Los Angeles Galaxy: Ins and Outs, December 10, 2011

So long, Chris Birchall?

Midfielder Chris Birchall has won some hardware as a midfielder for Bruce Arena's Los Angeles Galaxy. But the Trinidad and Tobago international is out of contract and is exploring his options as of this article date.

"I've loved my time at LA Galaxy." Birchall told Sky Sports News HD. "LA Galaxy is a great club but I will see what offers come from back home in England before making any decision on my future."

Before playing for Los Angeles, Birchall played for Football League sides Port Vale, Coventry City and Brighton and Hove Albion. All in all, Birchall made 66 appearances for the Galaxy from 2009-2011.

No loan for Keano, says Keano

Forward Robbie Keane has said no to offers for loans from clubs across the pond, electing to spend the offseason training for what is expected to be a grueling 2012 campaign.

“It’s a good opportunity for me to relax,” Keane told MLSSoccer.com's Luis Bueno. “I have a few niggles to clear up and will look forward to getting back in January.

“It would be stupid to go anywhere to play for a couple of weeks off. It’s been a tough schedule for me for the last three months, doing a lot of traveling once a month since I’ve been here.”

Along with league play and CONCACAF Champions League action, Keane has his obligations to the Republic of Ireland at Euro 2012 in Poland and the Ukraine.

“I’ll just do exactly what I do in the offseason if I was in England,” Keane added. “I’ll take these weeks to relax. I feel it a little bit, I feel a few niggles here and there. I’ll take a good few weeks off and look forward to getting back.”

For the record, a niggle is a minor problem, whether it has to do with the body or not. In this case, it applies to match fitness.

Hello, old friends

Adam Cristman, Nate Burkey and Lexton Moy go way back. As in, back to their high school days when they played for an All-State team in Virginia.

Cristman, Burkey and Moy were on opposite teams in the Galaxy's 6-1 annihilation of the Philippines, but meeting familiar faces from way back when? Why not?

“To see two guys from my state team in Manila was the last thing that I expected. It was funny to be so far away from home yet still comes across people that I knew and played with when I was younger,” Cristman told LAGalaxy.com. “I swapped shirts with one of their other guys, but I got Nate’s too, so I’m excited to have that.

"It was just cool to catch up with those guys and know that we’ve all be able to make it this far in the game.”

Cristman also touched base with former D.C. United player Danny Allsopp, who is currently in his second stint with Melbourne Victory. Allsopp played for United during the 2010 season.

"He was always really friendly, would always say hi or joke around with somebody," Cristman said of Allsopp. "He had one of the driest senses of humor that a person can have, if you can understand him. He’s got the accent and he mumbles a lot, like [Dan] Keat on our team really.”

It was only fitting that after the penalty shootout, which the Galaxy won 4-3 after a 2-2 draw, Cristman and Allsopp exchanged jerseys. And the beat goes on.