CARSON, Calif. – Curt Onalfo is moving on from LA Galaxy II, but the unique experience of being the team’s head coach will remain with the new Galaxy first team boss.
Onalfo was hired on Tuesday to replace Bruce Arena as the LA Galaxy’s head coach. The 47-year-old carries plenty of MLS experience having served as the head man with D.C. United and the Kansas City Wizards as well as an assistant for Arena from 2011 to 2013, and most recently spent three years with Galaxy II.
Moving from MLS to USL might have been considered a lateral, or even backward, move for many, but for Onalfo it was the perfect way to test himself before taking on the greatest challenge of his coaching career.
"Coaching the LA Galaxy II was the best thing I ever did because I took a risk. I took a lateral move and maybe a step backward type move so I could distinguish myself, but so I could do something that would improve me. When you coach the Galaxy II, your job is constantly changing. I could be working on something all week on how I want to play and all of a sudden; there's two injuries to the first team and my team changes. What do you do? You either throw your hands up, or you find a solution.
“My attitude was that I was going to find ways to succeed. That means the tactics that you employ are concise so that the players understand them. In the process, we had clear ways that we were going to play offensively and how we were defending. I had to instill those messages into the players ... and it was an enormous challenge. It was difficult to win games and ... that helped us. It shaped who I am as a coach, but I'm continually evolving. I don't have it all figured out. I never will. I will and do have enormous experience, and I've seen a lot of different scenarios and I've dealt with adversity. Whatever we have to deal with, bring it on."
