Scuffed | U.S. soccer, World Cup, Yanks Abroad, futbol in America

Episode 51: An interview with Brian Kleiban, the LA Galaxy academy coach

Episode Summary

LA Galaxy's academy is one of the top talent centers in American soccer, and U19 head coach Brian Kleiban is in the middle of it. He's now got former players all over the U.S. boys' youth national teams, he's been to two straight Development Academy finals, and he joined the pod for a wide-ranging conversation on everything from the time he spied on Bielsa in the early 2000s, to the MLS draft, the U20 World Cup, the Development Academy, and his long-term ambitions as a coach.

Episode Notes

LA Galaxy's academy is one of the top talent centers in American soccer, and U19 head coach Brian Kleiban is in the middle of it. He's now got former players all over the U.S. boys' youth national teams, he's been to two straight Development Academy finals, and he joined the pod for a wide-ranging conversation on everything from the time he spied on Bielsa in the early 2000s, to the MLS draft, the U20 World Cup, the Development Academy, and his long-term ambitions as a coach.

• 0:30 Kleiban's background, his background as a coach, the Galaxy academy, sneaking in to watch Bielsa trainings, and the way American soccer is changing how it values small, technical players
• 23:00 how he got connected with Mendez, Llanez and Alvarez, candid assessments of several players (Mendez, Llanez, Alvarez, Araujo, Kobe, Dunbar), the arrival of Dennis te Kloese, and what it means to the LA Galaxy academy to have LAFC active and aggressive in the same market
• 50:30 US national team discussion: the U20s, Berhalter's hiring, whether Kleiban's brother Gary ever gets him in trouble, and his long-term career ambitions