CARSON, Calif. – Former Columbus Crew midfielder and Southern California native Robbie Rogers retired from the game of soccer after coming out as gay in February, but has left the door open to a possible return.
In multiple interviews since his announcement, Rogers has stated that he may like to train with an MLS club and has identified the LA Galaxy as a place of interest. Rogers trained with LA during the summer of 2012 while on the books at English outfit Leeds United.
On Wednesday, Galaxy head coach Bruce Arena, who coached against Rogers when the Rancho Palos Verdes-native played for the Columbus Crew said that he would be welcomed on the training field with open arms. However, the Galaxy boss did not divulge if he has had any conversations with Rogers.
“He’d always be welcome to train with us. He hasn’t talked to me about it,” Arena told reporters. “I’m in contact with players and people all the time in the game and I don’t make my conversations or communications public if they don’t need to be, but he’s always welcome to train with us.”
But when asked if the Galaxy would be interested in the player, if Rogers does decide to return to MLS, he was quick to mention that his rights are owned by the Chicago Fire, who acquired his rights in a deal that sent Dominic Oduro to Columbus and Dilly Duka to Chicago.
