The smell of champagne had only just begun to fade from the LA Galaxy’s locker room, but dust certainly hadn’t had time to settle on Gaston Brugman’s MLS Cup MVP trophy before the midfielder’s phone rang. On the other end of the line was Greg Vanney. He was calling about Brugman’s trade to Nashville SC, a deal that was announced just 12 days after the Galaxy’s triumph at Dignity Health Sports Park.
For Vanney, the difficult conversations were far from over.
There was an emotional sit-down with starting midfielder Mark Delgado, who Vanney has known since Delgado was a child, ahead of his trade to crosstown rivals LAFC. Then one with star striker Dejan Joveljic, who signed for the Galaxy in part because Vanney came personally recommended by one of the Serbian’s former youth coaches, ahead of his trade to Sporting Kansas City.
“It never gets easier. It's the worst part of the job. It’s not even close,” Vanney said of having to trade players in an interview with Backheeled from the courtyard of the Galaxy’s preseason hotel.
