Let's ask Barcelona how "pretty football" works out. I love their style of play but no one cares how pretty you play when you lose. Vermes is good, but give him time. He has a ton of background in the 4-3-3 being from his European experience and his fathers too. (His father played in the Hungarian first division with Honved). He has either by product of the system or coaching style turned fringe players into contributors. How many people last year would have thought Zusi or Sapong would be in camp cupcake? Kreis has done a wonderful job with RSL no knock about it, but like previous people have put it's not like they have a strangle hold on MLS. They scrapped by into the MLS cup and into the CCL. Both are small market teams performing very well. A home run for MLS as it stands.
As IndividualEleven noted about what as been done I think you have to as Sigi to the conversation since over the last decade or so he has been a monster. He has Won: 2 MLS Cups 2 Supporter Shields 4 Open Cups 1 Concacaf Champions Cup. Has a Career win percentage of 62.37 (includes college) But the think I think most people are over looking about Kries is not that he is or is not a good coach its how his team is actually built. Because the philosphy of the team seems to be the team is the star There are no real high priced players. Sure they have DPs but they are really DPs in name only as that none of them make over the league max. And it is only because of transfer fees. The result of this and what I think is starting to happen in KC though it is early yet to really say, is that RSL has a very low turnover rate. The spine of the team has on average been there for 6 years which accounts for 7 players. Then add in Borchers, Olave, Andy Williams and Russel. And you have a team that basically had the same starting lineup for half a decade. It is easy to be constant when you have constancy. RSL has built a team of mainly mid salary guys so the team always has room to make roster moves when needed but also does not have to dismantle the team every year or two. Which as we all know is a problem the LAG is facing after this season. Its not a knock on Kries either. It is actually really a smart move. But one has to take that into account none the less.
I decided to bump this article after seeing an article about Vermes on the front page of ESPN. So a season later what are everyones thoughts?
I don't like the way his teams play and would not be shocked if KC lost to any of the Eastern Conference foes when it really counts.
Alright, we will see. I say this. If a man can take his team, with one of the smallest budgets in MLS to the Cup this year, and the Eastern Conference finals back to back years he deserves to be in the hunt just as much as Kreis. He knows Europe, he played there when there was no way paved for Americans. He was one of the nats who knew what it was like to struggle and earn the right to play in a World Cup. I truly believe he could do wanders with our player pool.
Fair enough. Conversely he could fail and get oucoached by Kinnear again. (Another coach I would put ahead of him on the totem poll.)
Also fair enough. I think whoever constantly performs in MLS should get the next chance. As of late thats been Vermes. Turning around a terrible team and creating a dynasty that all it does is picks up points with people other teams wouldn't have rated.
Its tough to judge if he is a genius or the beneficiary of a confluence of good players. As of right now, he is still just a flavor of the day. Arena, Schmidt, Kinnear have longer track records of developing teams (in some cases, multiple teams) and bringing along players. Kreis has maintained consistency for multiple years (more than Vermes) in a league that is structured to keep everyone equal. Every coach in MLS will run into the long term consistency issues. Either they thrive or eventually get starved and/or exposed (Steve Nichols-I'd be curious to see him with a second chance with more supportive ownership).
He has been successful. Period. Last years loss in the East was a heart breaker against a very, very good Houston team, who barely lost to LA. That was a very young and inexperienced team. Its impressive what he has done with those players and that program.
There are others ahead of him on the managerial totem poll who have been more successful. No matter how impressive his regular season track record has been the last couple seasons.