Why not Claudio Ranieri for USMNT's bench?

[giorgiochinaglia]

President Gulati said he is talking with some people in Europe.
Well, in Europe, in Italy, there is a guy that would fit perfectly with the position of USMNT coach:

Claudio "Tinkerman" Ranieri

He has the right charisma (for character and as a Serie A former player with AS Roma, Catanzaro and Catania) and international experience as a coach:
Cagliari, Napoli, Fiorentina (Serie A)
Valencia (two times) and Atlético Madrid (Liga)
Chelsea (Premier League)

(See this ESPN article on his career: http://soccernet.espn.go.com/columns/story?id=253888&root=europe&cc=5901)

He speaks both english and spanish.
He managed big players like Batistuta, Zola, Vialli, Zubizarreta and Romario.
He won (Spanish Cup 1998; Coppa Italia 1996; Italian Super Cup 1996; European Super Cup 2004).
He is hungry for victories and for a big adventure.
He is a nice and humble man.
He is free NOW.

Clearly, he would need a good assistant coach to help him out through the US soccer movement (see college soccer or even high schools), and for this Bradley is the perfect man. But probably, with regard to the US guys in Europe, Ranieri knows them even more than Bradley does.

PS: I'm not a friend of Claudio Ranieri (he is even an AS Roma supporter, while I'm for SS Lazio:)), I just think he could be the right person in the right place at the right moment.

[JeremyEritrea]

I vote no.

[giorgiochinaglia]

I vote no.
Please, why and who's better (and free) around?

[sidefootsitter]

He'd be fine.

But there are dozen coaches who would also do the trick.

Say, what is Trond Sollied up to these days?

[onlyifvickplayedsocr]

Giorgio-

You were born in 1972? You played pretty good for a 4 year old on the cosmos. Nice job.

[Elninho]

Has Ranieri ever shown any interest?

[lmorin]

Actually, that is an interesting suggestion. He's a good coach.

[TimB4Last]

Has Ranieri ever shown any interest?

It's safe to say that "Tinkerman" has been toying with the idea, especially over the winter holiday break.

Are we all in agreement that pretty much any Euro coach* will do? So what's the hold-up? Let's move forward ...

----------

* Except CQ, thank you very much!

[seahawkdad]

Whle we're talking about coaches in Italy, what about Marcello Lippi? Of course, eight days ago he dismissed the idea of coaching in England because of the language problem (http://www.soccerway.com/news/2006/December/24/lippi-not-heading-to-england/)...so that would probably play out here...although if he speaks Spanish he's part way here?

Of course, he reportedly doesn't want to leave Italy either (http://www.sportingo.com/football/marcelo-lippi:-the-wanted-man-of-italian-football/1001,1373)...

And, he also doesn't really want to consider anything until around May...but...

...other than that, what about Lippi?

[sidefootsitter]

We'll get Georgio Chinaglia to translate Lippi into Welsh, then Andy Dorman will translate it into English.

[divingheader]

TimB4Last:
"Are we all in agreement that pretty much any Euro coach* will do? So what's the hold-up? Let's move forward ..."

Sorry Tim, but we are not all in agreement... While I think Ranieri is a good coach, I think Bradley is just as good, and better for the long and short term future of the soccer in the US. The USA needs an American coach.

It is often posted that no team ever won the WC with a foreign coach... This is:
- not because only a domesticly based coach can understand how a particular nation's society and soccer system works, and produce a world champion.
- not because only coaches from one of the handful of nations that have won a WC are capable of masterminding winning a WC.

I figure the reason is: The national team coach is an expression of the competency of coaching (and therefore player development) in his nation. If the general competency of the coaches of a nation are not able to produce players who can win a WC, putting a 'better' foreign coach in charge of the best of them won't get you the trophy.

When there is an American coach available who is capable of winning the WC, there should be American players available, too. They go hand in hand. Importing foreign talent to be USMNT head coach won't make the USMNT suddenly able to win the WC (especially short duration mercenary talent like Hiddink, he'd have no lasting effect) and will specifically slow the US coach and player development down by reducing the population of American coaches who get international experience that they can then pass on to their players.

Bob Bradley deserves his shot. He is a successful American coach at the levels he has tried so far. He was a good choice, the most recent Coach of the Year (I don't think Ranieri has ever been picked top coach in his league). Nowak could also be called an American coach, he certainly hasn't coached anywhere else. For that matter, Klinsmann has barely coached anywhere else and reportedly brought a very American flavor to the job (and like Nowak, will likely continue to make his home in the US whatever else may come in the future).

Bruce Arena is now back in MLS, and I expect the players he develops from now on will be more prepared for international soccer than the players he developed prior to his stint with the USMNT. This is great news for Altidore and the USMNT.
Couple that with MLS giving more American players experience for a decade now, and that those Americans have gone back home and had a chance to pass that experience on. It is just now possible for a 20 year old kid to make it to Arena at RBNY (for some internationally enriched coaching guidance) having been guided by a (professionally enriched) former MLS player since he was playing U-12. The players that finally someday come through to the USMNT with that pedigree will be infinitely better prepared to make the best available American coach look like a genius by winning the WC.

I think 2010 is a little soon for that. I bet Bradley, and Klinsmann think so too. I don't think Ranieri would care, it would be just another job. He would do his best, I don't doubt, but it would be his best for his team at that moment, and when that moment passed he would move on and his legacy would be... less than the coach's legacy could have been. So no Ranieri or anyone else foreign or otherwise please. We have a coach, let him get on with it.

[swedust]

I don't think I've ever watched a team coached by Mr. Ranieri, so I have no specific opinion on him.

But does anyone else worry that a Euro coach will distance mainstream sports fans from the national team for the same reasons we hardcore fans would be excited about one?

[poobah_1]

I vote no.

Here is why.

Chelsea...Valencia


He wasn't that bad at Chelsea, He bought Veron, Bridge, Johnson, Cole, Crespo. His problem was he knew he was on borrowed time, and so forth. But I remember a certain Champions League match vs. Monaco. He brought on an un-fit Veron at the half and lost the match to two goals from F. Morrientes. Point is, he falls in love with certain players and uses them to the teams detriment. Another point...Valencia

After getting axed from Chelsea, he goes to take Rafa's place at Valencia promptly destroy's that team. He takes the league champion the prior year, and instead of building upon that success, he brings in all these marginal Italian players...DiVaio(sp), Fiore, etc...Destroy's the team chemistry. Puts Aimar on the bench!!! Valencia is still trying to recover from Ranieri. He made sure Carboni got a job as technical director when his playing days were over, and Carboni promptly pushes Aimar out the door and almost looses Ayala as well.

These are my opinions, I am baised towards Aimar and other Argentine players, I freely admit it.

I am afraid that we would just have Arena to a factor of 100 if we got Ranieri, a coach that picks favorites and screws up the team chemistry to make a team fit( he tinkers every game ) around his personnal favorites.

He is very tactically astute.

He is a friendly guy

His Favorites tend to be decent players.

He just has an annoying tendency to make non-sensical coaching decisions to get 'his guys' on the pitch.


Just my opinion...

PooBah

[TimB4Last]

I don't think I've ever watched a team coached by Mr. Ranieri, so I have no specific opinion on him.

But does anyone else worry that a Euro coach will distance mainstream sports fans from the national team for the same reasons we hardcore fans would be excited about one?

Good question. My answer would be that it's not clear (to me) that (an American coach, such as) Bradley gives us a big fan boost that would be lost if we choose a European coach.

Despite my facetious comment above about taking just any European coach, we obviously have to evaluate each coach individually.

Whatever his merits as a coach, an obvious plus for Klinsmann would have been his engaging personality, enthusiasm, media savvy, etc. I think he would have reached out and pulled (some) casual fans into the soccer tent. For a contrary example, Pekerman's lack of facility with English would have been a big limitation in that regard.

I don't know Ranieri, so I can't offer an opinion regarding his fan-friendly qualities.

[FCDynamo]

two words,

Chris Coleman

should be next US manager

[Adam Zebrowski]

key question...

could ranieri get rossi to play for the usmnt...??

if so, hire him, cap rossi, then fire ranieri at the first opportune moment...

[TimB4Last]

TimB4Last:
"Are we all in agreement that pretty much any Euro coach* will do? So what's the hold-up? Let's move forward ..."

Sorry Tim, but we are not all in agreement... While I think Ranieri is a good coach, I think Bradley is just as good, and better for the long and short term future of the soccer in the US. The USA needs an American coach.

It is often posted that no team ever won the WC with a foreign coach... This is:
- not because only a domesticly based coach can understand how a particular nation's society and soccer system works, and produce a world champion.
- not because only coaches from one of the handful of nations that have won a WC are capable of masterminding winning a WC.

I figure the reason is: The national team coach is an expression of the competency of coaching (and therefore player development) in his nation. If the general competency of the coaches of a nation are not able to produce players who can win a WC, putting a 'better' foreign coach in charge of the best of them won't get you the trophy.

When there is an American coach available who is capable of winning the WC, there should be American players available, too. They go hand in hand. Importing foreign talent to be USMNT head coach won't make the USMNT suddenly able to win the WC (especially short duration mercenary talent like Hiddink, he'd have no lasting effect) and will specifically slow the US coach and player development down by reducing the population of American coaches who get international experience that they can then pass on to their players.

Bob Bradley deserves his shot. He is a successful American coach at the levels he has tried so far. He was a good choice, the most recent Coach of the Year (I don't think Ranieri has ever been picked top coach in his league). Nowak could also be called an American coach, he certainly hasn't coached anywhere else. For that matter, Klinsmann has barely coached anywhere else and reportedly brought a very American flavor to the job (and like Nowak, will likely continue to make his home in the US whatever else may come in the future).

Bruce Arena is now back in MLS, and I expect the players he develops from now on will be more prepared for international soccer than the players he developed prior to his stint with the USMNT. This is great news for Altidore and the USMNT.

Couple that with MLS giving more American players experience for a decade now, and that those Americans have gone back home and had a chance to pass that experience on. It is just now possible for a 20 year old kid to make it to Arena at RBNY (for some internationally enriched coaching guidance) having been guided by a (professionally enriched) former MLS player since he was playing U-12. The players that finally someday come through to the USMNT with that pedigree will be infinitely better prepared to make the best available American coach look like a genius by winning the WC.

I think 2010 is a little soon for that. I bet Bradley, and Klinsmann think so too. I don't think Ranieri would care, it would be just another job. He would do his best, I don't doubt, but it would be his best for his team at that moment, and when that moment passed he would move on and his legacy would be... less than the coach's legacy could have been. So no Ranieri or anyone else foreign or otherwise please. We have a coach, let him get on with it.

Well, my friend, you are out of luck, becuase Sunil Gulati believes we do need a foreign coach. Otherwise, SG would have given BB a permanent job. BB will only advance to permanent status if SG fails to land his man. Again. Which is very possible, so maybe you (and BB) are in luck after all. If so, congrats.

I'll agree that BB is better than the wrong foreign coach.

I don't know where to begin with your coaching 'thesis,' as I understand it, except to say I disagree.

Simplifying your reasoning, you state:

1) The USMNT cannot win the World Cup; and
2) This will be true no matter who the coach is; therefore
3) We may as well give the job to an American coach, who will benefit from his experience (and pass along such benefit); while
4) Hiring a foreign coach would be counterproductive, depriving an American coach of a key growth opportunity.

I agree that our goal is to win the WC, and - I'll add a qualifier - within my lifetime.

If I take your approach, I can't get there from here. Our coaches need to follow our players' lead and go to Europe and learn. We need to import foreign coaches in to teach, our coaches and players. We need to shake up our system in many respects, from top to bottom. And yes, there are some encouraging signs, however slow the progress. I want to accelerate the pace.

The talent of our USMNT player pool may or may not be average - my word, not yours - but I am not going to thrust an average coach upon them, because all I expect are average results.

I'm going to hire the best coach I can and ask him to overachieve with our players.

You don't feel we can do better than Bob Bradley. I do. Sadly, we probably won't, and you and I will both be out of luck.

[Adam Zebrowski]

i don't see the usa having the talent pool to win any of the next 5 world cups...

and unless bradley gets held over for 2014, the experience he'd get at 2010 finals doesn't matter....

the knowledge usa soccer coaches lack, is the high level stuff seen at wc finals and champions league elimination phase, where the best talent in the world goes head to head...

i think much of it is mental, being able to make in game adjustments, and having players respond in those situations....

a foreign coach can bring a NEW perspective to the american game, perhaps reveal some subtlety american coaches can't because they've never encountered really high levels continuously ....

I do think AMERICAN coaches can become competent at elite levels....in basketball, those who beat the USA are coached by people NOT american..

so I don't catergorically exempt AMERICAN managers from be as successful in soccer....

[divingheader]

My comments in bold

I don't know where to begin with your coaching 'thesis,' as I understand it, except to say I disagree.

Simplifying your reasoning, you state:

1) The USMNT cannot win the World Cup in the next 2 cycles, but maybe the third, a 22 year old player for 2018 is 10 now; and
2) This will be true no matter who the coach isin the next 2 cycles; therefore
3) We may as well nay, shouldgive the job to an American coach, who will benefit from his experience (and pass along such benefit); while
4) Hiring a foreign coach would be counterproductive, depriving an American coach of a key growth opportunityand american soccer as a whole another building block.

I agree that our goal is to win the WC, and - I'll add a qualifier - within my lifetime.
Not often I laugh out loud. I think we should all start putting the 'in my lifetime' caveat on our statements

If I take your approach, I can't get there from here. Our coaches need to follow our players' lead and go to Europe and learn. We need to import foreign coaches in to teach, our coaches and players. We need to shake up our system in many respects, from top to bottom. And yes, there are some encouraging signs, however slow the progress. I want to accelerate the pace.
While I'd like to accelerate the pace, I don't see how to do it since I don't think the import solution will work. I see MLS as being the big shake-up, and after 10 years of shaking, we are seeing some benefits, but, I think, we will see even more in the next decade as we see MLSers who have been mentored by former MLSers
The talent of our USMNT player pool may or may not be average - my word, not yours - but I am not going to thrust an average coach upon them, because all I expect are average results.

I'm going to hire the best coach I can and ask him to overachieve with our players.
I agree wholeheartedly, I just think we have that best coach in Bradley
You don't feel we can do better than Bob Bradley. I do. Sadly, we probably won't, and you and I will both be out of luck.

Well, I hope we are not out of luck...
Our player pool is improving. I think AdamZebrowski's point about the mental side of the game is right on, and that will be the thing an American ex-pro will be able to impart to a young American mind best of all.
While I loved BA, I think the coaching change was a good idea for him and all of US soccer.
I am disappointed the transition has been such a mess. I hear the arguments that every nation's soccer association is disfunctional, but I believe that fixing US Soccer is easier than suddenly instilling the traits necessary to win a WC in 22 grown-up players who don't have it. So I think we have to do it. Bureaucrats of any description (media coordinator, director of whatever, treasurer, board member, President) are a lot more common than potential WC winning players or coaches.

But this was a song about Alice. Remember Alice? Or in this case, Ranieri. He wouldn't be able to get it dome any more so than I would. Or Scolari, Hiddink, whoever.
I just don't see any of the small handful of coaches who are likely to be identified as "The Saviour who will bring the US a WC" being likely to believe they can do it, or being comfortable as having the expectation pinned on them. And maybe that is why Gulati, a very well intentioned man, has brought us to where we are. Is he finding that his plan for world domination is unworkable in the real world?

I appreciatte both your and AdamZebrowski's views and the fact that you actually discussed the ideas rather than just ranted. Thanks.

[Clint Eastwood]

Not a bad suggestion.

Ranieri handled himself with extraordinary class when he was booted from Chelsea. As a person he's great. As the coach of the USMNT I simply don't know. The US system is so screwy that there'd be a major adjustment period. That's why Jurgen seemed like a good fit. He has international experience and was getting used to the American system.

We'll see. I hope Bob Bradley wins the Gold Cup and Copa America, and shuts everybody up. :) I can dream can't I?