CARSON, Calif. – The LA Galaxy made some major moves on Thursday as the club bid farewell to incumbent starter Jaime Penedo and then just an hour later, they welcomed back former Galaxy ‘keeper Donovan Ricketts.
The Galaxy and Penedo came to a mutual parting of ways following a two-year stint by the Panamanian at StubHub Center which included winning an MLS Cup title in 2014. Shortly after, the Galaxy finalized a deal to acquiring Ricketts from Orlando City SC for a 2016 MLS SuperDraft second-round selection.
The departure of Penedo seemed sudden for many in the club but according to Galaxy head coach Bruce Arena, it was time for the two parties to move on.
“He did a good, solid job for us for two years,” Arena told reporters on Thursday. “We did all the right things with Jaime. Sorry that he’s leaving but we absolutely did all the things that were supposed to do and we were very responsible and supportive of him.”
Penedo ends his career with the Galaxy with 61 appearances for the club in MLS competitions, earning a 29-14-17 record, with 177 saves and 21 shutouts for Los Angeles. Known for his remarkable athleticism on the field and his happy demeanor off of it, Penedo quickly became a favorite in the clubhouse and in the stands, however, contract issues meant that it was time for him to move on.
“Unfortunately Jaime was unhappy with his contract and asked to be released from it. He’s helped us win a championship last year, and for me personally, he did everything that I asked,” Galaxy goalkeeper coach Matt Reis told LAGalaxy.com. “For me personally, he was the first starter that I’ve worked with, and I couldn’t have asked for a better person to try and help. Unfortunately, he thought for his family and for everything that is happening in the future that it was time for him to leave.
“We made the move to bring in Donovan who is obviously a person that this club is familiar with, and an amazing person in his own right. I look forward to working with him and, hopefully, in the next six months, we can win another championship.”
Added defender A.J. DeLaGarza, “Jaime is a good person and one of the nicest guys that I’ve ever met but he had to make a decision for himself and his family. You can’t fault someone for looking out for their family. All the best to him.”
Ricketts brings a championship pedigree having won a title in 2011 with the Galaxy. During his three seasons with the club from 2009 to 2011, Ricketts complied a 39-16-19 in MLS competition with 226 saves and 30 shutouts.
Since leaving the Galaxy, the 38-year-old has made stops with the Montreal Impact, Portland Timbers and finally Orlando City SC. In his only season with the Lions, Ricketts earned a 2-5-3 record with 21 saves and earned two shutouts.
“There are still seven of us here from when he came in 2009, we know Ricketts well and we know what he’s capable of doing,” DeLaGarza said. “He’s got a lot of experience in this league know, and we’ll look to him to get on the field, and or push the younger goalkeepers. I still think that we’re in a good place.
“We know what he can do. He’s a big guy who comes off his line for crosses, demand his box, and he’s vocal to his backline when we’re not doing the right things. He’s a leader and I’m sure that he’ll continue that and hopefully get us some wins.”
Whether Ricketts will be available to play on Saturday against the Colorado Rapids remains to be seen but Arena is optimistic that the Jamaican will have a significant impact in his return to the club.
“He’s a proven goalkeeper in our league with a lot of experience, hopefully he gets here and we can get him in as soon as possible,” Arena said. “We think that he’s a good goalkeeper in this league and we think that he’ll do a good job for us.”
Adam Serrano is the LA Galaxy Insider. Read his blog at LAGalaxy.com/Insider and contact him at LAGalaxyInsider@Gmail.com.
