Clarke vs. Andrulis

[Viking64]

Jefe said in the "Fire Clarke" thread...
Bump.
No matter what exactly you think ails the team, it all comes back to the coach eventually.
Crew fans wanted to fire Andrulis for longer than Clarke has been coach. A lot longer to be honest. Heck they may still want him fired. Yet Crew just tied the league record for most games without losing. I was sure the Crew would suck until now, and then he'd be fired in the off season.

discuss

[FCDallas------]

Viking is a wise man who makes a good point.

Clarke's squad has looked great at times and like crap at others just like the Crew of last year and some of this year under Andrulis.

The tools are there and with another offseason with the possibility of a few signings and FC Dallas is on the way to better days

[Chamo]

Andrulis will make HSG seem wise or foolish depending on how the Crew do in the playoffs. Back in 2001, Andrulis and his Crew were the hottest team going into the playoffs (which is different than what Clarke has done in his first full year). They were promptly dispatched in the first round by SJ. This Columbus Crew bringing a longer undefeated streak into the playoffs still has that "2001 we can't handle the heat" stink all over it.

[FCDallas------]

very true Chamo its like apples and oranges since its two different teams different players, etc After Saturdays performance its hard to not just think that they're out of it and will choke in the last two games :eek:

[Viking64]

Chamo is right to a point; HSG feels vindicated in keeping Andrulis while the core fanbase was braying for his head.

Problem is this MIGHT be the wrong lesson to learn. Clarke may never achieve what Andrulis has, and HSG tightwads that they are will go years thinking "he's just around the corner." That's why next year is everything. He'll have options, cap room, and two expansion teams to kick arse on.

[Chamo]

Andrulis will make HSG seem wise or foolish depending on how the Crew do in the playoffs. Back in 2001, Andrulis and his Crew were the hottest team going into the playoffs (which is different than what Clarke has done in his first full year). They were promptly dispatched in the first round by SJ. This Columbus Crew bringing a longer undefeated streak into the playoffs still has that "2001 we can't handle the heat" stink all over it.
I called it way back when. I am the greatest ever!!! ;)

Consider this another argument for not keeping Clarke.

[burning247]

The problem with Clarke was that we knew with about 8 or so games left that the same GD lineup wouldn't work against anyone yet he kept the same core of crap (aka Talley, Quill, Davis, Nhelko). I know we don't have a lot to choose from but jesus it was just the same predictable crap week and in and week out, and everyone was ready for it.

[theodore]

I called it way back when. I am the greatest ever!!! ;)


Why drag my good name into this. Chamo, you might as well let everyone know the formula for making predictions concerning HSG. If they can be cheap, they will. If they can propogate an old antiquated retro style they will. Boring losing soccer with few to witness the bloodshed is their magical concoction.

Another trend is their innability to size up talent, (won't spend money on knowledgeable soccer management) . I'll bet they could be easily cheated out of Kyle Martino. Unfortunately, it will probably be by a non-HSG entity. Apply these principles to any pending decision that HSG will make, and you too can play the sage.

[Chamo]

Why drag my good name into this.
Theo, don't be so sensitive! I was just having a good time with the bigsoccer tags as in I (or anybody else for that matter) can go back in time and claim having "the gift" as well.

[Viking64]

Really something that final Crew game.

Pro: Andrulis should be fired in the next hour. Only a hapless nitwit would start Dante Washington who had not seen MLS action in over a year, over anyone in a return match playoff game, much less Edson Buddle.

Con: Missing two penalty kicks in the same game is not the fault of a coach. He is not coaching 8 year olds, pro soccer players that blow penalty kicks like that should be fired on the spot. Anyone want to bet Paule and Sannah are not protected in the expansion draft?

It's hard to say Nichol outcoached Andrulis, since all he had to do was not screw up the lineup card. Andrulis did all Nichol's work for him. :eek:

[inferno man]

He said in a sideline interview that he played Sanneh at attacking mid so he would be up front for crosses.

However, he also flip flopped his outside backs. Heydude to left back instead of right back. The rookie to right back. They both had been delivering pretty good crosses before this game. In this game they were unable to deliver very many good crosses with their off foot. Go figure??

Then he starts Dante who just joined the team.

Sanneh is trying to be a #10??

What happened to the lineup and strategy that went a record number of games without loss. What happened to being aggressive with the winning lineup and strategy on the home field? Did the coach lose his composure under playoff pressure? I got the impression he was blaming the players for the loss. Sometimes that's a sign of a coach covering up for himself.

This is also a situation where the first assistant coach moves into the head coaching position when the head coach gets fired or leaves under pressure.

[burning247]

He said in a sideline interview that he played Sanneh at attacking mid so he would be up front for crosses.

However, he also flip flopped his outside backs. Heydude to left back instead of right back. The rookie to right back. They both had been delivering pretty good crosses before this game. In this game they were unable to deliver very many good crosses with their off foot. Go figure??

Then he starts Dante who just joined the team.

Sanneh is trying to be a #10??

What happened to the lineup and strategy that went a record number of games without loss. What happened to being aggressive with the winning lineup and strategy on the home field? Did the coach lose his composure under playoff pressure? I got the impression he was blaming the players for the loss. Sometimes that's a sign of a coach covering up for himself.

This is also a situation where the first assistant coach moves into the head coaching position when the head coach gets fired or leaves under pressure.

yea on second thought, Andrulis makes Clarke look like a genious. Just Wow, Greg, wow, how can you ******** something up so bad?

[texgator]

Why the F is Sanneh taking a series tying penalty kick anyway? Okay, so Paule missed the first PK, so I understand not putting him up there. Why not Buddle, he was in the game at the time? Why not Cunningham? That was horrible.

[texas arsenal]

If those 2 PK's were converted the Crew would be thru and all would be happy.

[mudpoet]

If those 2 PK's were converted the Crew would be thru and all would be happy.and I wouldn't have started the oh-so-unpopular Revs thread. :rolleyes:

[BulaJacket]

What I was gonna say has basically been covered a couple posts earlier...

Clarke is a genius compared to Andrulis.
Regardless of missing 2 PKs, there were stupid moved by GA in that game.
Plus, how are you gonna let Sanneh take the PK when Cunningham, Buddle, Martino, & Washington are at your disposal? (not sure which were on the field). I understand not using Paule because his confidence was gone, but jeez....

[Scipio Gothicus]

In my repeated an vigorous defenses of CC, I never mentioned Andrulis. I never thought there was any point, as the cases are not parallel.

If I were a Columbus fan, I would have been calling for a new coach for years. I would not have been singing his praises during the undefeated streak, in fact, I might have been talking about Nottingham Forest. After being knocied out of the playoffs, I probably would have been yelling things like I was in previous years about a previous Burn coach.

The Burn made some progress this year, a little more than I expected. Thus, I am willing to give CC some time. How much time depends on what the team does next season. If the MLS remains true to form, the league will sign a few players, distribute them around, and offers FC Dallas a DIII player. If FC Dallas asks for the MLS to sign players, and the MLS refuses, then perhaps CC deserves a little more time. Not Andulis time, but more.

If FC Dallas somehow ends up with the player they want, and he is a bust, then CC will have to answer for it. An MPA is a lot to waste. The scneario in which I would want CC removed is if the MPA turns out to be a very good player, and FC Dallas does not progress.

The off season may be as interesting as the season itself.

Cheers!
Sir Drinxalot, stomach in knots.
Chief Justice Scalia or Chief Justice Stalin, oops, I meant to type Ginsburg?

[Drum'r Boy]

Well, one way to look at this is to compare a few things.

Fraser v. Jolley - Adv. GA
Marshall v. Gibbs - Adv. CC (whichever way you break that out, it comes out the same)

Simo v. Elliott - tie?

Sanneh v. . . . . ? - Adv. GA (even though he was only there late - but it is an advantage nonetheless)

Martino v. Davis/Quill - Adv. GA

Forwards - even. Buddle and EJ are close, and the remaining forward conglomerate is more of a Charlie Foxtrot than something worth comparing.

Ronnie v. Hejduk - tie? Either way, it is pretty close.

Outside backs? maybe an advantage to GA.

GK? Jon stayed healthy, but CC had real solid play from Scott and Jeff most of the season. Adv. CC.

I think after you get past this, a lot of this comes down to style. Unlike those who tried to imply otherwise, CC didn't do what GA actually did - play conservative. It got Columbus in the playoffs, but then they couldn't finish the deal.

I agree with SG on this - we saw improvement, and have the assets (or potential assets) to make another significant step in the offseason.

Now - I will say this - he had better make DAMN good use of those assets. We better have holes filled in central midfield and up top (and hopefully at outside back and left midfield if possible) going into next season, and the team better come together a bit better (although at times, they played as a pretty cohesive unit.)

[3rd Degree]

Fraser v. Jolley - Adv. GA
Marshall v. Gibbs - Adv. CC (whichever way you break that out, it comes out the same)

Interestingly FCD wanted Marshall until they lost out on the Adu deal... and were trying to trade for Fraser and lost him when he was traded to Cbus instead.