The Front Office Purge of 2012

I can't say I'm upset by this news. And I think the new owners know how important a good relationship between the front office and the supporters is. At least I hope so.

And I'll be shocked if Zack still has a job. He was Payne's guy.

 

Stewart as a technical director would fit right in with our academy vision. He would expand on the Dutch tactical/technical movement we have with Silooy. He's an x team mate of Jaime, so there should be a good working relationship there.

Furthermore he's a former team mate of Ben at club and NT. He's a former team mate of Wolff at the NT level.

Earnie has 14 years of experience with the NT. He knows and gets our NT set up and he gets the American player. He also has 15 years experience in Dutch leagues. Most importantly he has recent FO experience at a really significant club in Holland. Clubs in Holland are renowned for being among the most financially and structurally sound clubs in Europe. AZ in particular has a great reputation in scouting talent all over the world and developing world class talent from within.

Earnie wouldn't be cheap and it would be tough to pry him away from a well known club like AZ ... but we have the money now. Investing in a world class technical director will do more in the long run than a DP. We really have an opportunity to put together a real world class team with Stewart at the top and Olsen, Wolff, Onstad, Moreno and Silooy working in the trenches.

 

Warning: blind speculation below.

Anyone think Garth Lagerway might be interested in a move back to the District? He has done an absolutely tremendous job with RSL, but we could probably offer him more resources to work with (thanks rich-uncle Eric), and I imagine he might still consider D.C. to be his true home. I know he has an extensive legal background, but I'm not sure if he'd be a better fit to replace Kaspar or KP.

 

Here's some more blind speculation.

Why would KP leave before a stadium deal got done? He's been trying for 10 years now. It must not be as close as people seem to believe it is.

 

Or, maybe because the owners want someone else in that job? Or because their idea of what his role would be with the team was not acceptable to him?

I have no idea where things stand with the stadium; but your conclusion doesn't follow at all.

 

Two things (while we're speculating):
(1) It might not have been his choice
(2) It could also mean it's all done except a few i's to be dotted and t's to be crossed.

In other words, we have no idea.

 

I think the bolded part is the key here.
Levien and company might want some fresh faces on that front.

 

This scenario reminds me a great deal of when Jerry Jones bought the Cowboys. Tex Schramm was kept on board for a while but once the transition period was over and the new regime firmly in place, Schramm was jettisoned.

 

KP got canned BECAUSE he's been trying for 10 years now. That's way too long.

 

Isn't Lagerwey in favor at Salt Lake?

I think it would be bad karma in stealing away their guy. In a tight knit league like MLS you can create a bad reputation by cherry picking people from under other owners' noses. Especially with single entity and all.

Unless RSL and Garth part ways mutually. I don't see why Checketts would want to part ways with Garth since RSL has been turned into a perennial title contender.

 

I think this might be the biggest reason why - They appear to be more of an active, hands-on type of group, so Payne's role would be diminished

As for the responsibility to get a stadium for DC United, that's NOT the job of the Front Office - Thats the OWNER'S job - MacFarlane failed on Poplar Point, NOT Payne - MacFarlane failed on Morgan Blvd, NOT Payne - Then the guy with money (MacFarlane) left the team leaving Uncle Will holding court at tailgates with the supporter groups - DC Unite's stadium failures were NOT Payne's fault

 

Dream team.

 

It's not without precedent.

Rongen from the Mutiny to the Revs. Bradley from the Fire to the MetroStars. Alexi Lalas from the Earthquakes to the MetroStars.

I think if he wanted to go and wasn't under contract, RSL would let him go.

 

Honestly, all of the speculation in this thread is weird.. quite frankly I think TFC was just willing to spend more money on someone like Payne, given their troubles in the last few years.

Simple as that.

Bleed Black and Red all you want, but if someone is going to give you more power and perhaps as much as 2x or 3x as much salary/benefits- then welp.

 

19 May 2001
Crew Stadium
Cowlumbus, OH

Post Game

Me (Weaving ever so slightly): How the hell do we get back downtown from this place?
Buddy (Weaving even more slightly): Dunno, where are the cabs? The bus? What kind of backwater is this?
Me: Excuse me Mister can we catch a ride back downtown with you (repeat a dozen times)
Mister: No. (repeat a dozen times)
Buddy: Excuse me fellow United supporter can we catch a ride back downtown? (repeat half a dozen times)
Fellow United Supporter: Sorry car full (repeat half a dozen times).
Me (Listing slightly to port now. Parking lot almost empty. MeridianFC very sad.): Hey, isn't that the DCU team bus?
Buddy (listing slightly to starboard): Yes, I believe it is.
Me (approach bus door, knock on bus door): Excuse me kind bus driver, we're two lost and lonely DCU fans who have no way to get downtown, could we just, you know catch a ride to the city limits?
Bus Driver: No way, no how.

Buddy and I walking away, heads down, contemplating the long dark trek back on the side of I-71.

Kevin Payne: Hey, is it just you two?
Me: Er, yes.
Kevin Payne: Get on the bus.

Thank you for 17 years of service and looking out for the fans.

 

Less tongue in cheek response- sometimes things are as simple as money.

 

I think this is a true win-win. Toronto is woeful and needs help. Payne will be a vast improvement and knows how to deal with fans. Good fit for TO. At the same time, to reach the next level we need new blood, and a new approach.

Thanks for the service, and good luck Kevin. No amount of mouthwash will clear out the bad taste from 2010, but there were so many other sweet memories... A great guy from my experience.

As for Earnie Stewart, wow what a great idea. In this league coaching + motivation + organization > talent differential. If you're unconvinced of that, see our last 10 games of 2012. Earnie would be fantastic AND having a strong technical director could help balance out Ben's lack of experience (and his questionable use of DPs over the last year, which may have been appropriate but isn't likely to get better players to line up to play for him).

 

Ten years and no stadium=fail. I actually think it will now happen because one of our owners is a closer.

 

fwiw, Goff saying that KP is saying it was 100% his idea and he needed a new challenge

 

Yeah, because rebuilding an on the field legacy that's been in ashes and an off the field situation with a stadium built in 1961 isn't a challenge at all.