LAFC weren’t the only team in Southern California interested in Bob Bradley this season.
Five sources told MLSsoccer.com this week that the LA Galaxy spoke with Bradley earlier this season about their head coaching position before he eventually signed with LAFC ahead of their 2018 expansion campaign.
At the time they spoke with Bradley, the Galaxy were working on lining up a head coach to replace Curt Onalfo, who was struggling through his first year at the helm. The Galaxy announced on July 27 that they had fired Onalfo and hired Sigi Schmid as his replacement. Hours later that same day, LAFC made the Bradley appointment official.
The Galaxy, LAFC and Bradley’s representative, Ron Waxman, all declined to comment on Thursday.
Prior to joining LAFC, Bradley most recently served as manager of English Premier League club Swansea City. He lasted only three months before being dismissed by the Welsh club last December.
The 59-year-old began his professional head coaching career in MLS with the Chicago Fire in 1998, leading the club to the MLS Cup and U.S. Open Cup titles in their expansion season.
After stints with the Metrostars and Chivas USA, Bradley took over the US national team late in 2006. He spent five years as USMNT manager, guiding the Americans to the 2007 CONCACAF Gold Cup title, a runner-up finish at the 2009 FIFA Confederations Cup and the Round of 16 at the 2010 World Cup before being dismissed following the 2011 Gold Cup.
The Galaxy, who were 6W-10L-4D under Onalfo, are 1W-6L-2D in nine games since hiring Schmid. They’ve been outscored 19-5 in that stretch and lost their last two matches 4-0 against Toronto FC and at Atlanta United. LA have a tough road contest at newly crowned U.S. Open Cup champions Sporting Kansas City on Sunday (2 pm ET; FOX and FOX Deportes in the US, MLS LIVE in Canada).
