The LA Galaxy confirmed on Friday that assistant coach Curt Onalfo has been in contact for the head coaching position with rival club Chivas USA, as first reported by ESPNFC.com’s Jeff Carlisle.
Onalfo, 44, joined the Galaxy coaching staff in January 2011 and was on the bench for each of the club’s MLS Cup titles that season and in 2012. He has also served as the head coach of the Galaxy’s reserve team since he was hired by Bruce Arena, his former coach at the University of Virginia and later at D.C. United in 1998.
Prior to joining the Galaxy, Onalfo served as the head coach at D.C. United during an ill-fated 2010 season that saw him let go and replaced by current head coach Ben Olsen after eight months on the job.
He also served as the head coach of the Kansas City Wizards from Nov. 2006 until Aug. 2009, when he was let go and replaced by current head coach Peter Vermes. He has posted a 30-41-25 record in league play (.443 winning percentage) in his head coaching career.
Former Chivas USA head coach José Luis Real left the club to join sister club Chivas Guadalajara in November after the Goats stumbled to a 3-12-6 record under his leadership and finished last in the Western Conference.
Chivas USA did not respond to an MLSsoccer.com request for comment on the report.
The Onalfo news comes on the same day that TheMiamiHerald reported that head Florida International men’s soccer coach Kenny Arena – the son of the Galaxy head coach – has left the school to join the Galaxy coaching staff.
