April 30, 2007 YALLOP DASHES ZIDANE HOPES Coach dismisses speculation on signing
By Andrea Canales, LASoccerNews Associate Editor
Los Angeles Galaxy coach Frank Yallop attempted to squash rumors about Zinedine Zidane joining the team. Linda Cuttone, SportsVue Images
Though repeated rumors and even press reports have given rise to the theory that French soccer star Zinedine Zidane could join the Los Angeles Galaxy, coach Frank Yallop squelched such hopes with only two words when the topic was broached.
"No chance," Yallop said.
Zidane may be one of the few players worldwide who rivals David Beckham, already under contract to the Galaxy, in recognition and fame. To a certain degree, some of that notoriety is the imfamy related to his head-butt in the World Cup final between France and Italy.
Speculation had mounted that Zidane was interested in coming out of retirement to join his former Real Madrid teammate, Beckham, with the Galaxy. Yet Yallop, who of all people should have been aware of any such developments, had nothing to report on such negotiations.
"I read in the paper the same as everyone did," Yallop stated of the news. "But there’s no truth in that."
The one caveat that Yallop did add was the chance that Zidane might be wooed by Galaxy management outside of his own knowledge.
"You’ll have to ask [Galaxy general manager Alexi Lalas] and Tim [Leiweke]," declared Yallop of such a possibility. "They’re the ones who would be dealing with that."
