Major League Soccer

Kirovski, Gibbs reported leaving Europe to join Galaxy, Burn.

(Saturday, January 31, 2004) -- The two teams with the worst records in Major League Soccer in 2003 have reportedly acquired a pair of big-name Americans currently playing in Europe.

According to ESPN.com, striker Jovan Kirovski will join the Los Angeles Galaxy and defender Cory Gibbs will soon be a member of the Dallas Burn.

In the ESPN.com report, the MetroStars and Columbus Crew showed interest in Gibbs. However, Dallas had the first option to expend an allocation on the Fort Lauderdale, Fla., native, because it finished with the league's worst record.

Gibbs, 24, left Brown University to sign with St. Pauli when it was in Germany's Bundesliga where he became the youngest American to score a goal. However, the team's fortunes have sagged and it was demoted to the 2Bundesliga and then the third-division Regionalliga. The club is cash-strapped and seeking to sell off several players.

A deal to send Gibbs to Jahn Regensburg, a southern Germany club in the 2Bundesliga for a reported $110,000 transfer fee, fell through when the player was reportedly less than enthralled with the team's location.

Gibbs, who at 6-foot-1 and 178 pounds can play either central or flank defense, made his debut for the United States men in 2003, playing in seven matches, starting six. Coach Bruce Arena was first impressed by him with St Pauli in the 2001-02 first-division season.

Dallas was by far the worst MLS team in 2003, going 6-19-5, its 23 points 13 less than the Galaxy. The Burn conceded 64 goals, 17 more than anyone else. Gibbs will strengthen a back line that will feature Steve Jolley, recently acquired from the MetroStars, Chris Gbandi, a first-round draft pick in 2002 and either veteran Brian Dunseth -- if he re-signs -- or 2004 first-round selection Clarence Goodson.

Newspapers in Hamburg, Germany, who cover St. Pauli are not sure the American is leaving Germany. They reported the club is also talking about a transfer to Greuther Fürth in the 2Bundesliga and that no final decision has been made. Recently, Gibbs has told reporters that "several deals are still being talked about," but that he would be happy to remain with St. Pauli for the remainder of the season.

Kirovski, 27, started his international career in Europe at age 16 and has played for Manchester United's reserve team in England, Borussia Dortmund and Fortuna Cologne in Germany, Sporting Lisbon in Portugal and Crystal Palace in England. For the past two years, he was with Birmingham City, where he has served this season as a late substitute, playing in only six matches, for a club currently eighth in England's Premier League.

In 2002-03, Kirivski started five matches and played in seven more for the Blues.

At age 17, Kirovski suited up for the U.S. men, but did not play in the September 7, 1994, game against England at Wembley Stadium. He made his first international appearance a month later in a 2-1 loss to Saudi Arabia in Dhahran. He has nine goals in 59 appearances -- 40 starts -- with the national team.

After winning the 2002 MLS Cup, Los Angeles slipped to 9-12-9 with 36 points, second worst in the league. At 6-1, 175 pounds, Kirovski should form a potent strike pair with Carlos Ruiz, who led MLS in goals in each of the last two seasons. Kirovski will be playing near his hometown of Escondido, Calif.

A move to the Galaxy would represent a change on attitude for Kirovski. As he moved from team to team in Europe the past few years, he remained steadfast in his assessment of MLS as an inferior league and not a proper place to play.

Joining MLS will also likely mean a considerable salary cut for Kirovski from a reported $1 million he receives annually in Birmingham. Given his lack of playing time with City, and its reported willingness to make Kirovski a free transfer, it is probable that the forward would have moved on when his contract ended. But even in England's First Division, Kirovski would have likely earned at least double what he can make in MLS, which has a strict salary cap and a general top salary of $285,000.

Robert Wagman is a SoccerTimes senior correspondent. E-mail Robert Wagman. Gary Davidson is SoccerTimes managing editor. E-mail Gary Davidson.