CARSON, Calif. – It has been a work in progress on several fronts for the LA Galaxy’s Mika Vayrynen.
The 34-year-old midfielder and his family are busy adjusting to life in Southern California and it has been quite a change for the former Finland international. But he said they love their new surroundings despite the traffic.
“You know when you come to a city like L.A. you get a lot of cars,” he said with a grin. “What’s not to like here?”
It also hasn’t exactly been smooth sailing for Vayrynen and the defending MLS Cup champions. He has played in 14 games, including eight starts, and only now is close to gaining full fitness.
“He’s doing OK,” Galaxy head coach Bruce Arena said. “He’s getting used to the league, the travel … those things associated with a new player.
“There’s a period of adjustment and it’s still taking him a little time.”
Vayrynen signed with the Galaxy in early March following a trial while the team was in preseason training in Europe. He made his first appearance in a 28-minute stint as a substitute in a 2-2 tie with the Portland Timbers on March 15 and has missed just one game since. That came on April 12, a 1-0 victory over Seattle, and occurred one week following a 2-0 loss in Vancouver in which he injured his left calf.
That curtailed his fitness, and only recently is he close to getting it back to a satisfactory level. He has yet to play the full 90 minutes, but he has started five of the last six matches and feels more confident each time he steps on the field.
Vayrynen remains hopeful fortunes will improve not only for himself but the Galaxy as well.
“Obviously we’ve had a lot of different lineups, but that’s part of the game,” he said. “With injuries and suspensions, you have to accept that. If you don’t count the Vancouver game (a 1-0 loss last Saturday) the three of four games before that we played pretty well … after Orlando (a 4-0 loss).
“We got two wins and a result in New England. Obviously the last game was difficult. We’ll keep working hard and hopefully we’ll get there the second half of the season.”
Vayrynen has yet to record a goal or assist, but he acknowledged the adjustment to a new league and new teammates has taken some time, perhaps a bit longer than expected.
“It’s a different league,” he said. “That’s what I expected … a lot of travel, a lot of physical battles. Still you have a lot of good players here, technically.
“It takes time obviously, but I’m getting used to it now. I know what to expect every game, we as a team and I as an individual. I know what to expect now.”
