Coaching Options

[mdesimone1]

Dir?
Arena?
Harkes?
Wynalda?
Stoikhov?

Let the list begin...

[Cweedchop]

Please stop....

There are none..

You bring in a coach now and it does absolutely nothing to this team.....

In the end, it's always about the players on the field and doing their jobs.. There not doing there jobs.. Hudson lights them up at halftime and they do respond positively but again, it's up to them to get the job done....

Please stop with this nonsense....

[Lowecifer]

Better to dump a coach early than late.

[futbolrey]

who is the general manager of dc united?...I think he along with hudson need to be replaced!!!

[Cweedchop]

Originally posted by Lowecifer
Better to dump a coach early than late.

Agreed, but c'mon, it's only 5 games into the friggin' season..

If we are sitting on 10 points 15 games into the season, then a switch should probably be made...

It's funny that even though we tied 0-0 last week, nobody was advocating firing Hudson en masse like this week..

It's strange how one bad match in 5 games to start the season will bring out the knee jerk reactors with such applomb....

[Kenobi]

Originally posted by Cweedchop
It's funny that even though we tied 0-0 last week, nobody was advocating firing Hudson en masse like this week..

It's strange how one bad match in 5 games to start the season will bring out the knee jerk reactors with such applomb....

It probably also has something to do with the fact that we've scored 3 goals in 5 games, won 0 of those 5, and haven't yet fielded a consistent lineup that looks like it works. There's more at work here than just one poor performance. There hasn't been much to give us as fans hope that the team is going to improve.

[uniteo]

I don't say fire Hudson, I say bench Etch

[greatscott]

Originally posted by uniteo
I don't say fire Hudson, I say bench Etch
i say do both, leave hristo as a coach and use the cap and money space from ray and marco to buy us a team leader and goal scorer.

[Cweedchop]

Originally posted by Kenobi
It probably also has something to do with the fact that we've scored 3 goals in 5 games, won 0 of those 5, and haven't yet fielded a consistent lineup that looks like it works. There's more at work here than just one poor performance. There hasn't been much to give us as fans hope that the team is going to improve.

Yes and No...

I think defensively this team is rock solid and it will only get better once Ivanov steps in and we can move some much needed size into the midfield in the form of Ryan Nelsen..

I think we would all agree that last nights game was by far their worst performance of the season.. Both prior road matches were very encouraging and winnable and we still haven't given up a goal at home yet (nor scored one for that matter)...

Their play in weeks prior to last night was encouraging, it's just that they couldn't knock one in the goal.. I can gaurantee you that most of these kneejerk reacting fans would be singing a different tune had just one of those chances fallen to us..

That remains the difference right now (lack of goals) and firing Hudson won't solve that problem.. It's the players on the field who need to sort that out.. Hudson is giving them the opportunity, they just aren't taking advantage of it....

[Sandon Mibut]

The problem with firing Hudson is the availability of potential replacements.

The most qualified replacememnts are likely MLS assistants - Ralph Perez, Brian Bliss, Dominic Kinnear - but I can't see MLS letting them leave their current gig mid-season.

At the youth national team level, John Ellinger won't be available till September after the U17 WC. I can't see Glenn Myernick giving up a chance to coach in the Olympics - particularly with this group of U23 players - especially to come coach this lot. At the U20 level - oh, never mind.

There are some good coaches in the A-League but rarely has MLS hired head coaches straight from the A-League and even if that's what DC wanted, would his A-League team let him go mid-season. Rochester's Pat Ercoli, Montreal's Bob Lilly (a former GMU player), Charleston's Chris Ramsey (hiring him would give DCU the first black head coach in MLS, which would be kinda cool), Richmond's Leigh Colishaw and Minnestoa's Buzz Lagos (who is unlikely to leave) are the usual suspects who get mentioned.

College coaches are available now and most current MLS coaches were once college head coaches - Bradley, Sarachan, Andrulis, Gansler, Schmid, Hankinson - so that might be a good route to go.

There are many who are qualified but few who would likely leave the security college soccer has to come coach a team that hasn't been to the playoffs this century. (How depressing does that sound). I'm sure there are some college coaches who'd make the jump but I don't know who there are.

So who IS available? Dave Dir is. That doesn't sound too exciting but he never missed the playoffs and he did witn the US Open Cup and compared to what we have had the past few years, Dir's medicority doesn't seem so bad!

Boru Sucevic won the A-League last year with the Milwaukee Rampage but lost his job when the team went belly-up. At the USL amateur level he coached Tony Sanneh and Brian McBride so he seems like he might have a good idea with what he's doing. He was also interviewed for the Fire job after Bradley left so AEG (meaning Kevin Payne) knows who he is.

Thomas Dooley did some coaching in the German second division and he is currently out of a job. I always thought he seemed like a great future coach but I don't know if he's interested.

After that, I'm really not sure. Yeah, there are plenty of former players out there like Harkes but none with any head coaching experience at this level.

Suggestions are definitely welcome!

One question I have - if a "regime change" is going to be made, whose call is it?

Hudson was hired by Kevin Payne. I suspect this is his call.

Supposedly Dave Kasper is in charge of the soccer side of the club but is this his call? And for that matter, why should Kasper, who has been with the team longer (by a few months) be allowed to stay if Hudson has to walk?

Does Stephen Zach have this kind of juice? I somehow doubt it as it's always been made perfectly clear that he's "not a soccer guy" and only handles the business side of things. Besides, with attendance sagging, he has his own house to keep in order before he starts worrying about firing people. (THough he deserves a lot of credit for selling the most season tickets in team history especially with the team's recent history and the bad economy).

I think that's what is most frustrating about this is we don't know who to blame and who has the authority to make a coaching change.

[mdesimone1]

Originally posted by Cweedchop
Please stop....

There are none..

You bring in a coach now and it does absolutely nothing to this team.....

In the end, it's always about the players on the field and doing their jobs.. There not doing there jobs.. Hudson lights them up at halftime and they do respond positively but again, it's up to them to get the job done....

Please stop with this nonsense....

Well then sit Etch because he is a sunk cost. The fact of the matter is that we have been terrible for three plus years, and whatever we have done has not worked. So find a solution. Now! Sit Etch.

[Knave]

Originally posted by Cweedchop
In the end, it's always about the players on the field and doing their jobs.. There not doing there jobs.. Hudson lights them up at halftime and they do respond positively but again, it's up to them to get the job done....
I answered this post here: http://www.bigsoccer.com/forum/showthread.php?s=&postid=1076513#post1076513

[Cweedchop]

Originally posted by mdesimone1
Well then sit Etch because he is a sunk cost. The fact of the matter is that we have been terrible for three plus years, and whatever we have done has not worked. So find a solution. Now! Sit Etch. I agree with sitting Etcheverry.. I'm a big Marco fan but it's clear to me that this team can not continually afford to play 90 minute (or 100 minute) matches just so we can have 2 or 3 glimpses of his past brilliance...

Hudson said as much a few weeks ago that if things didn't start off well, benching Marco would be a serious consideration.. Hudson has moved Heavan and Earth to try and put complimentary players around Marco but even young fresh legs like Convey, Q1, Q2, Dema and Benny can't make up for Marco's ever expanding shortcomings...

I tell you it's a lot easier said than done to scream "make changes now".. You know that and I know that as well.. Not a single one of us is privvy to the daily goings on at practice every day and we simply don't know what they are thinking down there..

We just have to have a little patience.. I know watching games like last night makes you want to rip up your season tickets and swear them off for good, but that is what makes this game and this team such a passion for all of us.. If it wasn't, none of us would be here typing out our collective frustrations...

[JoeW]

1. To remove Hudson now would probably mean replacing him with Trask or Stoichkov. I don't think either would enhance things. I think Trask manages the tactics and technical piece. Stoichkov might change some of the tactics and player roles but I have yet to see any indication that he would help tactically or with team roles.

2. Sandon's point earlier is accurate. There are some good guys (Ellinger--I know he declined earlier but the youth WC is over and then he might re-evaluate, Myernick--who I've always liked and keep in mind that he's a guy Arena respects and counts as a buddy--those guys are few and far between and have pretty good track records). But those good guys aren't likely to be available right now.

3. Thomas Dooley could be interesting. I also think (at the end of the year), Onalfo's name could resurface (local guy, ties to the team as player and assistant, liked by a lot of folks, then USMNT assistant). Hudson made the jump from TV commentator to coach so I guess there is always...well, never mind. Look--most of the guys who would be quasi-available right now don't know the team that well.

4. I think the real issues for this team are:
(a) getting a finisher (either someone steps up or someone is acquired. I still like Dante as an option); and (b) clearer roles on attack (either through a coach defining them or the team experiencing some success that builds confidence and combinations start to click and things take off). I think we can do (a) with Hudson (tricky b/c of cap issues) and probably can't do (b) b/c that isn't his style. In between, we'll be deep (which will make a huge difference), we'll defend well and have a lot of possession but be hit or miss on goal scoring.

Now that's not ideal. But keep in mind, right now I see Dallas and Colorado as struggling. I see Metro, Chicago and San Jose as being teams with very little depth and extremely vulnerable to injuries or callups. As feeble as our finishing as been (and it's been feeble), we're probably right in the middle of MLS right now in terms of how teams are playing.

[Sundevil9]

Originally posted by Cweedchop

In the end, it's always about the players on the field and doing their jobs.. There not doing there jobs.. Hudson lights them up at halftime and they do respond positively but again, it's up to them to get the job done....



What amazes me is that United has played some good halves right after getting lit up by Hudson at the half. Maybe Hudson should lay into them just after the warmup, too.

The team comes out of the gate lazy, and has a tendency to not get up for big games. That's a leadership void.

[Kenobi]

Originally posted by Sundevil9
The team comes out of the gate lazy, and has a tendency to not get up for big games. That's a leadership void.

Can we blame this on Etcheverry, too? After all, according to Ray, it's Marco's team. But you'd think having guys like Stewart and Stoitchkov, and even Olsen, somone would step up to be the leader. Or is it a case of too many cooks?

[Sundevil9]

Another coaching option (and I like this one): Geoff Aunger

[shawn12011]

Originally posted by Cweedchop
Agreed, but c'mon, it's only 5 games into the friggin' season..

If we are sitting on 10 points 15 games into the season, then a switch
should probably be made...

It's funny that even though we tied 0-0 last week, nobody was advocating
firing Hudson en masse like this week..

It's strange how one bad match in 5 games to start the season will bring
out the knee jerk reactors with such applomb....


I will stick to the 10 games barometer that most people here on Big Soccer agreed would be fair. Though at this
point that 10 games measuring stick does not look as if it will be looking good.



Originally posted by Sandon Mibut
One question I have - if a "regime change" is going to be made, whose call is it?

Hudson was hired by Kevin Payne. I suspect this is his call.

Supposedly Dave Kasper is in charge of the soccer side of the club but is this his call? And for that matter,
why should Kasper, who has been with the team longer (by a few months) be allowed to stay if Hudson has to walk?

Does Stephen Zach have this kind of juice? I somehow doubt it as it's always been made perfectly clear that
he's "not a soccer guy" and only handles the business side of things. Besides, with attendance sagging, he has
his own house to keep in order before he starts worrying about firing people. (THough he deserves a lot of
credit for selling the most season tickets in team history especially with the team's recent history and the
bad economy).

I think that's what is most frustrating about this is we don't know who to blame and who has the authority to
make a coaching change.


I would say that because of the unique situation with DC United (2 GM's one business and one soccer operations)
that Kevin Payne would have the final say in any coaching change.


Originally posted by JoeW
1. To remove Hudson now would probably mean replacing him with Trask or Stoichkov. I don't think either
would enhance things. I think Trask manages the tactics and technical piece. Stoichkov might change some of
the tactics and player roles but I have yet to see any indication that he would help tactically or with team roles.

2. Sandon's point earlier is accurate. There are some good guys (Ellinger--I know he declined earlier but the
youth WC is over and then he might re-evaluate, Myernick--who I've always liked and keep in mind that he's a guy
Arena respects and counts as a buddy--those guys are few and far between and have pretty good track records).
But those good guys aren't likely to be available right now.

3. Thomas Dooley could be interesting. I also think (at the end of the year), Onalfo's name could resurface
(local guy, ties to the team as player and assistant, liked by a lot of folks, then USMNT assistant). Hudson
made the jump from TV commentator to coach so I guess there is always...well, never mind. Look--most of the
guys who would be quasi-available right now don't know the team that well.


4. I think the real issues for this team are:
(a) getting a finisher (either someone steps up or someone is acquired. I still like Dante as an option); and
(b) clearer roles on attack (either through a coach defining them or the team experiencing some success that
builds confidence and combinations start to click and things take off). I think we can do (a) with Hudson
(tricky b/c of cap issues) and probably can't do (b) b/c that isn't his style. In between, we'll be deep
(which will make a huge difference), we'll defend well and have a lot of possession but be hit or miss on
goal scoring.

Now that's not ideal. But keep in mind, right now I see Dallas and Colorado as struggling. I see Metro,
Chicago and San Jose as being teams with very little depth and extremely vulnerable to injuries or callups.
As feeble as our finishing as been (and it's been feeble), we're probably right in the middle of MLS right
now in terms of how teams are playing.

1. I agree that Stoickov and Trask would not bring a major improvement. However based on Trask's close relationship
with Ray I doubt he would either stay or be asked to stay.

2. I also agree there are good canidates who are not available right now.

3. I am curious about a Dooley or Onalfo option. Either would be longshots but interesting choices.

4. As I said in the thread I started the other day http://www.bigsoccer.com/forum/showthread.php?threadid=47703
there are too many creative midfield type players and not enough nose for the goal finishing type palyers on this team.
I also think the Dante is a viable option.

[jkorzen]

Originally posted by uniteo
I don't say fire Hudson, I say bench Etch

Seems to me like DCU has been far too sensitive about angering fans by ditching Etcheverry (see: Raul Diaz Arce). His play has clearly been slipping for three years now. Personally I think he is still a good player. He is just not a dominating player who should command the salary he does.

[owendylan]

Originally posted by JoeW
1. To remove Hudson now would probably mean replacing him with Trask or Stoichkov. I don't think either would enhance things. I think Trask manages the tactics and technical piece. Stoichkov might change some of the tactics and player roles but I have yet to see any indication that he would help tactically or with team roles.

2. Sandon's point earlier is accurate. There are some good guys (Ellinger--I know he declined earlier but the youth WC is over and then he might re-evaluate, Myernick--who I've always liked and keep in mind that he's a guy Arena respects and counts as a buddy--those guys are few and far between and have pretty good track records). But those good guys aren't likely to be available right now.

3. Thomas Dooley could be interesting. I also think (at the end of the year), Onalfo's name could resurface (local guy, ties to the team as player and assistant, liked by a lot of folks, then USMNT assistant). Hudson made the jump from TV commentator to coach so I guess there is always...well, never mind. Look--most of the guys who would be quasi-available right now don't know the team that well.

4. I think the real issues for this team are:
(a) getting a finisher (either someone steps up or someone is acquired. I still like Dante as an option); and (b) clearer roles on attack (either through a coach defining them or the team experiencing some success that builds confidence and combinations start to click and things take off). I think we can do (a) with Hudson (tricky b/c of cap issues) and probably can't do (b) b/c that isn't his style. In between, we'll be deep (which will make a huge difference), we'll defend well and have a lot of possession but be hit or miss on goal scoring.

Now that's not ideal. But keep in mind, right now I see Dallas and Colorado as struggling. I see Metro, Chicago and San Jose as being teams with very little depth and extremely vulnerable to injuries or callups. As feeble as our finishing as been (and it's been feeble), we're probably right in the middle of MLS right now in terms of how teams are playing.

I agree with most of this except with NY having little depth. I think with the addition of Guevara and the 2 Argies that they are relatively deep and Bradley is a genius at making Lemonade out of lemons so that callups will affect them less than other teams.

As for other coaches, unfortunately there is no one available right now who would take the job and is a good candidate. If you fire Hudson you have to fire his whole staff including Kasper. Because if Trask is the Tactical guy, his tactics have sucked and Stoich, well if he were player/coach I would be scared, if he were just the coach, maybe. His problem is with his experience and resume even at his age he thinks he's better than everyone else on the field. I would see him playing 75-90 minutes a game and his "coaching" on the field would be a series of rants and raves at his teammates as to why they didn't give him the ball. Not the most effective method.