Former LA Galaxy players trading cleats for clipboards

Just about everything has a particular life cycle. For instance, no one can live forever. Thus, no one can play any one sport forever, either.

When a professional playing career ends, some players are prepared to make the adjustment to coaching. They swap the soccer cleats for the clipboard. They go from being on the field running the players to being on the sideline calling them.

Here, we take a look at four former players who went on to coaching after they left the Los Angeles Galaxy, or Major League Soccer for that matter.

5 former LA Galaxy players trading cleats for clipboards

1. Greg Vanney

The current head coach of the Los Angeles Galaxy was also a former player on the squad. He started out playing for the team in 1996 and stopped in 2001. He left to play for Bastia before the LA Galaxy would win their first MLS Championship in 2002.

Vanney made 168 appearances and netted 21 goals during his tenure with the LA Galaxy. He became a member of the team in 1996 when selected 17th overall that year in the draft.

He helped the LA Galaxy qualify for three different MLS Cup Finals. Vanney was one of the league's best defenders at the time.

In 2008, he would return for one last season to the Galaxy. He played in 25 contests that season but did not record a goal.

Three years later, he debuted on the sidelines of in-town rival Chivas USA. Vanney was an assistant coach for two seasons there. In 2014, he would be named the head coach of Toronto FC.

Vanney was at the head of this franchise until 2020. Arguably, 2017 was the best of his coaching career. Not only did Toronto FC win the MLS Championship that year against the Seattle Sounders, but he was awarded MLS Coach of the Year that season.

In the first month of 2021, Vanney was appointed the new head coach of the Los Angeles Galaxy. To date, his record with the LA Galaxy is 56-36-48 (W-T-L). At this time, his team sits in first place of the Western Conference Standings and is poised to win a sixth MLS Championship.