2012-13 Offseason Thread

Kristian Dyer reporting that the search is over, and McAllister is in fact our guy.

http://www.bigapplesoccer.com/teams/redbulls2.php?article_id=32563

Really disappointing stuff from Houllier to not only shove his buddy into a position he didn't earn, but pay him a ridiculous salary that could be used to improve other parts of the club.

 

Glad it's over.

Don't really know him as player or coach.

Seems to be respected by Liverpool/Houllier.

Guy comes in with a clean slate for me.

 

You all seem like a pretty negative and xenophobic bunch, which given your club history, really isn't all that surprising. But I don't understand your aversion to the Red Bull sponsorship that injected so much cash into your organisation. Were the pre-Red Bull years any better?

 

Though xenophobia does abound on this forum at times, the aversion to foreign managers/coaches is not just illogical hatred of foreigners. The history of this league with its labyrinthine rules and regulations has been unkind to foreign coaches with no experience in the USA (a fact that any Metro fan knows all to well). The learning curve for foreign coaches seems to be a couple of years, and for a fan base starved for success and with a roster that is not built for long-term development the hiring of McAllister looks suspect at best.

 

Regarding xenophobia--i can certainly see how it could be perceived that way. Let me shed some light on the Board chatter, if I can.

It's not that we hate someone for not being American---the Euro/American debate comes from the incontrovertible stat that no one without previous experience with US Soccer (be it in college or as an MLS player or assistant coach or as a head coach in another MLS Club) has ever had success in MLS as a head coach. Therefore it seems like obstinate lunacy for the front office to go against the grain and insist on hiring people who know nothing about the league and will be handicapped from day one due to a steep learning curve. This is not putting your club in the best position to succeed.

Regarding McAllister --i don't know the man, i don't hate him. I am less than impressed by his record though and I question whether it was the right move by this organization to pay a coach DP money. He will have his work cut out for him as far as convincing the hardcore faithful of his suitability for the job. If we're lucky this will be Backe part 2. If we're unlucky this will be Ruud Gullit all over again.

 

McAllister as Coach

Coventry--resigned after 1 year on the job

Leeds United--fired in his 2nd year--including a loss to a non-football league side

Wanted a coaching job with Motherwell, but they passed him over

Couldn't come to an agreement with Portsmouth after they expressed interest in him (prob due to ridiculous salary demands just like now with the Red Bulls)

Assistant coach with Middlesbrough

Assistant Manager with Aston Villa--led Villa to 2 impressive wins as interim coach (Manager was hospitalized) vs Arsenal, vs Liverpool, but was not retained by club and McLeish was hired as new Manager.
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Looking at this brief resumee--I'm not sure what exactly McAllister has done to merit such a huge salary with Red Bull. Let's hope this appointment is the one where McAllister at last finds success as a head coach.

 

http://www.mlssoccer.com/news/artic...lls-have-not-offered-coaching-job-mccallister

Maybe Dyer jumped the gun...

 

Thanks for those explanations. Although it does seem that DC United has done pretty well with their foreign imports over the years. Almost all of their MVPs are foreign and half of the MLS Cup winning coaches are foreign as well.

 

But those foreign coaches had previous experience before coming to MLS with US Soccer be it in the college levels or they started out as assistant MLS coaches. That is very different than coming in "cold."

 

got it.

 

I'd rather we just got someone in now. Whether it's someone you want or not, we all have to agree it's in the clubs best interest to have someone in charge and have them settled in with the squad before next season starts.

 

This draft coming up in 2 weeks is going to be an absolute disaster unless someone in the organization has already made draft plans ....No way I expect a new Euro coach to get up to speed in 2 weeks.

 

I'm sure Campos and Petke would be largely involved regardless of whether it was a foreign or domestic coach coming in.

 

Which draft are you talking about, we have not a pick, Soler and Backe sale all them out....

 

You forgot that the new management got one back after Soler & Backe left. We have the third pick in the second round - that was acquired in the Gallego/Kimura trade with Portland.

Anyways, the success or failure to pick a good player isn't dependent on who the new head coach is or when he is announced. Petke/Campos will take care of it just fine.

 

Lade is homegrown, no? But I get your point. Even when not prioritizing the draft, we've made a couple good picks, and the academy is another path for youth to the team.