Josh Tudela might not be the best player on the Los Angeles Galaxy, but he definitely is among their most resilient.
The former Indiana University standout has played for three coaches in three years in Los Angeles and managed to survive each one with his positive, workmanlike attitude and even an occasional start, such as in last Sunday's season opener against D.C. United.
It would have been easy for the 25-year-old to get discouraged as the club changed dramatically around him, but he never lost his resolve nor his spot on the roster.
"He's a pretty dedicated professional," current head coach/general manager Bruce Arena said. "He really gives it his all. I compliment him for his improvement and the kind of attitude he has. Hopefully, it's a good year for him."
The 5-foot-9, 155-pounder was taken in the second round of the 2007 SuperDraft and started nine games for then-coach Frank Yallop. Tudela called Yallop "a player's coach" and enjoyed playing for him. Ruud Gullit, however, was another story. Tudela chose his words carefully when asked to talk about Gullit, who replaced Yallop in November 2007 but resigned last August.
"Maybe not my favorite coach," Tudela said of Gullit. "When he came in it was great having such a great player coach us. Other than that I don't have too much to say."
Tudela heaped praise on Arena, who took over a week after Gullit's departure, for fostering a team-first mentality.
"The stuff he preaches at practice is amazing," Tudela said. "It's more about the team than individuals. It's great having 11 guys on the field and having all 11 playing for one another."
Tudela would like to be one of those 11, but he knew it would be difficult entering training camp. The roster size was being reduced from 28 players to 24 and Tudela was well aware Arena was going to make a number of personnel changes. Tudela realized if someone had to go he might be the first if he didn't do something about it.
"I knew I had to come in, keep my head up and stay positive," Tudela said. "The big thing is just keeping my head in the right direction. There's a lot of great players that when their head starts going in the wrong direction is when their playing starts going in that direction. If your head is up and your confidence is up, you're going to play well and you're going to perform.
"If I was negative at all, I knew that would have an outcome on my performance. I just kept playing and working hard and it paid off."
Arena calls Tudela "a guy that plugs away every day," and Tudela said he is pleased with how things have gone as the Galaxy prepared to take on the Colorado Rapids on Saturday at The Home Depot Center
"I've started. I'm one for one," he said with a grin. "That's a big difference from last year and the year before. Everything I've done I've never failed at. I want to make something out of my time here. I want to make an impact on this team and this organization, and until I do that I won't be satisfied. Maybe that will happen, maybe it won't.
"The way I look at it is it can't get any worse. I'm at the very bottom, and all I can do is work hard and it can only go up from there. Luckily God pulled me through and this is where I'm at now."
Larry Morgan is a contributor to MLSnet.com.
