Photo Courtesy of the LA Galaxy

SPECIAL PODCAST: LA Galaxy Youth Development – With General Manager Dennis te Kloese

60 minutes of LA Galaxy General Manager Dennis te Kloese talking about the club’s youth development and what has changed within MLS

COG STUDIOS, Calif. — The term Youth Development is a favorite buzzword around Major League Soccer circles. The term can mean anything from what the LA Galaxy did with Gyasi Zardes to what they’re trying to do with a young player like Alex Alcala. 

So what does it mean to an organization like the Galaxy? 

On today’s special edition of Corner of the Galaxy, host Josh Guesman is joined by LA Galaxy General Manager Dennis te Kloese for over 60 minutes of youth development discussion. 

Josh and Dennis will cover topics that range from why scouting and development are different and what the goal for the club is when developing players. Why scouting is an essential part of the equation, and what it takes to make these ventures pay off? 

They’ll also discuss how the landscape has shifted in MLS and why going to Europe to develop seems to be something of the past and not something of the future. 

What are the pitfalls of youth development for a young player, and why is it so important to have parental buy-in and parental education. And why the interests of the club can usually match the interests of the player. 

And Josh will even throw in some important questions at the end, just to make sure everyone makes it through the discussion. 

This is an unprecedented look into the theories and the thought processes behind the Galaxy’s development system and what Dennis sees as the next steps for the program. It’s also why he views it as unfinished business!



A big thank you to Dennis for taking the time to talk to us about this subject. And yes, he is definitely messing with you on Instagram. 

Thanks for listening and Watching!

RECORDED SHOW REPLAY