Opinion: Greg Vanney’s Critics Are Missing the Bigger Picture
Vanney remains at the helm for another three years - something fans should rejoice in rather than bemoan.
The LA Galaxy is making the right decision to stay with Head Coach Greg Vanney for the foreseeable future.
The LA Galaxy announced it re-signed its 2024 MLS Cup-winning coach to a contract extension in the midst of a 13-match winless run to begin the 2025 season.
According to The Athletic’s Paul Tenorio, this new extension will make Vanney among the highest-paid coaches in the league. Tenorio reported the extension is for three years, which would be until the end of the 2028 MLS season.
“I think it's pretty clear this decision reflects our faith in Greg and we're not being reactionary to results that I think are not remotely entirely Greg's fault,” said Kuntz to the media on Friday.
Kuntz backed Vanney’s pedigree in MLS and praised him for being a strong figure during his early years coaching the Galaxy.
“I think Greg brings both the the highest floor and the highest ceiling of any MLS battle tested coach,” said Kuntz.
This extension is well deserved for Vanney. Despite the winless run this season, Vanney 100% earned a new deal with the LA Galaxy when examining his full body of work. He spearheaded the modernization of the club since he first arrived in 2021, and led the Galaxy to the championship after a decade of mediocrity.
The Galaxy had every right to part ways with Vanney at some point this season. LA’s 2021, 2023, and current 2025 seasons were down years where the club didn’t meet the expectations it sets as one of the biggest clubs in MLS. In all honesty, Vanney is getting this extension now because there is no promotion/relegation in MLS. If he were in the exact same scenario in any other country, he would’ve been let go of his duties.
But this is MLS. Vanney is one of the best managers in MLS history, and the numbers back that. He’s created stability in multiple clubs and brought winning.
Across his head coaching career with Toronto FC (2014–2020) and the LA Galaxy (2021–present), Vanney has amassed 141 regular-season wins, ranking fourth among active MLS coaches. Vanney has led his teams to four MLS Cup Final appearances (2016, 2017, 2019, 2024), tied for the second-most all-time behind only Bruce Arena.
But when the weather gets cooler and under the MLS Cup Playoff lights, Vanney knows how to win. Vanney holds a .708 winning percentage in MLS Cup Playoff matches (16-6-2), tied for the best in league history. Those stats are nothing to brush off. If he were on the market, Vanney would have a plethora of teams inquiring about him.
At the start of the end of the 2023 season, I wrote that the Galaxy was taking a massive risk in keeping Vanney as coach. The Galaxy had two Designated Player spots open and could get a fresh start with a new voice to lead the team. With Kuntz entering his first full season as GM of the Galaxy in 2024, he could handpick a manager that he believed could best align with getting LA back to winning ways.
“2024 will be Vanney’s most important season as a coach to stay in charge of the most recognizable soccer franchise in the U.S. and continue to be a revered coach in the MLS landscape. He’s no longer primarily viewed as the coach who won trophies with Toronto but instead as the guy yet to get it all together in LA,” I wrote back in 2024.
Vanney had the last laugh in 2024 when it came to proving the doubters wrong. His tactics and leadership created one of, if not the best, LA Galaxy team of all time. The explosive nature of that team and its dominance in the MLS Cup playoffs made the team well-deserving winners.
The Galaxy needed Vanney to become a modern MLS club as the 2020s began. He was the catalyst for LA's improved scouting system, created consistency in the academy, which has led to the Galaxy’s youth teams being among the best in the country, and has had success developing players as the years have gone on for the Galaxy.
This journey isn’t over yet. I came to LA to win titles, just like we did last season. It wouldn’t be the same without our coach by our side. We believe in the process. Let’s keep pushing forward together!
- Riqui Puig via X
Throughout this turbulent season, Vanney has still got the backing of his players and he remains a well-respected presence in the dressing room.
All season long, players have continuously backed Vanney and believe he will lead them out of this historically bad start to the season. Christian Ramirez was telling the media in Mexico that they backed Vanney following elimination from the Concacaf Champions Cup. Diego Fagundez recently
“I’m really happy for him because it's a tough stretch of games where we don’t get results and people want to blame somebody, and they want to blame somebody who sets us up for success,” said Edwin Cerrillo.
“I think ever since I got here, personally, I’ve grown in the aspect of soccer but also he brought a lot of joy back into my game,” said Cerrillo. “These 13 games haven’t gone our way so we want to repay him back with victories. I’m glad he’s here for longer.”
He’s never lost the locker room in his four seasons with the club. No player has said a bad thing about the two-time MLS-winning coach. That’s the testament of a well-respected coach and someone who is seen as a father figure among his players.
During the final episode of Apple TV’s Onside: Major League Soccer, Vanney gets emotional talking about how hard 2023 was on him, and now winning the MLS Cup with the LA Galaxy.
It was a rare side of Vanney that was shown. He’s hardly emotional in pressers and can be tough as nails on the touchline. But his show of emotion shows just how much the Galaxy means to him.
Having been drafted by LA, making his professional debut with the club, and 93 regular-season appearances with LA, the Galaxy holds a special place in his heart.
Most coaches don’t have the opportunity to coach their beloved ex-teams, let alone rebuild the club and win a major trophy. Vanney’s done that; it’s what pushes him to continue to work hard in building the club.
Take a look at Toronto FC. The Canadian club became a benchmark for clubs around the league for its success on the pitch and across the organization. Since Vanney left at the end of the 2020 season, Toronto has been a dumpster fire.
Fans may not be satisfied with his methodical approach but that’s what led LA to MLS Cup victory. It may be frustrating to see the current results, but everyone in the LA Galaxy has the belief that he’s still the right man to lead the club.
No matter what happens down the line, Vanney will be remembered for reviving the Galaxy and breaking a decade of mediocrity. A new chapter of his LA Galaxy tenure begins, but it should be seen with optimism rather than negativity.