Chivas USA says adios to Thomas Rongen

[Knave]

Rongen out, Ledesma in for Chivas USA

No story yet, but it'll be posted here: http://chivas.usa.mlsnet.com/MLS/cdc/

[UnitedNut]

Rongen, former coach of DC United, was reassigned at Chivas from head coach to sports director. Not a major surprise given the bad start the team has had this season. I think folks really expected more from Chivas.

Full story at:

http://sports.yahoo.com/mls/news?slug=ap-mls-chivasusa-coach&prov=ap&type=lgns

[MikeLastort2]

He should've been fired out right.

He's a great guy, but a terrible coach.

[DutchFootballRulez]

He can judge talent, especially young players.

[sch2383]

He can judge talent, especially young players.
No kidding...I think he would do well in Kasper's job, but he doesn't seem to have it as a head coach.

[Th4119]

Too bad he's still got a job out there, I'd much rather hear him on CSN than Harkes.

[roadkit]

I hope they bring in Sigi and Chivas becomes a huge success - and ends up on top of the Galaxatives in the standings.

[Sundevil9]

He should've been fired out right.

He's a great guy, but a terrible coach.

Are you kidding? I can think of 11 MLS teams not named DC United where I think Rongen will do a terriffic job and provide positive (from my perspective) results :D

[TOTC]

Wow. Vergara is fcuking impatient!!

[BudWiser]

That's gotta be it for Rongen. He's had his chances to coach in MLS, and he completely blew this opportunity.

I don't even understand why he's still there as "player scout" or whatever. What's a Dutchman doing running a Latino Spanish-only team? You have to be kidding me :confused:

[Knave]

He can judge talent, especially young players.
I still maintain that if MLS were smart they'd hire Rongen to set up a scouting network for the league.

If MLS were smart ... :p

[Footer Phooter]

Who makes the personnel decisions in that organization. I don't think they have the players to compete right now. That's not Rongen's fault. (Unless it is :))

[garbaggio]

Who makes the personnel decisions in that organization. I don't think they have the players to compete right now. That's not Rongen's fault. (Unless it is :))

Can't fire the owner.

[ursula]

That's gotta be it for Rongen. He's had his chances to coach in MLS, and he completely blew this opportunity.

I don't even understand why he's still there as "player scout" or whatever. What's a Dutchman doing running a Latino Spanish-only team? You have to be kidding me :confused:


Chivas has had a Dutch connection for several years. Odd but true.

I also wish he'd do TV commentary for us again. He's a part of the DCU community and the young players would be helped by him.

[Bootsy Collins]

I think this kinda sucks. Granted, Rongen's not a great coach and they probably wouldn't have done well anyway. But still, I'm sorry, any coach in this league would have been completely fscked with the roster they started the season with, let alone the one they ended up with after half the team tore a ligament or broke a bone or whatever.

[MarioKempes]

With both DCU and with Chivas, Rongen had very difficult situations to deal with. He's probably not as bad as the record with those teams suggests. I don't think he's a great coach, but probably more mediocre, but he seems to be good with youngsters. I wish him the best.

[nobletea]

That's gotta be it for Rongen. He's had his chances to coach in MLS, and he completely blew this opportunity.

I don't even understand why he's still there as "player scout" or whatever. What's a Dutchman doing running a Latino Spanish-only team? You have to be kidding me :confused:

I'm betting it has to do with a contract issues. He probably got a good contract and they would have to buy him out of it to get rid of him, so given his seeming ability to pick out potential talent they probably figure it's worth keeping him on the payroll in that capacity rather than throw money at him to ship him out.

My friends and I sat around laughing the day he was hired and all of us agreed he'd be fired before the all-star game. How sweet it is!

noble

[owendylan]

That's gotta be it for Rongen. He's had his chances to coach in MLS, and he completely blew this opportunity.

I don't even understand why he's still there as "player scout" or whatever. What's a Dutchman doing running a Latino Spanish-only team? You have to be kidding me :confused:

I guess you've never heard of Hans Westerhof.

[John L]

With both DCU and with Chivas, Rongen had very difficult situations to deal with. He's probably not as bad as the record with those teams suggests. I don't think he's a great coach, but probably more mediocre, but he seems to be good with youngsters. I wish him the best.

The best team in MLS during the first season was Tampa Bay - Their defense was superb and never ruffled and always well-organized - They PASSED their way out of trouble with series of short passes amongst each other to lessen the pressure so they could eventually PASS the ball up to the midfield - They were playing the correct while DCU was floundering most of the season - Arena finally got the pieces together the last quarter of the season, won a tight series against NY and then outmatched Tampa Bay away - But Tampa Bay was the better team during the bulk of the season thanks to their coach who taught the m the right way to play soccer - Thomas Rongen

There used to be a defending championship team that one season faced early games with a badly injured center midfielder who insisted on playing and then got red-carded 5 minutes after he stepped onto the field - Their defense was in tatters - At least two starters were out at a time and those who were left were playing hurt as well - And their starting league-leading scorer had been traded in the off-season for guy who could never find the back of the net - They were in a funk the whole season and lasted several more - The team was DC United - The coach was Thomas Rongen

And now there's a new team with 3rd rate talent chosen mostly on the basis of ethnic origin - Competing against a team MLS clearly wants as the next champion - The team is Chivas USA - The coach was Thomas Rongen

At the United For DC luncheon I sat with Quaranta and Nana - Quaranta had been under a coach who let the players set the tone for self-discipline and training - He was colorful but in the end disastrous for younger players - The coach was Ray Hudson - Quaranta had also played on youth national teams with a coach who Quaranta had said was a great teaching coach and ideal for younger teams - Learned a lot about skills, tactics and self-discipline - The coach was Thomas Rongen

While the dictum is true that coaches are hired to be fired, I think Rongen has been a far better coach than his record has indicated at times - His losing seasons were with teams with injuries & petulant veterans or 3rd rate talent - He needs to stick with the National Youth Programs

[Theo]

The best team in MLS during the first season was Tampa Bay - Their defense was superb and never ruffled and always well-organized - They PASSED their way out of trouble with series of short passes amongst each other to lessen the pressure so they could eventually PASS the ball up to the midfield - They were playing the correct while DCU was floundering most of the season - Arena finally got the pieces together the last quarter of the season, won a tight series against NY and then outmatched Tampa Bay away - But Tampa Bay was the better team during the bulk of the season thanks to their coach who taught the m the right way to play soccer - Thomas Rongen

There used to be a defending championship team that one season faced early games with a badly injured center midfielder who insisted on playing and then got red-carded 5 minutes after he stepped onto the field - Their defense was in tatters - At least two starters were out at a time and those who were left were playing hurt as well - And their starting league-leading scorer had been traded in the off-season for guy who could never find the back of the net - They were in a funk the whole season and lasted several more - The team was DC United - The coach was Thomas Rongen

And now there's a new team with 3rd rate talent chosen mostly on the basis of ethnic origin - Competing against a team MLS clearly wants as the next champion - The team is Chivas USA - The coach was Thomas Rongen

At the United For DC luncheon I sat with Quaranta and Nana - Quaranta had been under a coach who let the players set the tone for self-discipline and training - He was colorful but in the end disastrous for younger players - The coach was Ray Hudson - Quaranta had also played on youth national teams with a coach who Quaranta had said was a great teaching coach and ideal for younger teams - Learned a lot about skills, tactics and self-discipline - The coach was Thomas Rongen

While the dictum is true that coaches are hired to be fired, I think Rongen has been a far better coach than his record has indicated at times - His losing seasons were with teams with injuries & petulant veterans or 3rd rate talent - He needs to stick with the National Youth Programs


agreed, great post. Rongen is a top-class guy and has a great eye for scouting/coaching younger players. whoever said he should be in charge of an MLS scouting network hit it right on the head.