CARSON, Calif. – The place where Pablo Mastroeni may make his biggest impact to the LA Galaxy might not be on the field, but in the minds of LA’s young midfielders.
The Galaxy boast a number of young midfielders including Rafael Garcia, Kenney Walker, and Michael Stephens, and the consensus among the youngsters is that they are eager to learn from the two-time World Cup veteran.
“He brings his experience and it’s just like bringing Mike Magee back or David [Beckham] because we’re able to learn from him on and off the field,” said Walker. “It’s just another role model for everybody to follow because of his experience and time in the league.”
“We could always use a veteran player especially the type of player that Pablo is. He’s experienced and he’s been around a long time and I think that he’ll make us a better team,” Garcia told LA Galaxy Insider. “A player with that career and experience could only help us. We’ve had veterans in the past like Noonan and Kirovski
Since the start of the season, LA has leaned heavily on the Brazilian duo of Marcelo Sarvas and Juninho, but Mastroeni offers another veteran option for the Galaxy in midfield heading into a packed summer schedule.
“It’s definitely important. Having a guy like him in the center of the park and knowing what he’s doing with Marcelo and Juni, we have a lot of good options now,” said defender Todd Dunivant. “It’s a good thing for our depth and it’s only going to help us going forward.”
