Yallop Leaves for MLS’ LA Galaxy

Ottawa, Ontario – Canada’s Men’s National Team head coach, Frank Yallop, has decided to leave his current position for the vacant LA Galaxy head coaching position and will begin work with his new club immediately.



The MLS job was made vacant yesterday following the firing of head coach Steve Sampson, whose tenure as the Galaxy boss lasted nearly two years. Sampson, who had brought the ‘double’ to LA in 2005 after winning both the MLS Cup and US Open Cup in that year, was mired in the longest losing streak (6) in club history and found his Galaxy languishing at the bottom of the league table.



Yallop, whose record was 8-9-3 since his hiring on December 16, 2003, will be making a return to the league where he began his coaching career as an assistant in 1999 with the Tampa Bay Mutiny. Two years later, the former Canadian international took the reins of the San Jose Earthquakes and grabbed two MLS Cup titles in 2001 and 2003 before returning to Canada.



In a statement released today, the Canadian Soccer Association stated that “it was disappointed that Frank Yallop had made the decision to step away from his role as the head coach of Canada’s National Team; especially since the more recent results have looked very promising. However, the Association would like to thank Frank for his effort and dedication and wish both he and his family the best of luck in Los Angeles.”



The former Ipswich Town defender made 52 appearances for his country in an international career that spanned seven years. He made his debut against Mexico in 1990 and then became a regular on the Canadian defence, appearing in every match he was available for from his debut through to the end of qualifying for the 1998 World Cup. His final game was against Costa Rica in 1997. Yallop also captained Canada in 1997 for a World Cup qualifier against the USA.



Canada’s search for Yallop’s replacement will begin immediately.