Patriotism Aside, Jones Is Torn to Leave Galaxy
Let’s see, play a string of early season games for your Major League Soccer club, or go overseas to represent your country in the pinnacle of the world’s most popular sport, the World Cup?
A no-brainer, right?
While the club vs. country debate is anything but contentious, players worry about leaving the clubs that pay their salaries to run the pitch in their national colors.
Just ask Cobi Jones, who will be playing his final game for the Galaxy today against the Colorado Rapids before joining the United States national team for training camp in Cary, N.C.
“It does leave you a little torn,†said Jones, 31, the United States’ most-capped player (153), who will be making his third consecutive trip to the World Cup.
“You want to stay with your club, not only because your club is paying your wages ... but it’s a situation where you want to keep your starting position. It’s a Catch-22.
“You always want to see your club do well. But if they do so well without you, then it’s like ... when you come back are they going to throw you right back into the lineup, or are you going to have to sit out on the side and work your way back into the position?â€
Jones, a member of the Galaxy since MLS’ inception in 1996, is the face of the organization and should harbor no worries about losing his starting spot, though he has yet to score a goal this season.
The drought is not a reflection on Jones, the Galaxy’s all-time leading scorer with 158 points and 54 goals. Only rookie forward Carlos Ruiz has found the back of the net for the Galaxy thus far, and he’s leading the league in scoring with 12 points on six goals.
Still, the earliest Jones could be back to play for the Galaxy would be June 22, meaning he will miss at least seven MLS games.
“Those are things that the players have to deal with,†Jones said, “but it’s more so a situation for the coach because a coach has to decide--is the club on a roll without you there?
“But a player obviously wants to go to the World Cup and showcase yourself at the highest level. You want to see how you do against the best players in the world, so you’re not going to give up that opportunity, so you go there and you do it. You take the chance, you take the risk.â€
Galaxy Coach Sigi Schmid said Jones has little to worry about in terms of upsetting team officials.
“You always have concerns about leaving,†Schmid said. “You want to be missed a little bit. He’s our captain and he’s going away but we’re going to try to hold the fort without him.â€
The Galaxy went 6-2 while Jones was in France with the U.S. for the 1998 World Cup.
