CARSON, Calif. – The LA Galaxy continued the reorganization of their front office by hiring Kurt Schmid to serve as the Director of Player Personnel and Scouting on Thursday.
Schmid’s arrival comes on the heels of the additions of Oka Nikolov and Jesus Gonzalez to the club’s coaching staff, and the announcement that head coach Sigi Schmid would assume player personnel responsibilities for the 2018 campaign.
He joins the Galaxy after spending the last nine years with Seattle Sounders FC as Head Scout, assistant coach, and Director of Player Personnel. With Los Angeles, Schmid will handle scouting across all facets of the club, and will also work with the technical staff to help negotiate contracts and manage the salary cap among other responsibilities.
“I see myself as someone who likes to work collaboratively,” Schmid told LA Galaxy Insider. “As the offseason continues, we will see where we [in the technical staff] complement each other so that we’re most effective for the organization overall.”
Schmid and the rest of the Galaxy technical staff will seek to rebuild a team that finished with the worst record in club history. With the offseason already in full swing, Schmid and the rest of the staff are already hard at work to return the squad to the postseason.
“With where the team finished last season, we really need to improve on all facets-- whether it’s goalkeeping, the backline, midfield, or the front line. We need to improve each one of those positions. I don’t think that anyone gets a pass,” Schmid said. “There are definitely pieces to build around, and there are good pieces from a starting lineup standpoint, from a depth standpoint, and from a youth standpoint. There are guys who can grow and get better.
“We will look abroad and domestically to find the right pieces to strengthen the core and spine of the team, both on the field and off. We will also find the right veteran pieces to give the roster some depth as well to weather the MLS season.”
