Major League Soccer

Sampson is named the new Galaxy head coach.

Steve Sampson was said to have interest from the new Chivas USA expansion franchise, which will share Home Depot Center with the Galaxy. -- Los Angeles Galaxy photo by Juan Miranda --

CARSON, Calif. (Wednesday, August 18, 2004) -- The Los Angeles Galaxy named Steve Sampson as its new head coach today, two days after Sigi Schmid was fired.

Sampson, 47, becomes the fourth coach in the Major League Soccer club's history, following Schmid (1999-2004), Octavio Zambrano (1997-1999) and Lothar Osiander (1996-1997).

Sampson immediately takes over the Galaxy which hosts the Chicago Fire Saturday. Los Angeles, which experienced a coaching change despite having the best record in MLS at 9-6-7 with 34 points, has not won since defeating the Colorado Rapids 2-0 on July 10. Since, the team was winless in five outings, going 0-1-4, but only one of those games was at home.

"Steve's experience and knowledge of the game will shape our team for the future and will provide us with an opportunity to win championships," Los Angeles president and general manager Doug Hamilton told Associated Press. "We are confident in Steve's ability and are happy he has accepted the challenge."

Sampson will retain Galaxy assistant coach Martin Vasquez. Ignacio Hernandez, a native of Veracruz, Mexico, who spent the last year assisting Sampson with the Costa Rica's national team, will replace Zak Abdel as goalkeeper coach.

Sampson, who speaks Spanish fluently, was thought to be a leading candidate to become coach of Chivas USA, the MLS expansion franchise which will be an operation of successful CD Guadalajara of Mexico. Chivas USA will share the Home Depot Center here with the Galaxy.

Sampson said he was contacted by the other 2005 MLS expansion franchise in Salt Lake City, but wanted to settle in Southern California,

Sampson was coach of the U.S. men from 1995-98, compiling a 26-22-14 (.532) record, second in success only to current coach Bruce Arena. He became the first American-born coach to lead the U.S. and the team qualified for the 1998 World Cup. However, the Americans fared poorly in France '98, placing last in the 32-nation field and were troubled with dissension, leading to his contract not being renewed.

Some felt the demise of that promising U.S. team came when, two months before the World Cup, Sampson cut hugely popular midfielder John Harkes, who the coach had earlier named "captain for life." Sampson cited a disagreement over leadership and tactics.

Sampson was fired as coach of the Costa Rica men's national team June 21 after the team struggled in advancing past supposed weak sister Cuba in its opening World Cup qualifying series. He had been coach for two years and led the Ticos to an 11-7-4 (.591) mark. The highlight of his tenure was capturing the Copa de Naciones title, compiling a 4-0-1 against fellow Central American nations.

"I think I'm a lot better coach today for my experience as a national team coach, through the qualifying process and the World Cup in France," Sampson told AP. "I think I bring a lot more to the table than I did when I was so young in 1995 when I accepted the (U.S. national team) job."

Sampson became interim U.S. coach on April 14, 1995, taking over after the resignation of Bora Milutinovic, who he had served as an assistant. After guiding the Americans to the 1995 U.S. Cup crown and the semifinals of Copa America in Uruguay, the "interim" was dropped from his title. In Copa America, the U.S stunned powerful Argentina 3-0.

In 1998, the U.S. shocked defending World Cup champion Brazil 1-0 in the CONCACAF Gold Cup semifinals before losing 1-0 to Mexico in the championship game in Los Angeles.

Sampson spent five seasons coaching Santa Clara University, leading a Broncos to a 20-0-3 record in 1989 and a share of the NCAA Division 1 title. In the final, SCU played a 1-1 draw with Virginia, coached by Arena. Overall, the Broncos recorded a 64-19-19 (.721) mark under Sampson.