Nowak was terrible in terms of managing and acquiring personnel but I think he was better at in game tactics than Hack (damning with faint praise to be sure).
The replacement absolutely needs to be someone without any ties to the current organization. The best the current regime produced was a one and done playoff appearance. That simply isn't good enough for a team in the fourth largest media market in the country.
If you look at Nowak's last 62 matches in charge (the same amount Hackworth has coached so far), he had 18 wins, 22 losses, and 22 draws, for a total of 76 points. If you look at Hack's 62 matches in charge, the Union are 21 wins, 24 losses, 17 draws, for a total of 80 points. Their performance is basically identical, and you could make the argument Nowak had fewer resources the first season than Hack did last season (despite the salary cap issues). It's sad, but regardless of how poor Hack's performance is going forward, we all know he probably has more job security than the majority of MLS managers. Nick has incredibly high respect for Hackworth and I don't think he cares enough about winning to part company with him.
People are still caught up on the F.O. hate? I think Sak is keeping Hack on a very short leash. The F.O. just spent a bunch of money this offseason. Why would they just let it go to waste?
They also fired Nowak in June when no one expected him to go until at the end of the season, if ever.
Wanted: Manager - MLS Club in the Philadelphia market will have a new and exciting opportunity available by Memorial Day. The right applicant will have : 1)Fluency in soccerly things, like formations and stuff. 2)Knowledge of positions and player deployment. 3) Strong budget management skills are required. Player acquisitions above budget require a business case. 4) Commutable to Chester Park. 5) Travel 50% required. 6) Public relations and media skills desired, but not required as media will not ask anything too stressing.
Not sure how I would feel about this one, but Jesse Marsch (sp?) is out there. Got a raw deal with Psycho Saputo up there and I believe has been plying his trade in the college ranks lately.
I thought he went on some family globe trotting trip a la Landon's Jungle Adventure. Agree he would be interesting, didn't think he did enough to get to canned, but tough to tell at this distance. In unrelated news, Tom Sermanni has some time on his hands...looking around to "see what coaching opportunities pop up".
I'm still willing to give Hackworth a chance to improve things. Are the players, given the influx of a new midfield, still adjusting to each other? That said, I want to actually start seeing adjustments in tactics and substitution patterns which result in important changes such as goal production and holding leads late in games.
Lots of posters keep harping on the substitution patterns, and the subs themselves.............. So who would everyone bring in?? Who of our subs is a game changer? Ribeiro is not, he's an unproven rookie who's coming off an injury. Everyone seems to be in agreement that Hoppenote is not either. Fernandes is looking like an "Impact" Sub this season. On Saturday, who was realistically available to change the game/tactics? What, do you want to bring Berry in? And then do what Bunker? Fairly certain most of you HATE that strategy when playing with a lead...........
The situation didn't call for a game changer, it called for a game manager. Up 2-1 on the road and late, the game calls for someone to help them see it out. Lahoud for Casey (or LeToux but Casey looked gassed, this will continue to play out) and let SLT be alone up top. Lahoud is a safety valve. This weird obsession with Hoppencruz to "stretch tired D" doesn't ever result in points for the U. Neither of them can hold onto the ball, and maintaining possession is exactly what that team needed to do. Look, I feel kind of dirty just mentioning Lahoud, who is a poor man's Keon Daniel, but he could have helped. The other piece? Whenever a team is trailing and pressing to equalize they look for set piece opportunities. What will Hopp do to improve that? He's three apples high. So from a sub perspective, Hack didn't make the right choice. I got hopeful when Bone was coming on, that it was for Fernandes instead of Casey made me shake my head.
Against Montreal, we were a man up and the only tactic Montreal had left was long balls to Di Vaio....and still our backs were bombing forward and left him open for a long pass. All we needed to do was keep shape, stay organized and see out the game. The Chicago game was the same deal....but still they were able to get behind us. Possession has to mean something...it can't just be a 2014 Union tagline! If we have the ball, it makes it difficult for the other team to score, Hack's teams have a total disregard for possession...they turn the ball over like it's their god given right!! For all the good Carroll does, he immediately erases with horrible passes and we're hit with a counter. Saying all that, the substitutions do not change any factors in the game....If we're a goal up, why change a striker for another striker? Especially in the 80th minute! Put a DM out there instead and take care of the ball and play into the corners.....but most of all, TAKE CARE OF THE BALLLLL!!!
Who knows if he would be an upgrade or not. We really don't know what his coaching s Well, for starters, I would have brought in Berry for Wheeler as a sub. Not to bunker -- you still play the regular game try to push the ball -- but to tighten up the defense.
Nowak was also a lot better at drafting. I found the players below still playing professionally: 2010 - Okugo (MLS), McInerney (MLS), Mwanga (MLS) 2011 - MacMath (MLS), M. Farfan (Liga-MX), Richter (MLS) 2012 - Hoffman (MLS), Jordan (NASL), Gaddis (MLS), Hoppenot (MLS), Brandt (USL-P) Hack's drafts: 2013 - Okai (USL-P), Fernandes (MLS), Bentick (NASL) 2014 - Blake (MLS), Ribeiro (USL-P), Marquez (MLS), Quinn (USL-P) Blake rides the bench and I don't believe Marquez has even seen the 18 yet. That leaves Fernandes as the only Hack draft pick to see meaningful minutes. So much for the best draft ever.
One, I was all over the comments of that link and two, Dan Anding isn't signed somewhere?!?!? You guys never said nothing!
The reality is that we have no idea. Sak won't make negative comments about his thoughts toward a current manager and at times seems unpredictable. We don't really know what he thinks of Hackworth.
Other than Mwanga, Nowak never spent any time on the draft. They are all Hack's drafts. Four of the Union current starters are Union draft picks (would have been five if hey kept Jack). That's a pretty high percentage in MLS. Oh...and Perk started for LA on Sunday so he should be on you list.
Like the time Piotr tripped over Sugarman's debt sheet in the boardroom and said "derp". Hack said,"ya know a pretty good goal song is kinda similar". And the rest, as they say, is hackstory.