Will Kuntz knew he had to get this right.
In MLS, the success of Designated Players often determines the success of a team. And so the LA Galaxy general manager set out last winter to fill two open DP slots, knowing the investments would dictate the club’s trajectory for 2024 and beyond.
Kuntz has evaluated talent for years. Before joining the Galaxy, he worked across town at LAFC. Before that, he was in the MLS office and was the director of pro scouting for the New York Yankees. He can see a player’s strengths on tape and interpret the numbers to know if they match the eye test.
What’s harder is evaluating fit. Will a player vibe well with the players currently in the locker room? Will he accept a slightly different role than the one he plays with his current team? Is he a good guy who will be easy to get along with, or will there be off-field issues that create problems?
“It’s definitely something that is more art than science,” Kuntz told MLSsoccer.com. “The biggest thing you can do is try and find out as much as you can about not just who the player is but what makes them tick.”
“They all wanted to win”
Kuntz began to zero in on Joseph Paintsil, a Ghanaian international winger based in Belgium, and Gabriel Pec, a Brazil U-23 player who had only played for Vasco da Gama. He liked that both had room to grow and were younger than past Galaxy DPs. All signs pointed to them complementing Riqui Puig, the Galaxy’s remaining DP who brings elite passing and dribbling to the No. 10 role.
As deals got over the line (combining for reportedly over $20 million) and the 2024 season unfolded, the fit proved better than Kuntz could’ve hoped.
The trio came from three different continents, yet were unified by the Galaxy’s goal of winning a record sixth MLS Cup. They simply understood each other, pushing LA on an Audi MLS Cup Playoffs run and to Sunday’s Western Conference Semifinal vs. Minnesota United FC (6 pm ET | MLS Season Pass).
Puig, Pec and Paintsil all scored at least 10 goals and had 10 assists this season, joining the 1998 Galaxy trio of Cobi Jones, Mauricio Cienfuegos and Welton as the only three teammates to be in the…
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