Potential Head Coach Nominees

[[NBF]]

The Nominees For 2010:

John Spencer (4 years experience as Ass. Coach in MLS)




A native of Glasgow, Scotland, John Spencer enters his fourth year as assistant coach for the Dynamo. Spencer played professional soccer for 18 years with such clubs as Glasgow Rangers, Chelsea, Queens Park Rangers, and Everton. In MLS, Spencer played for the Colorado Rapids. As Dynamo assistant coach, he also served as Dynamo Reserves coach from 2006-08, leading Houston’s reserve squad to the 2008 league championship.

Mark Simpson (5 years experience as Ass. Coach in MLS)





Mark Simpson joined D.C. United's coaching staff as an assistant to Peter Nowak in 2004. Under Head Coach Tom Soehn, he assumed a larger role and increased responsibility. In five seasons as an assistant, United captured the 2004 MLS Cup, the 2006 and 2007 Supporters' Shield and the 2008 U.S Open Cup with Simpson's assistance. He also helped lead the 2005 reserves to the inaugural Reserve Division championship and was an integral part in Troy Perkins' growth, which led to him being named the 2006 MLS Goalkeeper of the Year. Additionally, Simpson was an assistant coach under Nowak as part of the 2004 and 2006 All-Star squads. He also served as the goalkeeping coach for the Black-and-Red during the 2002 MLS season under Ray Hudson.


Paul Mariner (6 years experience as Ass. Coach in MLS)





In 2009, Paul Mariner enters his sixth season as Steve Nicol's top assistant coach. He has helped lead the Revolution to four MLS Eastern Conference Championship games, as well as three MLS Cup championship game appearances since joining the Revs' staff in the spring of 2004.
Born in Bolton, Lancashire, England, Mariner is remembered by world soccer fans as one of the top center forwards in English football in the late 1970s and early 1980s. He earned 35 international caps playing for his country, and led the England attack in the 1982 FIFA World Cup. He is the co-holder for the England National Team record for goal scoring in consecutive games (6).

[Cashcleaner]

There's plenty of coaches outside of North America we should be considering. The MLS coaches do have an advantage of knowing more about the ins-and-outs of the league, but considering what the club can afford and the overall level of potential we have in the roster, I think we might want to look abroad for an experienced gaffer.

[The Kingpin]

There's plenty of coaches outside of North America we should be considering. The MLS coaches do have an advantage of knowing more about the ins-and-outs of the league, but considering what the club can afford and the overall level of potential we have in the roster, I think we might want to look abroad for an experienced gaffer.

Agreed, I don't but into this "understanding the league" mentality. The GM should understand the league, the gaffer should understand how to make players play intelligent football.

[London]

steve nichols!!!!!

[CretanBull]

Agreed, I don't but into this "understanding the league" mentality. The GM should understand the league, the gaffer should understand how to make players play intelligent football.

I disagree...I think the MLS is just too tough of a league for a foreign coach who's used to a more traditional set up to be sucessfull in it. When you coach in Europe (for example) of course you have to make the players play intelligent football, but if someone doesn't fit in you can easily get rid of them and find someone who will fit in. In the MLS with its salary cap, some contracts guarenteed while others aren't, allocation money, convincing quality players to come to the league, convince them to play on plastic etc. its not as easy as it is in Europe to replace a under achieving player.

In Europe, you need "a" left back who can play in your system and if the one you have can't. you find one who can. In the MLS you need the left back that you have to play in your system and if he can't, you have to change your system because that's easier than waiving one of your midfielders or trading one of your strikers in a salary dump to make cap-space to add a left back then try to find a quality replacement who's willing to move his family to America (or Canada), who's willing to give up chartered flights for ecconomy seating, who's willing to give up 5 star hotels for MLS mandated Econo Lodges and willing to do it all at a fraction of their former salary.

Even if the GM deals with all the business side of the headaches, as a coach you're still left with decisions like "if I need a new left back, I've got to sacrafice one of my midfielders to make the salary work, and how does missing that mid effect my system/depth?" No other coach has to deal with that kind of crap or worry about those types of situations.

As a European coach, part of the culture of their job is knowing that if changes need to be made they can be made relatively easily. Some coaches, including all of the top coaches, come to rely on money being used to solve their problems. Ruud Gullit had success as coach at Chelsea (and to a lesser degree) Newcastle, but couldn't do a thing with the Galaxy. I doubt that he suddenly forgot tactics that had been bred into him from the time he was a young kid...I think that the nature of the MLS vs. almost every other league in the world makes it nearly impossible for a foreign coach to step in and be successfull without first getting some MLS experience as an assistant.

[Oldtimer]

I noticed that "keeping Cummins" was not a choice, so this is a biased poll.

A while back, an article was run on possible coaches for Philly. It's still good in giving a rundown of some good coaches, some of who could be available to TFC:

http://www.examiner.com/x-7377-Philadelphia-Soccer-Examiner~y2009m4d22-Top-10-Philly-MLS-coaching-candidates

[Hitcho]

steve nichols!!!!!

It's Steve NICOL guys. (That's like the sixth time I have had to post that in the last 18 hours, sheesh!).

Cretan Bull - good arguments, well made, tend to agree with you (although it's not always as easy for European coaches to change players as you make it sound, for example lower league clubs have the same salary issues as we do, because they cannot afford the wages not because of a cap, but the effect s the same).

[BoltonTFC]

WHo is this Steve Nichols guy? He must be good if everyone wants him. I for one would prefer Steve Nicol.

[Hitcho]

My 2 cents - we should stick with Cummins until at least the end of the season. bringing in a new coach necessitates a certain amount of squad upheaval. We are finally now, after almost three years, approaching the point where we have a decent and reasonably settled squad (adding this Dutch/Haitian LB and maybe a RM would just about do it). Do we really want to reach that point and say "let's sack the coach and go through it all again"?

I'm going to get murdered for saying this by the people consistently screaming for blood on here, but I don't even think making the play offs this season should be the determinative factor. If CC gets this squad playing good football and looking promising between now and the end of the season, and we just miss out, then I say keep him and give him a crack next season when A) he'll be in his first full season as head coach and B) we'll have a good squad from the season opener instead of something that comes together as the season progresses.

Put it this way, if we'd had this squad, all fit, for that huge run of hmoe games we had earlier in the season, we'd be higher up the table than we are now.

Of course, if we play turgid footie and look sketchy at the back for the rest of the season, then CC should be thanked and asked to go back to being assistant coach or replaced. But I really think the PERFORMANCES for the rest of the season should determine his future, not just making the post season, because if we play like crap and sneak into the play offs through sheer luck and some dodgy refereeing decisions, that's not a good yard stick to use.

[Hitcho]

WHo is this Steve Nichols guy? He must be good if everyone wants him. I for one would prefer Steve Nicol.

http://www.stevenichols.ca/

wow, he should make us look really good, no wonder everyone is after him...

[CretanBull]

Cretan Bull - good arguments, well made, tend to agree with you (although it's not always as easy for European coaches to change players as you make it sound, for example lower league clubs have the same salary issues as we do, because they cannot afford the wages not because of a cap, but the effect s the same).

True, but I don't think the dream is to pillage a European 3rd or 4th division team of their coach, it's to bring over a 'name' coach like the Galaxy tried to do with Gullit. Its those coaches, the 'names' who would be likely targets for MLS branding, who don't likely have any experience with the types of problems faced by MLS teams.

I'm not bashing our league, but it has some fucked up rules and coaches/GMs here are faced with a pretty...umm...unique? set of working conditions and I think to be successfull in this league you have to know it and not learn on the job.

[maninb]

Agreed, I don't but into this "understanding the league" mentality. The GM should understand the league, the gaffer should understand how to make players play intelligent football.

Not often i agree with ya...but you're spot on....A good manager can manage ANYWHERE, and should be able to adjust very quickly to MLS or any other league...

[Hitcho]

True, but I don't think the dream is to pillage a European 3rd or 4th division team of their coach, it's to bring over a 'name' coach like the Galaxy tried to do with Gullit. Its those coaches, the 'names' who would be likely targets for MLS branding, who don't likely have any experience with the types of problems faced by MLS teams.

I'm not bashing our league, but it has some fucked up rules and coaches/GMs here are faced with a pretty...umm...unique? set of working conditions and I think to be successfull in this league you have to know it and not learn on the job.

Yep, agree with all of that. Which is one of the reasons I have yet to see a convincing argument for Mo to be dropepd as GM. he knows the system well and plays it like a fiddle in many respects. Sure he has his shortcomings, but given his MLS knowledge (and ability to trade with other GMs etc) and the difficulty any GM would face in getting top players to TO and our plastic pitch, I think it'd be a big ask to better him.

[Beach_Red]

True, but I don't think the dream is to pillage a European 3rd or 4th division team of their coach, it's to bring over a 'name' coach like the Galaxy tried to do with Gullit. Its those coaches, the 'names' who would be likely targets for MLS branding, who don't likely have any experience with the types of problems faced by MLS teams.

I'm not bashing our league, but it has some fucked up rules and coaches/GMs here are faced with a pretty...umm...unique? set of working conditions and I think to be successfull in this league you have to know it and not learn on the job.

You're right, it's a weird league and you really do need a coach that knows it. But how else can a coach get to know it if not on the job? I guess you mean TFC should poach an already-established coach instead of developing their own but then that becomes kind of like what you said about European coaches just going and buying the right player for their system.

[CretanBull]

You're right, it's a weird league and you really do need a coach that knows it. But how else can a coach get to know it if not on the job? I guess you mean TFC should poach an already-established coach instead of developing their own but then that becomes kind of like what you said about European coaches just going and buying the right player for their system.

Work as an assistant coach. Steven Nicol has been mentioned a few times in this thread. Before becoming a coach, he played in the league and learned a little bit about it. He then went to the A-League and coached there for a season. He came back to New England as an assistant coach, and then finally became head coach. So, before being put in charge of the team he knew the league as a player, got a chance to learn about American football set-ups (vs. more traditional ones) as a head coach in a lower league, then got experience as an assistant coach in the MLS until earning his shot as a MLS coach. I think that if he went from playing in England to being the head coach of a MLS team he would have been a failure.

I think the best MLS coaches are in that mold (with variations). They need some mix of knowing the league as a player, being familiar with American football set-ups, having experience as an assistant coach in the MLS etc. to be successfull. There have been exceptions, but if you had to bank on success, I think the above is the best formula.

[Beach_Red]

Work as an assistant coach. Steven Nicol has been mentioned a few times in this thread. Before becoming a coach, he played in the league and learned a little bit about it. He then went to the A-League and coached there for a season. He came back to New England as an assistant coach, and then finally became head coach. So, before being put in charge of the team he knew the league as a player, got a chance to learn about American football set-ups (vs. more traditional ones) as a head coach in a lower league, then got experience as an assistant coach in the MLS until earning his shot as a MLS coach. I think that if he went from playing in England to being the head coach of a MLS team he would have been a failure.

I think the best MLS coaches are in that mold (with variations). They need some mix of knowing the league as a player, being familiar with American football set-ups, having experience as an assistant coach in the MLS etc. to be successfull. There have been exceptions, but if you had to bank on success, I think the above is the best formula.

Cummins worked as an assistant. Okay, I'm kidding . I agree with you, that's the way to go. Aren't there also coaches in MLS who came through NCAA? Didn't Sigi Schmid?

[CretanBull]

Cummins worked as an assistant. Okay, I'm kidding . I agree with you, that's the way to go. Aren't there also coaches in MLS who came through NCAA? Didn't Sigi Schmid?

I actually think that Cummins has done OK because of his time as an assistant. I'm not sure about Schmid, but it wouldn't surprise me if he was a NCAA coach. I know before coaching LA, he was the coach of the American U-20 team and an assistant to the US national team the year the World Cup was in America. In any event, he wouldn't be bogged down by a 'traditional' (ie European) way of doing things, coming from an NCAA background (if he did) he would have to learn the MLS, but he wouldn't have to unlearn a 100 years of doing things in a particular way.

[fetajr]

why does it need to be a coach with "MLS experience"?

if other leagues around the world are better quality than MLS, then why not get a guy who has vast experience in such leagues, so that when he begins work with TFC, his standard of teachings and ideology will be superior to what most of the MLS minds are accustomed to, wouldn't you think?

[fetajr]

I nominate:

Jorge Garces

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jorge_Garc%C3%A9s




Osvaldo Ardilles

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




hell, even Carlos Rivas, his soccer school is in Toronto
http://www.carlosrivassoccer.com

[CretanBull]

why does it need to be a coach with "MLS experience"?

if other leagues around the world are better quality than MLS, then why not get a guy who has vast experience in such leagues, so that when he begins work with TFC, his standard of teachings and ideology will be superior to what most of the MLS minds are accustomed to, wouldn't you think?

Like Ruud Gullit? Read my post above....

[SilverSamurai]

if within MLS, Nichols.
Otherwise outside of MLS.
I would like Cummins to stay on as an assistant since he knows the team. No matter what though, Dasovic (sp?) should stay on as an assistant or something. For the good of the Canadian program, but I don't think he should be the main coach. Besides we should be building on something not cleaning house, yet again.
I'm going to say someone that has experience in Latin America, but mainly because someone w/ that type of experience would be hugely beneficial when it comes to the Champions League/

[Stouffville_RPB]

ME!!!!!

[olegunnar]

What kind of coach would want to work in this set up?

Besides the underqualified who are looking for experience and those that are in need of a steady pay cheque? Both of which aren't going to be good enough

[trane]

If it was me I would look for a Serie C coach, who has brought some small team up the ranks, and whose team plays fundametaly sound football.

[fetajr]

If it was me I would look for a Serie C coach, who has brought some small team up the ranks, and whose team plays fundametaly sound football.

BINGO.

Big dollars is not always necessary, however for this to happen, we would need some scouting or skill to identify this talent. I don't think Mo or Anselmi could figure this out.

[London]

It's Steve NICOL guys. (That's like the sixth time I have had to post that in the last 18 hours, sheesh!).

thank you spelling police, i am forever in your debt!!!

do you want a cookie??

[trane]

^ I am not sure why we are no looking at something like that, if not Italy somewere else in the estalished footy world. We clearly need someone who can teach fundametals. After three years we are still lacking.

[mighty_torontofc_2008]

Since the CC option was not there, had to go with MO...but neither is going anywhere..you DONt fire CC for winning the canadian championship, and the team
actually in a playoff hunt...No ,manager changes at this time

[VPjr]

Option 1: Rafael Carbajal, head coach of Serbian White Eagles

Option 1A: Armando Costa, Head coach of Brampton Lions

Both of these coaches have more experience coaching men (not boys...they have plenty of that experience too) than Cummins or Dasovic. I know both men and these are both men who would turn this club around.

They are both local. They could both take over tomorrow. We don't need to look very far to find quality managers. Of course, they don't have the right agent so they'll never get the gig.

[fetajr]

Option 1: Rafael Carbajal, head coach of Serbian White Eagles

Option 1A: Armando Costa, Head coach of Brampton Lions

Both of these coaches have more experience coaching men (not boys...they have plenty of that experience too) than Cummins or Dasovic. I know both men and these are both men who would turn this club around.

They are both local. They could both take over tomorrow. We don't need to look very far to find quality managers. Of course, they don't have the right agent so they'll never get the gig.

I am all for this, this is exactly the 'thinking outside of the box' type of move that could get the best out of TFC.