John Herdman evaluation thread

[Oldtimer]

Time to set up a dedicated thread for John.

[OgtheDim]

Clothes & hair have a lot to do to match Vanney....

[rydermike]

Ranks below Chris Armas in career TFC wins..... Lowest winning percentage in club history at 0.000 with an 0-0-1 record....

[Mr. Inbetween]

Ranks below Chris Armas in career TFC wins..... Lowest winning percentage in club history at 0.000 with an 0-0-1 record....

^



Also, IMO, IIUC each sitch, am getting, besides a selfishness, some unprofessional vibes in the player management/relations manner aspects he’s so far treated the likes of Ibarra, Sapong and Seba; I would even include Dunfield in that, as of now, assessment as well.

[Canary10]

Tough news about Herdman today. Sounds like he’s had a really tough year. Hopefully he finds a lot of support being part of TFC.

[ensco]

I am not sure anyone knew he lost his sister last year, let alone that way. Very tough.

This interview is a must listen.

Herdman saying his biggest regret about Qatar 2022 is .. not quitting beforehand, is kind of wild. He is just a completely different breed of cat.

[OgtheDim]

6 games

After 2 games, we all had great thoughts

4 games later, probably not the same things would be said

There are some trends noticeable & its early days yet.


&


I'm not sure all of these last 2 results is on the players

[Oldtimer]

Some of it is on Herdman, but tbh it would be hard for any manager to make much of this unbalanced squad, especially with the only strong offensive player out for weeks.

[jloome]

I see a lot I like, a few things I don't.

I think he's got a little bit of blinders regarding certain players. Gomis is a good young defender, but that first goal was on him, and Rosted -- a more experienced defender who is decent in the air -- played well last week. To me, he should've probably started.

I'm not sure the 343 is always the best option. I think there are times when we're being pressed, like Vancouver, and they dont' have much behind that press that a 4132 would work better, switching us from a wide to narrow profile and attacking their spine when they've got three or four men high.

He's somewhat hamstrung by us having a deficient roster. To me, the way he's playing, Osorio still isn't back to starter quality. Maybe at 30, he never will be. He may have lost too much of a step, and he hasn't really adjusted for it. Coello isn't athletic enough most of the time. Flores is a workhorse but makes the odd really stupid play. Longstaff looks like a journeyman to me, decent enough but nothing special.

So... we don't really have any starting quality midfielders, compared to teams that will compete in this league.

Fede continues to try to do too much and was better at wingback, when he had to run both ways and keep things simple.

Spicer looked like a rookie today. Often out of position, didn't track back enough. He looked like a converted forward, which is what he is.

Kerr was decent but not great. Owusu offered nothing.,

I guess my point is that he doesn't really have a very good roster to work with, and for at least this year that's not going to change.

Sometimes, as such, we would be better playing a defensive shape -- a 4-5-1 even -- and trying to grind out results. Not sure Herdman is a practical sort of coach, more one who always goes for the win.

[jloome]

Some of it is on Herdman, but tbh it would be hard for any manager to make much of this unbalanced squad, especially with the only strong offensive player out for weeks.

Yeah.... this is a much more succinct and less rambling way of putting it

[MikeForbes]

I find Herdman's insistence on using Osorio in one of the primary attacking positions confusing when Oso has spent 8+ years as a successful box to box type midfielder in MLS. I get TFC has very little to no talent upfront when Insigne is out, but using one of your DPs out of position every game isn't a wise move.

[reggie]

according to herdman the leadership group put in a good shift in lastnight

[ag futbol]

With this team, I think it’s a roster building story first and a coaching story second.

There’s only so much Herdman can do with this group. Of course he’s not been perfect but I’d put whatever shortcomings he shows behind the fact we are severally lacking in certain areas

(Aka quit avoiding the problem and get a real, can’t miss striker to play up top instead of a bunch of half measures)

[JoesphNdo]

Yep overall I remain impressed. He's currently losing to teams with better players than we have, it is what it is. He can't perform miracles. We've a meagre squad with our best player, possibly best two players, injured.

We continue to be a horrifically assembled roster, and our decisions this winter are another chapter in that, and the blame for that isn't on Herdman. Getting a play off match continues to be a huge success if we can pull it off, and that will involve losing alot of matches.

[Oldtimer]

I find Herdman's insistence on using Osorio in one of the primary attacking positions confusing when Oso has spent 8+ years as a successful box to box type midfielder in MLS. I get TFC has very little to no talent upfront when Insigne is out, but using one of your DPs out of position every game isn't a wise move.

So who would you use as an attacking player? Akinola? It's not like there's a lot of options with this terribly assembled squad.

[OgtheDim]

Herdman in today's presser relieved a few of my concerns...still wondering about his ability to put together a midfield. But he was spot on about so many things in that presser.