Galaxy to Open Season With New Coach on March 29

LOS ANGELES (Ticker) - David Beckham and the Los Angeles Galaxy will open the 2008 Major League Soccer season in Colorado. The club announced Wednesday that new coach Ruud Gullit's first competitive game in charge will be against the Rapids on March 29 at Dick's Sporting Goods Park. The Galaxy will then return home to Carson to host the San Jose Earthquakes - and former head coach Frank Yallop - five days later.

Yallop quit as Galaxy coach to join the expansion Earthquakes in November after a testing season with the injury-ravaged Galaxy, who despite possessing a wealth of talent on paper, missed the playoffs for a second straight season. Yallop won MLS Cup titles with the previous incarnation of the Earthquakes in 2001 and 2003.

Gullit was named as Yallop's replacement in the week after his departure. The Dutchman brings experience from Chelsea, Newcastle and Feyenoord and only adds to the Galaxy's image as the glamor team of MLS. The pressure will be on them to back up that style with some substance this season. Beckham was hampered by ankle and knee injuries and appeared in only five league games last season, but should be fully fit going into his second MLS campaign.