There’s a lot happening in the world and people have opinions.
That’s why Los Angeles Football Club head coach Steve Cherundolo, a self-described news junkie, is surprised that the “very busy” events of the day, both home and abroad, haven’t come up more often in conversations between the organization’s players, coaches and staff.
“And that’s the beauty of professional sports, and, more particular, LAFC,” Cherundolo said. “This is an oasis. We don’t really talk about anything. We focus on what we do well and enjoy each other’s company when we’re here.”
Whatever happens on the outside gets left at the door. That’s a prerequisite for most successful professional sports operations. Then again, well-paid athletes are still human, prone to feelings of hope and despair just like anyone else.
“Things definitely do affect us,” Colombian defender Eddie Segura said. “Maybe some players less than others. Some may be more sensitive. There’s many things that hurt and get to us. When we do come in here and we get to practice this lovely profession as a professional soccer player we do talk about things that happen. But once we’re on the pitch we lock in and focus and we do our work and we enjoy.”
Putting blinders on like they’re part of the uniform can lead to other challenges and rewards. From Cherundolo’s experience the volume of internal chatter about news – things teams don’t control that are largely immaterial to competition – depends on the characteristics of the group. He has seen it both ways.
Through Hugo Lloris’ extensive career for club and country, the 37-year-old French goalkeeper knows that footballers are open to the world and what’s going on elsewhere.
“We watch the news like everybody, and we are aware,” Lloris said.
Spending the past five months growing into playing professional soccer in the United States, “it’s true that right now it’s a little bit weird because some parts of the world there’s war,” Lloris said. “There’s a massacre and things that you don’t want to see. When you think you are still in 2024, things like that, it’s just crazy when you see them happening.”
However at LAFC’s training facility, BMO Stadium or on the road, the news cycle has not colored the “strong” relationships between players from different cultures and religions, Lloris said.
“We live really well together with a lot of respect,” he added. “I believe that what’s going on in a training room is sometimes the reflection of the society. Our training room is just amazing with amazing people with a lot of respect and that’s the type of relationship you want to see in a society.”
Winning four of five games in MLS play to go with a pair U.S. Open Cup victories in May also went a long way in lifting the feelings around LAFC (8-4-3, 27 points).
Lloris’ fourth straight league shutout on Wednesday night against Minnesota established a new LAFC record: 390 minutes without conceding a goal in MLS regular-season play.
“It shows we are in a good moment, a good period,” said Lloris, who credited teamwork for the streak. “I’ve never played for records, but when you can get it just do it because it makes you better. It makes you more confident and for the team it’s something that’s really important.”
Ahead of a two-week international break, Cherundolo’s group can win its seventh straight game on Saturday night while hosting struggling FC Dallas (3-7-4, 13 points).
After losing 3-1 against the Galaxy on Wednesday in Carson, Dallas finished 1-2-2 last month, an improvement off of eight points in its opening nine matches.
FC DALLAS AT LAFC
When: Saturday, 7:30 p.m.
Where: BMO Stadium
TV/Radio: Apple TV+ – MLS Season Pass/710 AM, 980 AM