Originally Posted by
rocker
Yes, it shows what can be accomplished when you have patience and give a rookie coach and GM time (more than a few months) to build a competitive squad.
The funny thing is, they did a completely unconventional hiring back in 2007. They took a former player, who retired, and installed him immediately as coach after the season had already started.
Then they didn't hire the GM (Lagerway) until near the end of the season. That's typically the reverse way of doing things. And people here talk about how "late" TFC waited to get a coach and GM in place... or how TFC didn't hire people with enough experience in their roles. Well golly gee, it worked for RSL.
I like this quote:
To hear Dave Checketts tell the story, his fellow owners and MLS commissioner Don Garber thought the Real Salt Lake owner had lost his mind. In 2007, Checketts called Garber and told him he had decided to move the 34-year-old Kreis straight from the playing field into RSL's head coaching position.
"You did
what?" Garber replied.
"I think he has every possible characteristic of a great head coach," Checketts said.
"Dave, we have a whole list of people you could interview for that job."
"I know. This is the guy I want."
and also
"I have been around professional sports long enough to know that great coaches have certain characteristics," says Checketts. "Most are guys who were overachievers. Jason was a star in MLS, but I had watched him play for us. He'd play any position he was ever asked. He had always shown up in phenomenal shape and was an extra hard worker. And he had a will to win and never give up."
The funny thing is, we're a team that is in exactly the same place RSL was in 2007, and now we've done the same sort of thing, let's hope it goes as well (or better). It does seem that our new coaches have a "team first" philosophy and aren't particularly interested in getting another DP.