Avram Grant?

[[NBF]]

Im going to throw this out there, wouldnt it make sense to hire a guy with experience to be Paul Mariner's boss and has a good resume as a Director of Football and a Manager?

If tomorrow TFC FO hired Avram Grant as President or Director of Football, would you be happy with this move?

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

[Ajax TFC]

IMO the president (or whatever title they give them) has to be someone who knows the NA game and knows how to win here and work and have extensive knowledge of the limited resources available to MLS teams. I won't get my hopes up if they hire anything less than that

[Canary10]

;1535210']Im going to throw this out there, wouldnt it make sense to hire a guy with experience to be Paul Mariner's boss and has a good resume as a Director of Football and a Manager?

If tomorrow TFC FO hired Avram Grant as President or Director of Football, would you be happy with this move?

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

This is a pretty random question. Why Avram Grant? Owen Coyle got fired this week. Why not him? Mick McCarthy is still without a job I believe. Why not him?

[MG42]

This is a pretty random question. Why Avram Grant? Owen Coyle got fired this week. Why not him? Mick McCarthy is still without a job I believe. Why not him?

McCarthy, if not just for the gifs!

[jloome]

I voted 'no, not a chance.' As has been noted before, experience in the Americas and working with the style of player most available here, in budgetary terms, seems the most sensible approach.

[Canary10]

I voted 'no, not a chance.' As has been noted before, experience in the Americas and working with the style of player most available here, in budgetary terms, seems the most sensible approach.

Agreed.

[Oldtimer]

I voted 'no, not a chance.' As has been noted before, experience in the Americas and working with the style of player most available here, in budgetary terms, seems the most sensible approach.

Getting someone from overseas generally fails. MLS is unique.

[Fort York Redcoat]

Getting someone from overseas generally fails. MLS is unique.


Agreeing with this.

[__wowza]

'ire 'arry!

http://www.myfootballfacts.com/567.jpg

[mdc 77]

This club needs someone familiar with MLS to lead. The new ownership would be wise to go to Frank Yallop, tell him how they are changing everything at the club, starting from scratch and want him to lead this change. Give him full power to do what he knows/thinks is best to get this club competitive.

[narduch]

Imagine where this club would be today if we managed to nab Yallop back in 2006.

[Initial B]

The TFC FO would have undermined Yallop and forced him to leave. They'd be too nervous of his success and fear that he might replace them in their jobs.

[ensco]

If we're going European again, I'd much rather give it to Soler and Backe, who had their tuition paid by the Red Bulls.

A Grant would just be Gullit/Winter all over again. The only thing these guys can do is drive the signing of a couple of older, name players for too much money.

[narduch]

If we're going European again, I'd much rather give it to Soler and Backe, who had their tuition paid by the Red Bulls.


I agree with this.

But I have a feeling its Earl Cochrane that will be searching for Mariner's replacement. Next season of course.

[Relja]

Any chance of hiring Prosinecki?

[Greatest Ripoff]

;1535210']
Avram Grant as President or Director of Football, would you be happy with this move?

Toronto desperately needs a president but it shouldn't be a former coach or anyone with coaching aspirations. The president's job will be much different than a coach's job.

[Beach_Red]

Toronto desperately needs a president but it shouldn't be a former coach or anyone with coaching aspirations. The president's job will be much different than a coach's job.

Yes. And all we would have to do to really show that is merge this thread with the "Who Scouts for TFC" thread to see what any new president is up against. There has never really been any orhanization in this organization.

[maninb]

The TFC FO would have undermined Yallop and forced him to leave. They'd be too nervous of his success and fear that he might replace them in their jobs.

Agreed...without a Football man at the top TFC will continue to be a incompetent joke....

[tfcleeds]

McCarthy, if not just for the gifs!

One in the hole, you say?

http://www.offthepost.info/wp-content/uploads/2010/05/mick-mccarthy.gif (http://www.offthepost.info/wp-content/uploads/2010/05/mick-mccarthy.gif)

[sashavukelich]

'ire 'arry!

http://www.myfootballfacts.com/567.jpg

i've been a Portsmouth fan for 9 years now and i would give a finger to have this guy manage in Toronto!!!! I doubt he'd come though, what with his age and family situation. One of the best man motivators out there.

[__wowza]

i've been a Portsmouth fan for 9 years now and i would give a finger to have this guy manage in Toronto!!!! I doubt he'd come though, what with his age and family situation. One of the best man motivators out there.

i heard a crazy ass rumour about him and new york.
actually, scrap that, crazy ass rumour and new york aren't allowed in the same sentence.

i love what he did at tottenham, he just seemed to hit a standstill, couldn't see past the starting 11.

[nonc]

One in the hole, you say?

http://www.offthepost.info/wp-content/uploads/2010/05/mick-mccarthy.gif (http://www.offthepost.info/wp-content/uploads/2010/05/mick-mccarthy.gif)

McCarthy4TFC

#cuzwhynot

[trane]

Grant is a serious manager, you would have to believe that he would build the team as he sits fit, outside of interference from the MLSE brass. So yes a move like this I am all for.

[mdc 77]

Not trying to be sarcastic but I would say that Avram Grant is seriously not a good manager, and a seriously flawed choice to manage an MLS club. Especially Toronto FC.

[TOBOR !]

why stop with Grant, or McCarthy ? Why not get Rafa, or even Big Phil ? I hear they're both available... or let's get Guus Hiddink - fuck it if he's got a job already - just hand him a suitcase full of money, and then sit back and watch as any hope you may have had is quashed in less than two years, when MLSE fires him and instates a parent volunteer of one of the academy players as interim coach.

[Initial B]

So then, what would make a good manager for TFC, and what would make a good President/GM for TFC? With all the soccer knowledge here, we should be able to draft a set of requirements. Heck, maybe someone could give to Anselmi at the 90th minute party and give him permission to sell it to the board as his own blueprint - I don't care if he takes credit so long as TFC starts heading in the right direction.

[jloome]

So then, what would make a good manager for TFC, and what would make a good President/GM for TFC? With all the soccer knowledge here, we should be able to draft a set of requirements. Heck, maybe someone could give to Anselmi at the 90th minute party and give him permission to sell it to the board as his own blueprint - I don't care if he takes credit so long as TFC starts heading in the right direction.

A good manager would be Colin Clarke, currently head coach of the Railhawks in NASL. During his two seasons as head coach of Dallas Burn he took them to the playoffs twice, then was fired when they lost in a shootout. He's always had winning records, always developed players well, knows the region.

A good president is going to be someone who is even-handed, intelligent, can talk to the board, and inspires confidence. My first pick would be Manny Lagos, who runs the NASL team in Minnesota but has huge respect throughout US Soccer, international and MLS experience, and is a good coach to boot. He already has this role as well as being a coach, and his team's business status (despite being defending champs) is that it's owned by the league, so he has to deal with those types constantly.

My second would probably be Dave Sarachan at LA, Bruce Arena's assistant, for a bunch of the same reasons as Lagos. My third would be Oliver Luck, current head of athletics at WVU, and former president of the Houston Dynamo.

I really don't think either of these positions is hard to fill competently. That's why MLSE's record to date is so flabbergasting.

[MartinUtd]

I voted yes, only because I think he'd push out Bernie and Cochrane. Unfortunately Anselmi is here to stay.

[Richard]

There may be an obvious answer to this question but if Anselmi knows nothing about soccer why is the board then trusting him to make decsions on who to hire, at the end of the day his signature is on the coach/manager conrtracts is it not?

Why hasnt the board already pushed to get a president in charge when clearly they have every reason to do so.

[Blizzard]

There may be an obvious answer to this question but if Anselmi knows nothing about soccer why is the board then trusting him to make decsions on who to hire, at the end of the day his signature is on the coach/manager conrtracts is it not?

Why hasnt the board already pushed to get a president in charge when clearly they have every reason to do so.

You're assuming that the board knows anymore than Tom. That may be a bad assumption.

[Richard]

You're assuming that the board knows anymore than Tom. That may be a bad assumption.

Well I actually assume the board knows nothing about soccer. If your a board member you make sure the people making decsions are qualified, Tom is not, i fail to see how the board can be confident in someone with no soccer background making related decsions. Hiring a consultant by Tom is all well and good but you cant do it all the time, especially when you change the plan part way in which it looks like they have. I believe a president in this situation would have hired personal to continue the long term vision, right now TFC seems like they have none or are strapped with Mariner because of his contract clause?

[trane]

why stop with Grant, or McCarthy ? Why not get Rafa, or even Big Phil ? I hear they're both available... or let's get Guus Hiddink - fuck it if he's got a job already - just hand him a suitcase full of money, and then sit back and watch as any hope you may have had is quashed in less than two years, when MLSE fires him and instates a parent volunteer of one of the academy players as interim coach.

Avram's last job was with Partizan Belgrade, if I am not wrong, so he is actually a realistic hire. His budget with Partizan would be similar to the MLS. Only here he could hire 3 DPs.

[West220Side]

i heard a crazy ass rumour about him and new york.
actually, scrap that, crazy ass rumour and new york aren't allowed in the same sentence.

i love what he did at tottenham, he just seemed to hit a standstill, couldn't see past the starting 11.

from a tottenham fan,
imo 'arrys problem was that he demanded a contract extension and levy simply said something along the lines of 'yes you're on track, but finish your contract and if you do what you promised we can then sign you onto another contract' harry refused, and well now he's doing consulting jobs atm.


in before the klinsmann jokes. (consultant)

[West220Side]

A good manager would be Colin Clarke, currently head coach of the Railhawks in NASL. During his two seasons as head coach of Dallas Burn he took them to the playoffs twice, then was fired when they lost in a shootout. He's always had winning records, always developed players well, knows the region.

A good president is going to be someone who is even-handed, intelligent, can talk to the board, and inspires confidence. My first pick would be Manny Lagos, who runs the NASL team in Minnesota but has huge respect throughout US Soccer, international and MLS experience, and is a good coach to boot. He already has this role as well as being a coach, and his team's business status (despite being defending champs) is that it's owned by the league, so he has to deal with those types constantly.

My second would probably be Dave Sarachan at LA, Bruce Arena's assistant, for a bunch of the same reasons as Lagos. My third would be Oliver Luck, current head of athletics at WVU, and former president of the Houston Dynamo.

I really don't think either of these positions is hard to fill competently. That's why MLSE's record to date is so flabbergasting.

talking with my dad the other day (also uses this account) we both agreed Colin Clarke would be a good manager but i brought up the point that he would only be a good 'players manager' we would still need a proper man to do the paperwork/player signings/scouting on track/etc

[jloome]

talking with my dad the other day (also uses this account) we both agreed Colin Clarke would be a good manager but i brought up the point that he would only be a good 'players manager' we would still need a proper man to do the paperwork/player signings/scouting on track/etc

Sarachan and Luck certainly have that experience; I don't know about Lagos, but he's so connected I can't see him not at least being able to marshall the right resources.

[Toronto_Bhoy]

Not sure someone like Grant (or his ilk) would be overly interest in working in an environment/ownership that isn't football first?

Just a thought.

[mcolvy]

Someone who would be a good addition to the program in Toronto and would have a connection with our Academy is Dave van den Bergh. He's an assistant with the US junior program, but was a great player. Lanky dude who could make things happen. Grew up Ajax style. Played a ton in the MLS. I see him as a great assistant coach for our squad.

[trane]

Not sure someone like Grant (or his ilk) would be overly interest in working in an environment/ownership that isn't football first?

Just a thought.

He would not. That is why bringing some one like him would be good as he would demand to be in control of the entire shitboat.

[tfcocd]

Sarachan and Luck certainly have that experience; I don't know about Lagos, but he's so connected I can't see him not at least being able to marshall the right resources.

Sounds like the best way forward. Invest in the best available N.A. management and coaching staff. If there is a better way to evaluate and scout talent for the MLS I am not sure what it is? Since we cannot just buy another top MLS clubs management team we need to look to the second tier in this region. Speaking of the region maybe TFC should seriously look at scouting Panama and Honduras domestic leagues for players.

[jloome]

He would not. That is why bringing some one like him would be good as he would demand to be in control of the entire shitboat.

Grant is an awful manager. His five league wins in Israel came over a period of nearly twenty years, and even the most die-hard Israeli soccer fans attribute them to budgets and runs of luck. Since leaving that league, he's never had a winning record other than Chelsea, with the biggest budget in history. He's apparently great at social networking though; his wife is an ex-TV host in Israel, and he was friends with Roman Abramovich long before he was hired at Portsmouth or Chelsea.

Definitely not the way to go.

[Shakes McQueen]

There may be an obvious answer to this question but if Anselmi knows nothing about soccer why is the board then trusting him to make decsions on who to hire, at the end of the day his signature is on the coach/manager conrtracts is it not?

Why hasnt the board already pushed to get a president in charge when clearly they have every reason to do so.

Because the board is all "OY TOM WE TRUST YE WITH THE SOCKAZ, CUZ YOUSE THE PRESIDENT YOU IS"