Alexi Lalas. "Success will not be measured by wins and losses, but rather, by the number of players that graduate to the professional ranks. The program will produce quality soccer players and quality young men who will benefit our team and sport in the future."

Galaxy assistant coach Trevor James will add the title Director of Player Development and will oversee all aspects of the youth development teams' creation and development. Bowen was discovered by James and the Galaxy's coaching staff during the club's recent February Open Tryouts (18 and over) at The Home Depot Center.

"Tristan's a clever kid and he was somehow able to sneak into our open tryouts. By the time we discovered he was only 16 years-old he was already through to the final round," added Lalas. "At the end of the day, our coaching staff thought he was the best player on the field. That says a lot about his talent and his potential."

Bowen, 16 and of Jamaican heritage, was born and raised in Los Angeles. He began playing recreational soccer in 2000 and later moved on to club team F.C. Barcelona of Cal South. With Barcelona, Bowen helped his team to finals of the 2006 CalSouth National Cup, the semifinals of the 2006 Nike Manchester United Premier Cup U.S. Finals, while also playing in the prestigious 2006 Dallas Cup. As a high school freshman in 2006, Bowen played varsity soccer at Chatsworth High School alongside his older brother Travis before enrolling in a home schooling program through the City of Angels Independent Study program. Bowen has recently been playing with an adult league soccer team in Glendale, Calif.

"I was excited to hear (that I've been selected to join the Galaxy Rios program) and I'm very thankful for the opportunity to show my talents, and I'm ready to get everything going," Bowen said. "When I was younger I used to come to a lot of Galaxy games and I always wanted to have the opportunity to play for them, now I just have to work hard and keep progressing and I might get that opportunity."

With the launch of the Galaxy Rios youth development initiative, the Galaxy will be allowed to acquire, outside of the annual draft, top young players from the local area. Ultimately, this initiative will enhance the quality of young players entering the League and allow more of them to represent their hometown teams.

Galaxy Rios will give talented young players with professional aspirations an excellent opportunity to pursue their dreams, stay close to home, and continue their education. Players registered for at least 24 months in the Galaxy's youth program become eligible to sign a professional contract with that team without entering the MLS SuperDraft.

During the next few years, the Galaxy will look to create teams in up to six age groups. Players on these teams will wear the club's colors and train under the team's coaching staff. Players on the Galaxy's youth teams may be able to compete with other youth club teams at various times during the year. MLS youth programs will not jeopardize a player's NCAA eligibility.

Teams with existing youth programs that meet the established criteria may begin registering players to their Home Grown Player List this season. Therefore, the first "graduates" of these programs could move directly onto MLS rosters as early as 2008. Through 2010, teams will be permitted to sign up to two players from its Home Grown Player List per year.

The Galaxy Rios youth program will meet a number of League standards, including:

The program will be based in the team's "Home Territory" approved by the MLS Board of Governors.

Each team will be allowed one team of up to 18 players in each of the following age groups on its Home Grown Player List: Under-25, U20, U18, U16, U15, and U14

Clubs will hire at least one coach for each age group.

Players on these teams will be registered on the team's Home-Grown Player List.

A minimum number of training and game days per year has been set for each age group.

Fans interested in 2007 L.A. Galaxy season tickets should call toll-free 1-877-3GALAXY or visit www.lagalaxy.com.

Cobi scores twice in Galaxy exhibition win

The Los Angeles Galaxy defeated the Fresno Fuego of the Premier Development League (PDL), 4-0, in an exhibition match on Saturday night at Chukchanski Park in Fresno, Calif. Galaxy midfielder Cobi Jones scored two goals to lead the team, while teammates Josh Gardner and John Thorrington added a goal each in the victory. Los Angeles goalkeeper Steve Cronin earned the shutout with a solid performance in the net.

Beckman might play against Chelsea on July 21st

Former England captain David Beckham is likely to come up against some familiar faces early in his new career in America after Chelsea announced their participation in a pre-season tournament involving his new club Los Angeles Galaxy.

Beckham will leave Real Madrid for the USA this summer and one of the first teams he is likely to face is Jose Mourinho's side.

Chelsea will play LA Galaxy on July 21 as part of a four-team tournament in the States which also includes Korean side Suwon Bluewings - owned by Chelsea's shirt sponsors Samsung - and Mexico's Tigres.

The World Series of Soccer, as the competition has been named, is the first venture in the strategic alliance between Chelsea and Anschutz Entertainment Group (AEG) - owners of LA Galaxy - which was established 12 months ago.

Matches will take place at The Home Depot Center, while Chelsea will also be playing a warm-up match before the tournament at another venue in California.

"We are very happy we are going back to the US for pre-season and we have done it every year since my arrival," said Mourinho.

"The facilities are very good and the people very well organised giving us the best conditions to prepare for this important work.

"In previous seasons we have always won a trophy and although I am not a superstitious person this has something to do with the good preparation.

"This season will be a little bit more special because we have a tournament with teams we have a special relationship with, the Samsung Bluewings for obvious reasons and also LA Galaxy and the fact David Beckham is there brings something extra to the tournament and to the game.

"We look forward to coming for the tournament and I know already my players will enjoy again pre-season in the US and they are happy with our decision to go back."

Galaxy tie Red Bulls on Saturday

The Galaxy and The NY Red Bulls played to a 0-0 scoreless tie today in Carson City at the Home Depot Center.

The Galaxy lined up of follows:
Los Angeles - Steve Cronin, Chris Albright (Ian Russell 75'), Ty Harden (Mike Randolph 46'), Tyrone Marshall, Ante Jazic (Darren Currie 75'), Santino Quaranta (Nathan Sturgis 46'), Kevin Harmes (Josh Tudela 46', John Thorrington 56'), Peter Vagenas (Kyle Martino 46'), Cobi Jones (Quavas Kirk 46'), Nate Jaqua (Gavin Glinton 46'), Robbie Findley (Landon Donovan 46').

Galaxy beat Bermunda NT 4-0

The Galaxy defeated the Bermuda national team 4-0 on 2/23/07 in Bermuda. The Galaxy goals were by Gavin Glinton, Michael Randolph, Robbie Findley and John Thorrington.