From Grant Wahl's latest: http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/2004/writers/grant_wahl/07/15/diving/index.html I like the idea of Harkes, myself. He could move out to Utah right away with his wife, kids, and Eric Wynalda's wife.
Some thoughts... I like Myernick personally; nice gentleman. He does have a tendancy to overcoach his squads which makes for boring, but sometimes effective, play. Sampson, IMHO, having spent some time around him, is an arrogant prick. Call me the least surprised person on the planet when the 98 team fell apart do to his unilateral choices regarding Harksey and hiding his team from the world during the tournament. I think Dir could be an interesting option. Though his Dallas teams managed to have off games where they gave up recod-breaking #s of goals, it appeared that they were at least entertaining, and at most, always in the playoffs. Dir obviously knows all the players in the league and would bring instant credibility. Comments from used-to-be-known-as-the-Burn fans? I would like to see Harkes get a season or two as an assistant before trying to coach. I'm sure he knows his stuff tactically, but player management, and avoiding their wives, may be a skill he needs to learn. From that list, I'd rank em: 1) Dir 2) Myernick 3) Harkes 4) Arrogant prick - enjoy Chivas...just gives us another reason to hate that squad.
When you consider that the Utah Rockchucks' coach is going to be working with castoffs, rookies & just plain guys that no one else really wanted; maybe an arrogant prick is what we need? I am never going to be completely on Let's Blood-Atone Sampson Bandwagon. (I was at the US Brazil Gold Cup Semifinal in '98) Hee, hee! Harkes, Mrs Harkes & Mrs Wynalda can move down to Colorado City or Bluffdale & commute up..........
Dir's got a real eye for talent. He might be a little wanting as a coach, but he at least kept the Burn competitive and in the playoffs in the years when the Burn were a league-run team and had to put winning teams together by signing cheap unknowns and swindling good players out of other teams in trades. He didn't get fired because he was a bad coach, he got fired because after five years with him in charge, the team couldn't make the final step to the championship. Obviously, after the Mike Jeffries era, Burn fans are a bit more appreciative of what Dir managed to accomplish. He would be a good coach for Salt Lake.
I just don't know enough about him to have an opinion. (Wait...will this get me thrown off Big Soccer?)
I like Dave Dir, looks a bit porn star, but that might not play well in SLC. How about a guy like Paul Caligiuri? MLS vet, USMNT savior, young college coach, hard worker, not a forward (Goalkeepers and defenders make better coaches). == Steve Sampson - bwaaaaahahahahhhahahahahhaa. He's so bad Kenn Tomasch named a parady magazine after him.
Johnston won't be it, because he better wait until Gansler retires to be a head coach. I think Dir would be excellent. Remember, isn't he from Colorado, I know he's at least coached the foxes. So, he would be probably open to the chance of moving back to that general area.
We've got the Drooler here in C-bus, and if all goes as planned (actually just prayed and hoped for) he will be unemployed sometime between today and the end of the season.
Guys with jobs are out. We'll have a coach before the end of the season. The announced schedule was for the expansion draft to take place in November. After the MLS Cup on 11/14 to be fair. Word is that interviews of GM's has already started.
Ricardo Lavolpe is looking for work. Yeah, won't that be a big hit............Lavolpe chainsmoking on the sidelines and The Riot Squad or the Ultras chanting YSA or Magic Underwear resets in the stands.........
