Bez in 2018 - An Evaluation

[OgtheDim]

Bez - 2018 - after today, not looking so good


Like, the guy was golden right up until we won the MLS Cup.

Then...well.

• Beitashour
• Aketxe
• VDW
• BIG Contract for Zavs
• No contract talks with the DP's
• Draft picks not here anymore

vs.

• Auro
• Osorio contract
• Endoh to TFCII proving himself
• Janson (?)

Until Dec 2017, we all said the same thing - in Bez we trust.

But, after what happened recruitment wise in 2018, would we still say that?

[Auzzy]

Good points.

In addition: I'm happy that Osorio got a contract, but we don't know what the number is yet, nor how that will play out.

[ag futbol]

Before we completely savage this guy, it's worth noting he was here since 2013 and made a lot of good moves to build a championship roster.

But if I were to put a title on Bez's 2018 book, it would be "the diary of a very bad year"

[barticusz]

I would agree that 2018 was a disaster on the contractual side however, that isn’t all on Bez. We keep getting told that it’s a three headed team that is making the roster decisions so some blame falls on Vanney and Manning too.

Bez seemed to have a fondness for rehabilitation projects, Altidore, Vazquez, Aketxe, VDW, Kantari, Perquis.. the list goes on and on. The players either revived their careeers and did extremely well or they absolutely fell flat. He never did seem to be able to find that young talent that we could build around, like Atlanta has been able to do.

This is why I’m excited for Curtis as I hope he has a better ability to identify young talent. Add to that deeper pockets and willingness to still spend on older players and we could turn things around.

[paul-collins]

My take on Osorio's contract is that he went from a struggling player in 2016/mid 2017 to an emerging star in late 2017. Bez' contract offer to him was a forced move and can't be judged as part of his work (unless he wildly overpaid but that's not my instinct). So I'm not sure I'd put that in either a positive or negative column for him. Otherwise I'd agree with Og's list.

In a way, barticusz is right. Bez had a fondness for the written-off and chronically undervalued. He wasn't fond of sticking his neck out for unproven talent, but he loved the idea of proven-but-lost talent being rediscovered.

[Initial B]

In hindsight, I think Bez will be view as an above average manager that got us over the hump we needed. We'll have to see how his body of work continues in Columbus before we can fully critique his work here.

[JoesphNdo]

Boiling a man who was a major part of our turnaround down to one season of risky transfers that, with the benefit of hindsight, didn't happen to work out, since no transfer is guaranteed to work out, is asinine. Aketxe was a risk worth taking, he had talent and pedigree and we needed a young player to ultimately take the reigns from Vasquez, it didn't work out but that's life - he was the right signing at the time and given the same circumstances I'd sign a player like that again in a heartbeat. VDV was a gamble but again fit the system we wanted to play (Beita did not anymore, we needed attacking fullbacks) and it didn't work out though on the field he was pretty decent and did contribute. You wouldn't judge Alex Ferguson on signing Veron and David Bellion. Talking about Bez using one season and and arm chair quarter backing some signings that we now have perfect knowledge of how they'll work out is completely unfair

[JonO]

Then...well.

• Beitashour

I brought it up in a another thread on this, but this seems a better fit. As I remember it, the story on Beitashour was that we could not afford to give him the raise he was looking for and still fit the roster under the cap. Although VdW cost more, we were able to use funny money to bring his cap hit down that we could not use for Beitashour (as an existing player). At least that was the story that was being sold.

As a sucker, I am happy to accept that at face value, but I guess, as our cap expert, this situation fell squarely on Bez's shoulders.

[ensco]

Injuries. Too small a sample set.

[ag futbol]

I brought it up in a another thread on this, but this seems a better fit. As I remember it, the story on Beitashour was that we could not afford to give him the raise he was looking for and still fit the roster under the cap. Although VdW cost more, we were able to use funny money to bring his cap hit down that we could not use for Beitashour (as an existing player). At least that was the story that was being sold.

As a sucker, I am happy to accept that at face value, but I guess, as our cap expert, this situation fell squarely on Bez's shoulders.

Beitashour himself seemed a little bit burnt by the whole episode. Made it sound like the team was uninterested in resigning him as much as “finding the money” was a problem.

I think Vanney / Bez thought the future of that position was a really prolific fullback that would attacking heft more so than a solid MLS vet. So they pass on Beitashour but completely whif on their new signing. Although, even VDW at his best isn’t that attack minded. What they needed was the luxury version of Auro. Not someone in the mould of an all-arounder.

[Section_105]

if you haven't yet, then read Joshua Klokes book on TFC and you will get a better feeling for what Bez went through and what he brought to our team.

but for thousands of minutes lost to injury last year we aren't having this discussion.

[OgtheDim]

Injuries. Too small a sample set.

One year eval is what I was thinking. An assessment of his work last year would, given what we have seen in my mind, not be so golden.

if you haven't yet, then read Joshua Klokes book on TFC and you will get a better feeling for what Bez went through and what he brought to our team.

but for thousands of minutes lost to injury last year we aren't having this discussion.

Enjoyed the book. I agree without the injuries, we are not looking at this as a whiff year for Bez. But, the whiff stuff did happen. I was looking at this as a 1 year eval, not a career.

And, to be fair, a lot of GM work in a year is about 3 years from now.

[Section_105]

, we are not looking at this as a whiff year for Bez. But, the whiff stuff did happen.

yeah, it was definitely a whiff.....after the CCL the wheels fell completely off. in light of the Seba drama from the last few days it might have been just the beginning. Will be interesting to see if we get some behind the scenes details in the years to come of what happened in our 2018 season and this past offseason.

[ensco]

I found interesting footage of Bez' final moments at TFC. He was already sporting Crew colours

https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=8JP1RBE24ik

[Red CB Toronto]

I found interest footage of Bez' final moments at TFC. He was already sporting Crew colours

https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=8JP1RBE24ik

LOL nice one, would to think what would have happened if he slipped doing that ?

[hulkrogan]

They guy came close to winning everything you can. I don't know how he goes down as anything but a great manager. I'll eat a few years of shit in exchange for being able to reminisce on the best season this club will see for a very long time.

[Mark TFC]

Bez smells like pee now.