New Coach-should he be from the MLS?

[trane]

I now and understand why that there is much support, for the idea that the next coach should be from the MLS. A good example of that working is Seatlle.

However, I for one, am realy not enamoured with the style and leve of play in this league. I have said before I think that USL sides, seem to be better organized, and that I would prefer someone with a track record from the USL to teach our sides the fundamental, or someone from lower leagues from overseas, again to establish a fundamentaly sound game with our squad.

[Whoop]

Just get us someone who has had experience as a HEAD coach.

[Beach_Red]

It might good to have someone who has some understanding of the opposition and of what wins games in MLS.

But USl could be good. The Vancouver coach seems pretty good.

[GabrielHurl]

Steve Nicol

[trane]

Just get us someone who has had experience as a HEAD coach.

Agreed. I am not into this, "he was the equitpment manager for Man U so he shoudl be OK for TFC".

[Alarius]

http://welcomeconsumer.com/wp-content/uploads/2007/06/homer-simpson-fat.jpg
So i guess he's out of the question?

[trane]

^ I hope he is.

[Whoop]

And get someone who has some authority and/or the players can respect.

[MUFC_Niagara]

I think the key, as has been mentioned, is someone who can win games in MLS. This league is a different animal from other leagues. MLS experience would help, but it's not imperative. I think the most pressing issue for me is someone who can condition out team to be 100% focused as a unit for 90 minutes so that we don't give up late goals.

[Strikers]

Holger Osieck

[olegunnar]

Mo was from MLS
That didn't turn out too well.

[ochos]

New Coach - should 'they' be from the MLS?

[prizby]

ray hudson!

[MartinUtd]

Philippe Scolari

*ducks*

[Toronto_Bhoy]

Good one Trane!

After watching the first couple of Sounders games I said this team will make the playoffs and finish with a better record than us…and I got crapped on.

The Seattle ownership group were extremely shrewd…they built their team around a coach! That was their biggest catch…not Freddie…it was Sigi!

I posted this in March:


Haven't read all the comments but this Seattle team has something the last few MLS expansion teams haven't…a coach who not only understands what it takes to win but has actually won!

The tactics employed last night were bang on…Sigi dismantled the Red Bulls in last years Final and again last night by (as many have already noted) playing a high line at the back and quickly linking the midfield with the forwards both up the wings and through the middle. Nothing special but effective but in order to do it you have to have the right pieces. This isn't a knock against TFC but if your gonna win in this league…you've got to play the "league" style. I watched the whole game, throughly enjoyed it and thought this is a team built for the MLS…quick, nippy and very hard working.

Sure you gotta play the games but I'll bet this Seattle team is going to cause trouble for many and it all starts with the man in the dugout…Sigi…

Someone mentioned Yallop:


I have no problem with Frank Yallop. I would have liked to see him here.

The difference is, Sigi went into Seattle from the get go and assembled what IMO is a team built to play in this league. I didn't see that from San Jose last year. I also think Schmid understands how to win "American" and that comes from his NCAA background and work with the USNMT. Personally with the salary cap I think your going to need quality domestic players to excel in this league with a sprinkle of foreign flair.

And with all due respect to Frank he's not done much outside of his two year stint with the Earthquakes back at the turn of the century [that sound odd?] but that's not to say he isn't a winner.

But Sigi's resume is pretty impressive.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sigi_Schmid

[Brooker]

maybe we can snag the coach from Exeter City!!!!!!!

[Blizzard]

Octavio Zambrano had some good years in MLS about a decade ago and has recently left his team in Hungary. I think he is worthy of consideration. Ives wrote: The 1998 Galaxy, which boasted a 24-8 record, still hold the league record for goals scored in a season (85 in 32 games).

http://soccernet.espn.go.com/columns...ot=mls&cc=5901 (http://soccernet.espn.go.com/columns/story?id=378629&root=mls&cc=5901)

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Octavio_Zambrano

[Ossington Mental Youth]

He should have a background in it but that wont happen with Mo at the helm

[Ossington Mental Youth]

Christ I hope we dont become the red bulls or Alexi Lalas angeles

[jloome]

Yeah. The recent choices from Ives Galarcep's column could include:

Richie Williams- Current interim head coach with the Red Bulls, Williams combines an impressive playing resume in MLS with a reputation as a quality assistant coach who has gained head coaching experience through two successful stints as Red Bulls interim head coach. He has earned a shot at being the Red Bulls head coach, but if the Red Bulls drop the ball and don't hire him, Williams will have plenty of job opportunities to choose from.
John Spencer- The Houston assistant combines MLS knowledge with a European pedigree and could be set for a move after nearly being hired by Chicago a year ago. He had long been considered a candidate to coach Colorado, where he played, but that seems like an unlikely destination, particularly if current head coach Gary Smith leads the Rapids into the playoffs.
Robin Fraser- While RSL struggle to return to the playoffs, Fraser is still one of the most respected assistants in the league and would also head many lists for openings. The question is whether RSL will make a chance at the top and replace Jason Kreis with Fraser. That scenario shouldn't be ruled out if RSL fails to qualify for the playoffs.
Preki- Chivas USA is in first place in the West, which makes it seem odd to have Preki on this list, but Chivas USA has long been rumored not to be overly happy with Preki and this could be the winter they part ways. Chicago and KC would jump at the chance to hire him.
Denis Hamlett- You can all but write off Hamlett's chances of returning to the Fire in 2010. Why? If the team struggles in the playoffs, or somehow fails to make the playoffs, Hamlett won't be brought back, but if Hamlett does lead the team to an MLS Cup final, or even an MLS Cup title, Hamlett is likely to walk away and move to one of the several teams likely to come calling then. Hamlett is out of contract after this season and the fact that Chicago failed to re-sign him to a new deal essentially confirms the long-held believe that Fire owner Andrew Hauptman isn't a fan, which is unfortunate considering the job Hamlett has done this year to deal with a key injuries all season long.
Martin Vasquez- Juergen Klinsmann's assistant at Bayern Munich has experience coaching in MLS (having been a Chivas USA and LA Galaxy assistant) and now he returns from a stint with one of Europe's top teams. The Mexican-born, USA-raised former U.S. national team player is a well-rounded prospect who is one of the favorites on this list to land a head coaching job this winter (and if Preki and Chivas USA part company, Vasquez would be a lock to take the Chivas USA job).
Dave Sarachan- LA assistant coach and former Chicago Fire head coach put up an impressive list of accomplishments during his time in charge of the Fire, and while he has to be enjoying the successful run as Bruce Arena's assistant with the Galaxy, you would imagine that Sarachan is eager to be a head coach again.


http://www.soccerbyives.net/soccer_by_ives/2009/10/mariners-departure-thins-field-of-head-coaching-candidates.html

[Cashcleaner]

Let's not shot ourselves in the foot by restricting the pool of potential head coaches we could be looking at. I don't care what league the coach has worked in before, I want someone who can adapt quickly, rein in the locker room and command respect from the players, and have the sort of tactical mind that will be able to blend the talent together that we have in the roster and make it all work. They could be from Scotland, Italy, France, or Senegal for all I care. I just want the best coach we can get our hands on who can turn this club around, and I don't think that means we need a current MLS one to do all that.

[UltraSuperMegaMo]

I think MLS experience would a plus, but not a necessity, particularly in that, love him or hate him, Mo will be here and would be able acclimatize a coach from outside league to MLS' strange transfer and roster rules.

The point above that the candidates need to have substantial head coaching experience is spot on.

[Cashcleaner]

Exactly. There are obvious advantages to having someone already from MLS brought in to coach as their familiarity with the league and the rules would be a good asset. On the other hand, it may be worth bringing in someone from the outside who could have the overall experience and adaptability to make up for not coaching in MLS previously.

[fetajr]

MLS experience shouldn't be a requirement.

Just get a quality coach that knows how to teach and instill a possession attacking system exactly how Argentine Marcelo Bielsa turned around Chile's fortunes, marching them straight to the World Cup

[Yohan]

hey, let's get Gareth Southgate! LOL

[tovan]

Holger Osieck

He does have plenty of experience in CONCACAF and seems like a no nonsense type of guy. Might be what's needed to straighten things out in the locker room.

[King Jeff]

Colin Clarke, please.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Colin_Clarke

[felipe]

Thats actually a really good idea - but, do you think he'd come?

He seems to be pretty busy in puerto rico, currently.

[rocker]

maybe with the USL falling apart, he'd be interested now. never thought of Colin Clarke before...

[King Jeff]

Thats actually a really good idea - but, do you think he'd come?

He seems to be pretty busy in puerto rico, currently.

I don't see why not. I'm not sure how much of a time commitment is associated with the Puerto Rican national team, but I don't think it'd be much. And, as Rocker said, there are all kinds of problems with the USL.

MLS experience, CONCACAF experience. Just worth a thought.

[Cashcleaner]

^ Not a bad thought, though. We do want to become a mainstay in CONCACAF Champions League and other competitions, so maybe someone with some experience from around the confederation would be a good idea.

[trane]

In some ways I was more dissapointed with our inability to beat the Islanders, then not making the playoffs, in some way.

[Beach_Red]

In some ways I was more dissapointed with our inability to beat the Islanders, then not making the playoffs, in some way.


Ha ha, I agree. And what a sad statement that we're ranking our disappointments. It is starting to become funny.

[trane]

^ Humour is the way to deal with it. I was done with anger at the end of last season.

[TFC RealDeal RPB]

New Coach - should 'they' be from the MLS?

No b/c there maybe 2 or 3 good coachs in the MLS and there not going to come to TFC.

Our next coach CAN"T BE A ENGLISH MAN :picard: (Im going to feel the heat for this one)

:flare:We need a coach from Italy or Portugal IMO :flare:

[felipe]

Clarkie's not English...he's from northern ireland!

[sampace]

I like Holger Osieck, but it has been mentioned in the forum before that he may not mesh with Mo Johnston (which I would hold in his favour) but secondly he apparently did not get along with DeRosario.

I personally would love to see Stephen Hart here, since he has a great record of working with Canadians and would help us land some improved Canadian players, however, Team Canada is thin on good heads and losing Hart from the National Team would be a huge blow. That is a tough call, although we are probably closer to winning an MLS Championship then qualifying for the World Cup, so what the heck, join TFC Hart!

[Jay P]

Richie Williams.

[tfc2007]

Pat Quinn.

[fetajr]

Mo clearly showed, among all of his other failures, that he doesn't know what he's doing by stating "he's gotta have MLS experience"...

its like he's convinced that MLS is the best league in the world and those good coaches who have never even heard of MLS will automatically fail. fuckin MO makes me sick.

[mastermixer]

No British coaches!! Even the British know that!

[K1nG]

MoJo is a complete idiot. So if for some reason Mourinho, Wenger or Sir Alex decided to come here (hypothetically).. he would refuse them because they have no MLS experience.

Anybody but another long ball British coach who is going to bore the hell out of the fans.

[jloome]

From Ives' blog today:



Mo Johnston needs a coach who knows MLS, and while his dream candidate (Stevie Nicol) remains under contract with New England, and his second choice (Paul Mariner) is in England now, Johnson could turn to the man who served as his assistant coach in New York in 2006.
The two didn't end on the best of terms when Johnston left New York, but three years have passed and Toronto FC has the talent and the resources to make Williams consider a move up north. Toronto FC has other MLS coaches it could consider, such as Chicago head coach Denis Hamlett and Houston assistant John Spencer, but Johnston will also have to consider Williams if he is available.


----
So, anyone want to lay odds on whether Richie Williams would work for Mo again?

[Beach_Red]

----
So, anyone want to lay odds on whether Richie Williams would work for Mo again?


If we had some idea how much money MLSE will allow him to spend, then we could make odds.

How many times did Stienbrenner rehire Billy Martin?

[bgnewf]

After a non restive nights sleep I have come to the conclusion that this is what it is. Mo is around for at least until this time next season and myself and all of us need to get on with supporting our club in our own ways Mo Johnston notwithstanding.












horsecock









Moving right along...


This head coach decision is going to be absolutely critical. If the "bad apples in the room" thing is as true as we are being led to believe, and also if you believe Mo when he says that there will not be a huge amount of squad turnover this winter then you need to insure that this person is not only a good tactician but also a strong manager of people with differing egos and attitudes. A tough job indeed.


The other hurdle I think we have to deal with here is Mo says that all of the current coaching staff are going to stay. I can't see some quality manager wanting to come here and not want to bring along his own assistants and back room staff.


So we want an experienced successful MLS manager who does not want to be GM and will work with the staff already in place for a squad that is structurally unbalanced on the pitch and has an apparently divided locker room.

I hope MLSE is ready to drive a dump truck full of money up to some coach's house because that is what I think it'll take. Good luck Mr. General Manager. You are really going to need it on this one. For all of our sakes I hope you succeed.

[Yohan]

Mo clearly showed, among all of his other failures, that he doesn't know what he's doing by stating "he's gotta have MLS experience"...

its like he's convinced that MLS is the best league in the world and those good coaches who have never even heard of MLS will automatically fail. fuckin MO makes me sick.
diabolitical and confusing MLS rules makes it difficult for coaches without MLS experience to grasp the rules of the league and make an immediate impact

coaches like Carlos Queiroz, Carlos Alberto Parreira have failed in MLS. not because they are bad coaches, but because MLS rules are so hard to understand immediately

if you are going to bring in a foreign manager, you better have a GM who knows MLS rules well

[Broadview]

So we want an experienced successful MLS manager who does not want to be GM and will work with the staff already in place for a squad that is structurally unbalanced on the pitch and has an apparently divided locker room.



Keeping the current assistants will at least provide a semblance of continuity, which we've been lacking head coach wise.

If the new guy wants to bring some of his own people I don't think that means Daso, Toshack, Winsper and Dichio get fired. There's no cap on these guys salaries.

[fetajr]

diabolitical and confusing MLS rules makes it difficult for coaches without MLS experience to grasp the rules of the league and make an immediate impact

coaches like Carlos Queiroz, Carlos Alberto Parreira have failed in MLS. not because they are bad coaches, but because MLS rules are so hard to understand immediately

if you are going to bring in a foreign manager, you better have a GM who knows MLS rules well

i dont understand what rules MLS has that other leagues dont. They all play football/futbol/futebol/soccer right? Yeah i know MLS has a bunch of weird rules with salary cap, playoff tiebreakers, dp, etc etc, but last i checked, the field is the same dimensions, offsides are still in tact, there are 11 players a side etc etc... I don't buy into the notion that an MLS experienced coach is necessary to be successfull.

get Carlos Bianchi, Claudio Borghi, fuck even Steven Hart, and we'll have a better organized team to compete in MLS

[106-12]

First we have to look at the players we have and the players we are building around then we pick the coach. If we get an english coach and our players can not play the English style football which right now no MLS team can.because we can't change our players so we have to get some body who under stand thier style and the mls . when we got ALI GERBA he did not get the ball the way he should the team was still supplying him like he was DD in the air and that was usless .AMADO , DERO,DEGUZMAN they can't play english football and they are our best.

[fetajr]

^^
^^ the problem we have is that everything is ass backwards with TFC.

What do Marcelo Bielsa with Chile, Lou Lamoriello with the NJ Devils, Ken Holland of the Red Wings, Brian Colangelo of the Raptors have in common?

They all came in with their style, picked their players, trainers, assistants, coaches(hockey/basketball) that could all play, understand and execute the boss' gameplan.

Bielsa took Chile within a point of finishing 1st in South America in WCQ, his team is the youngest to qualify for South Africa 2010.

Lamoriello 3 cups in 15 years, Holland has 4 cups in 15 years. Both teams usually competitive.

Colangelo has been putting the Raptors back together for the last few years, after he inherited a fuckin mess. Kept a few core guys, made the assistant coach a head coach, but has added many key ingredients that suit his gameplan and now the Raptors are poised to become a force in the NBA.


I'd rather have Mo sacked, and get a manager who instills a possession attacking style (at home AND away) - no bullshit 5-4-1 formations - and sets the whole thing up from manager all the way down to water boy, even if it means that we have to gut the current roster.

[Beach_Red]

^ Lou Lamoriello is an interesting choice on that list. One of the few GMs in the NHL not to have come up through the ranks and the 'old boys club' that dominates that league. When he first got the job in NJ, going from athletic director of some college to president of the team Gretzky called a, "Mickey Mouse operation," - and it was a bad team - almost everyone thought naming himself GM was going to be a disaster.

It's the kind of big-risk taking decisions that we'll probably never see from corporate-owned teams.

[Oblio2]

I dont believe the new Coach should be MLS ready.
Just be a good football person...the rest falls into place.

fabio cappello hadn't coached in England....neither had Wenger....they did fine.

[s2cazz]

I dont believe the new Coach should be MLS ready.
Just be a good football person...the rest falls into place.

fabio cappello hadn't coached in England....neither had Wenger....they did fine.
I agree to an extent... Englands league is like the rest of the world... MLS is fucked... top that off with bad reffs and you got a difficult mix. It would definately help to have someone with MLS experience

[Nuvinho]

http://voices.washingtonpost.com/soccerinsider/2009/10/mls_coaching_status.html



MLS Coaching Status


We're waiting for D.C. United's decision on Tom Soehn and for the New York Red Bulls to do the right thing by retaining Richie Williams instead of importing a European leader. We're anticipating Peter Vermes (3-6-3 as the interim) to hire himself for the full-time gig in Kansas City and for Chicago to determine Denis Hamlett's future.

Meantime, Toronto has begun contacting candidates to replace Chris Cummins, who was let go this week after serving as the interim coach in place of John Carver. And the buzz in the soccer community is that, regardless of what unfolds this postseason, Preki and Chivas USA are likely going their separate ways after three years. The club holds the option on the final year (2010) of his contract.

Perhaps Chivas wants to forge a stronger Latin identity and hire a Mexican coach? Preki in Toronto, perhaps?
And has Gary Smith done enough in Colorado?

Portland and Vancouver, entering MLS in 2011, will also begin assessing their coaching options soon.
Among the names mentioned for current and possible openings are Los Angeles assistants Dave Sarachan and Trevor James, former Kansas City coach Curt Onalfo, Houston assistant John Spencer, Puerto Rico Coach Colin Clarke and Columbus technical director Brian Bliss. If Preki and Williams are liberated, they'll undoubtedly join this group. And if Soehn is let go, Williams would become a prime candidate for DCU, where he spent six years as a player. Onalfo's ties to DCU as a player and assistant, his fluency in Spanish and national team tutelage under maestro Bruce Arena are a plus.

There's also been speculation about the University of Maryland's Sasho Cirovski, but he has no experience beyond the college game and, frankly, even if he were offered an MLS position, he would probably find it very difficult to walk away from what is essentially a well-compensated job for life at a premier program that has refined numerous pro prospects.
What do you think will happen in MLS's coaching circles?

[jloome]

If we hired Preki, Amado would likely not stay. From Big Bruva's suggestions, he might be leaving anyway. But his inability to work with Preki (and vice-versa) led to the original chivas bustup.

He's apparently quite the taskmaster, though, which is something this team needs. His done a lot without a lot of talent at Chivas.

[C.Ronaldo]

people

the coaching is the same
ITS SOCCER

the drafting, buying, selling is different.......but thats MO's Job!

[VPjr]

This is what I posted on Voyageurs on this subject:

I'm continuously astounded why the next TFC coach MUST have MLS experience.

What makes coaching in MLS so much more difficult than coaching in the CSL or USL, for instance. I'd argue that there is nothing harder than coaching semi-pro because you don't have a signficant enough salary carrot to dangle over players' heads to keep them honest and committed. A guy like Dos Santos (former coach of Trois Rivieres Attak) proved you can move from a league like CSL to a significantly more professional league like USL and have success. I don't think the level of coaching from USL to MLS is all that signficant (look at Puerto Rico's coach...he strikes me as a guy who would make a pretty solid candidate for an MLS job, assuming he'd want to leave Puerto Rico).

Sure, there are some odd rules in MLS. But, at the end of the day, the coach for TFC must:

a) Obviously, he must be qualified (must have a good amount of PROFESSIONAL SENIOR MEN'S HEAD COACHING EXPERIENCE, ideally both overseas and in North America so that they have more exposure to professional coaching than simply the North American persepective....no more career assistants...no more youth coaches....if TFC is such a "huge" club, hiring anyone other than someone who has been "the man" at a reasonably good level should be acceptable to the ownership and the supporters)

b) have good contacts in the world of soccer (but not just Europe, where average players are generally still too expensive for this league) in order to help the general manager/director of soccer be able to bring in better players

c) a working understanding of the MLS landscape and a healthy respect for the level of soccer being played in the league and the kind of players that the league can recruit.


Most of all, whoever the new coach is, he must be given a level of control over the makeup of his coaching staff and the players on the squad. If he doesn't like a player or a player doesn't fit the system, that coach MUST be given the support from front office to replace those players if adequate replacements exist. I get the strong feeling that neither Carver nor Cummins had that support from Mo. If they wanted to axe one of "Mo's boys", they probably knew better than to ask for that.

[Beach_Red]

....if TFC is such a "huge" club, hiring anyone other than someone who has been "the man" at a reasonably good level should be acceptable to the ownership and the supporters)



Good post. It's hard to imagine the ownership and all the supporters agreeing on a choice, but you're right, there should be one that's acceptable to most.

[Ossington Mental Youth]

Although youve proved to be correct in alot of things as of late VPjr im not entirely sure i agree with you with regards to the ''dont have to have an MLS background". I guess i dont agree only in the sense that the coach needs to know about rosters, caps etc etc but it might be an advantage to come from these lower leagues as they seem to have alot less than the MLS and Mo would still be at the reigns to deal with trades etc etc

[Ossington Mental Youth]

If we hired Preki, Amado would likely not stay. From Big Bruva's suggestions, he might be leaving anyway. But his inability to work with Preki (and vice-versa) led to the original chivas bustup.

He's apparently quite the taskmaster, though, which is something this team needs. His done a lot without a lot of talent at Chivas.

Although Guevara has been one of, if not my favorite player (not counting DeRo), i could definitely deal with this right here. Question is whether Mo and Preki could work well together. I really hope so. I like what Preki has done at Chivas

[jloome]

[quote=VPjr;773492](look at Puerto Rico's coach...he strikes me as a guy who would make a pretty solid candidate for an MLS job, assuming he'd want to leave Puerto Rico).quote]

Colin Clarke. He was the coach at Dallas a few seasons ago and was fired after missing the playoffs a couple of time. But he's well respected.

[TFCRegina]

[quote=VPjr;773492](look at Puerto Rico's coach...he strikes me as a guy who would make a pretty solid candidate for an MLS job, assuming he'd want to leave Puerto Rico).quote]

Colin Clarke. He was the coach at Dallas a few seasons ago and was fired after missing the playoffs a couple of time. But he's well respected.

Clarke is a capable manager but is hampered, like so many managers, by the ridiculous roster restrictions and cap rules in MLS. He's made a name for himself in Puerto Rico as a master tactician (that knows how to sub) with a subpar talented team.

[DigzTFC!]

I think Preki would be the best fit here for several reasons:

1) He's a winning coach and has been since he started coaching
2) He plays an offensive style which is attractive
3) He plays a system where average players excel
4) He has a serious eye for talent - Justin Braun, Flores etc.

Imagine this guy with the entire CSL to look at or our reserves.

:scarf:

[VPjr]

^ in speaking to some agents, many people think Preki and Mo would not make a good combo. Preki is very strong minded. Might be too much butting heads.

I like the way his team plays though. I wouldn't criticize that choice.

[VPjr]

Although youve proved to be correct in alot of things as of late VPjr im not entirely sure i agree with you with regards to the ''dont have to have an MLS background". I guess i dont agree only in the sense that the coach needs to know about rosters, caps etc etc but it might be an advantage to come from these lower leagues as they seem to have alot less than the MLS and Mo would still be at the reigns to deal with trades etc etc

I definitely know where you are coming from. MLS is a fairly unique league. However, I've talked to enough head coaches who haven't coached in MLS but who have a pretty solid understanding of the challenges faced by an MLS coach. They all understand the limited rosters (definitely a challenge) and they all understand that the cap will cause some headaches if you want to dump a player and replace him with someone better (if the cap doesn't allow it, it can't be done). Anyone of average intelligence can wrap their heads around these concepts.

Honestly, I question the intelligence of any coach who would cross the pond to take a job in MLS (or any league other than your own domestic league) without doing the necessary due diligence. This is why I am very dubious of these arguments by Mo that a new coach MUST have MLS experience. It's definitely an asset but I would be disappointed if they shut out other candidates with equal or greater qualifications than someone with MLS experience. Again, I'll never believe that MLS is the most difficult league in the world to coach a team in. It's definitely unique but a smart coach can and would get his head wrapped around these unique features and would adapt. Ultimately, the coach leads the men on the field and needs total say on who plays and who doesn't and a reasonable amount of say over who stays and who goes.

Having said all that, if they were to replace Mo and hire one guy to do both jobs, then intimate knowledge of MLS would be a much bigger requirement for the job.

[prizby]

what about ray hudson

[VPjr]

what about ray hudson

I'm convinced he doesn't like footy unless its played by Madrid or Barca
:D

[rocker]

the good thing about hiring an MLS coach is that he'll try to make it work. As we've seen, the foreign coach often has allegiances outside MLS. at the first sign of difficulty, he's gone. No dedication. Would Bruce Arena and Sigi Schmidt keep coming back to teams in MLS if they were Brits with buddies willing to hire them back in London? I personally believe an MLS experienced coach is going to 1) know the unique problems of coaching in MLS (talent disparity on teams, parity between teams) and 2) how to manage those problems, and 3) be willing to stick it out in the long term. It's not that MLS is more difficult to coach in than other teams, but it certainly requires a patient man willing to shift his tendencies. Gullit and Carver did not have these traits. We could bring in some great coach from Europe and he'd be gone after a year cuz he can't just dump the deadwood on rosters and plow his way through a parity league. he might even become humbled.

[denime]

^ in speaking to some agents, many people think Preki and Mo would not make a good combo. Preki is very strong minded. Might be too much butting heads.

I like the way his team plays though. I wouldn't criticize that choice.

Preki would be my choice too,we need someone who will tell Mo to Fuck off every now and than,plus he is a strong character so shit disturbers in the locker room wouldn't stick around for long with him in charge.

[Oldtimer]

Preki would be my choice too,we need someone who will tell Mo to Fuck off every now and than,plus he is a strong character so shit disturbers in the locker room wouldn't stick around for long with him in charge.

Exactly. Preki is exactly the type of character that we need to sort out a disfunctional locker room and stand up to Mo, although I will be sad to say goodbye to Amado.

[Ossington Mental Youth]

I definitely know where you are coming from. MLS is a fairly unique league. However, I've talked to enough head coaches who haven't coached in MLS but who have a pretty solid understanding of the challenges faced by an MLS coach. They all understand the limited rosters (definitely a challenge) and they all understand that the cap will cause some headaches if you want to dump a player and replace him with someone better (if the cap doesn't allow it, it can't be done). Anyone of average intelligence can wrap their heads around these concepts.

Honestly, I question the intelligence of any coach who would cross the pond to take a job in MLS (or any league other than your own domestic league) without doing the necessary due diligence. This is why I am very dubious of these arguments by Mo that a new coach MUST have MLS experience. It's definitely an asset but I would be disappointed if they shut out other candidates with equal or greater qualifications than someone with MLS experience. Again, I'll never believe that MLS is the most difficult league in the world to coach a team in. It's definitely unique but a smart coach can and would get his head wrapped around these unique features and would adapt. Ultimately, the coach leads the men on the field and needs total say on who plays and who doesn't and a reasonable amount of say over who stays and who goes.

Having said all that, if they were to replace Mo and hire one guy to do both jobs, then intimate knowledge of MLS would be a much bigger requirement for the job.

Im with you on coaches from across the pond. Im a bit skeptical on anyone coming over as this isnt the most ideal situation or place to be as far as coaching is concerned. itd definitely nice to hire local. I wonder if some of the players might question their backgrounds if they hadnt been in the league previously or had only coached in lower leagues. as you said tho, it shouldnt make a difference provided they know the game inside and out. Also im thinking mo is spouting the MLS knowledgeable coach line simply because its what the supporters want to hear, it may not necessarily be best for the club (i dont think its a bad idea) but its its not as you mentioned an absolute necessity, especially in the case where we are ignoring other coaches with valid skills

[fetajr]

if its gotta be an MLS guy, i vote Preki

[Yohan]

i dont understand what rules MLS has that other leagues dont. They all play football/futbol/futebol/soccer right? Yeah i know MLS has a bunch of weird rules with salary cap, playoff tiebreakers, dp, etc etc, but last i checked, the field is the same dimensions, offsides are still in tact, there are 11 players a side etc etc... I don't buy into the notion that an MLS experienced coach is necessary to be successfull.

get Carlos Bianchi, Claudio Borghi, fuck even Steven Hart, and we'll have a better organized team to compete in MLS
manager can coach the team on the game play

GM can figure out the stupid MLS rules and sign players and stuff (with manager input)

i highly doubt there are many managers out there that are used to working with restricted rosters and salary cap