LA Galaxy Extend Greg Vanney Despite Record Poor Form: Genius or a Crazy Decision? | OneFootball

The LA Galaxy have signed manager Greg Vanney to a contract extension, despite the team’s 13-match winless skid to start the 2025 MLS season.

According to The Athletic, the new deal, which runs through the end of the 2028 season, will make him one of the league’s highest-paid coaches.

The announcement of a contract extension comes as a shock, given the club’s start to the season, which ranks as the worst start in MLS history, all less than a year after Vanney led the team to a sixth MLS Cup title.

By winning MLS Cup, Vanney triggered a one-year extension on his current contract. However, he not won an MLS match since then, heading into Sunday’s El Tráfico derby match against cross-town rivals LAFC.

The deal's framework had been planned after the MLS Cup win, but details were not decided on until this week, Tom Bogert reported.

Through over four seasons on the Galaxy touchline, Vanney has a record of 54-56-39 in MLS play, many of which came in the stellar 2024 campaign, which matched a modern-era franchise record with 19 wins, going undefeated on their home pitch.

It also marked the first time an MLS team had four players hit double-digit goals, with Riqui Puig, Gabriel Pec, Joseph Paintsil, and Dejan Joveljic all reaching the 10-goal threshold.

“Greg is one of the most respected and successful coaches in MLS history and we are excited to be continuing under his leadership,” general manager Will Kuntz said in a statement. “While this season’s results haven’t reflected our standards, this was a decision made following our 2024 MLS Cup victory, and we remain confident in the project we are building with Greg.”

This year, with Puig sidelined due to injury and having lost midfielders Gaston Brugman and Mark Delgado, the Galaxy have struggled, amassing just three points through 13 games and allowing 31 goals, the most in MLS.

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Genius: Trusting in Vanney's Future

Greg Vanney (left) could see his fortunes improve once Riqui Puig returns to the LA Galaxy lineup / Gary A. Vasquez-Imagn Images

While most teams may react to a historically bad spell with short-term visions, the Galaxy believe Vanney can turn them around. So far this season, he has been without Puig, undoubtedly the club’s best player, who is poised to return sometime during the summer.

When Puig returns, he instantly changes how the Galaxy will be able to attack and could develop a partnership with offseason trade acquisition Christian Ramirez.

Although the Galaxy may need an incredible turnaround to make the playoffs in 2025, investing in Vanney’s future gives the club clarity and a chance to build a roster around his preferred style of play.

Announced alongside the contract extension was the hire of Ravi Ramineni as director of quantitative analysis.

Previously, Ramineni helped Seattle Sounders FC get the best out of their roster, which has operated at lesser costs than the Galaxy. Joining a struggling side, he could help develop a new approach and work well with Vanney in building the Galaxy back up to an MLS Cup contender.

The LA Galaxy will have to take on significant costs if they are to dismiss Greg Vanney before 2028 / Jason Parkhurst-Imagn Images

As much as some clubs may move on quickly from a manager, Vanney has struggled with the Galaxy for over one-third of the current season, with poor form spread over parts of four months. Even the most patient clubs seldom wait through such a spell before dismissing a manager.

Should the Galaxy have wanted to continue with Vanney through 2025, they would have been able to without much risk and could move on without any costs upon his contract expiring at the end of the season.

Now, however, they are locked into a pricey deal through the next three years and would have to take on significant costs should they want to move on from him at any point.

The veteran coach has shown he can turn projects around quickly, missing the playoffs with Toronto FC in 2018 before qualifying for the MLS Cup in 2019. However, investing heavily in such a hope could be seen as frivolous and irresponsible business, banked on the trust of the past.