Frank Yallop will be leaving his post as coach of the Los Angeles Galaxy to take up the same position with the San Jose Earthquakes, Major League Soccer's returning club in northern California.
Yallop informed the Galaxy players in a team meeting that took place after the Galaxy's charity match on Sunday night at The Home Depot Center. Though the news had been confirmed by sources in San Jose, as well as Beckham's own statements, the Galaxy did not comment on the situation.
"We've felt that he's a good manager and a strong character with the team, so it was disappointing for us to lose him at this stage," Galaxy star David Beckham said outside the Galaxy locker room after the charity game against Hollywood United.
Family concerns apparently prompted the move on Yallop's part.
"He's not walking away," said Beckham. "He's looking after himself and his family. It's what we would all do. We're sad to see him leave. We wish him all the luck and all the best."
Though he won two MLS championships as the coach of San Jose back in 2001 and 2003, Yallop struggled to duplicate that success in Los Angeles. He only coached one full season at the helm of the Galaxy, taking over for Steve Sampson in the middle of the 2006 campaign. Both years, Yallop had failed to guide his squad to the MLS Cup Playoffs.
It was under Yallop's guidance that the intrastate rivalry between the California teams grew to epic proportions. The competition between the two teams was fierce even when Yallop moved on to coach the Canadian national team and Dominic Kinnear took over as coach of the Earthquakes.
Beckham believed the latest turn of events would add even more spice to the matchup.
"You always want that sort of rivalry and we'll definitely get that next season with Frank," said Beckham.
After 2005 the Earthquakes organization was dissolved in San Jose, with the players moving to Texas to become Houston Dynamo. New owner Lew Wolff was granted the rights to revive the Earthquakes earlier this year. John Doyle, formally Yallop's coaching assistant, as named the team's general manager.
Despite wanting to defeat Yallop's new team on the field one day, Beckham indicated the Galaxy players bore Yallop no ill will for his choice.
"We wish him luck," said Beckham. "We'll just have to wait and see who comes next."
Andrea Canales is a contributor to MLSnet.com. This story was not subject to the approval of Major League Soccer or its clubs.
