Nowak, Osorio & Hamlett Atop United's Coaching Search (Goff, W. Post)

[Knave]

D.C. United has narrowed its coaching search to three candidates and plans to make a decision by the first week in January at the latest, a high-ranking club official said yesterday.

The finalists are Peter Nowak, a former MLS star with no major coaching experience; Juan Carlos Osorio, an assistant with English club Manchester City; and Denis Hamlett, a Chicago Fire assistant.

...

Sources say Nowak is the front-runner, with Osorio, a former New York/New Jersey MetroStars assistant, a close second and Hamlett, who played at George Mason University, with only an outside chance.
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/articles/A17779-2003Dec20.html

[Th4119]

Also of note in the article, Thiago Martins had successful surgery 2 weeks ago which should sideline him for 6 months, or 5 1/2 from now.

Hopefully he progresses well and can be back early in the Spring.

Thanks for the link, Knave.

[sch2383]

For some reason, I have a good feeling about Nowak. Not really sure why, but if he can coach like he played, that would be great.

[Th4119]

Originally posted by sch2383
For some reason, I have a good feeling about Nowak. Not really sure why, but if he can coach like he played, that would be great.

Wasn't Hudson a fairly decent player, too? Didn't he care more about the game seemingly than anyone else in the organization? Maybe we should consider more than desire as a prerequisite to our coaching position.

[ursula]

Originally posted by Thamlin19
Wasn't Hudson a fairly decent player, too? Didn't he care more about the game seemingly than anyone else in the organization? Maybe we should consider more than desire as a prerequisite to our coaching position.

No, no- Desire is the ONLY important criterion and thus the only way to decide this thing is a three-way in the jello pit.

[entropy]

Total crapshoot w/ these guys. I guess I'm kinda leaning towards Osorio.

[Knave]

I meant to ask about this in the initial post but does anyone else find it a little odd that "Yesterday marked the first time a United official has acknowledged formal contact with any candidates."? I find the degree of secrecy this sentence implies somewhat surprising.

[ursula]

Well Benjamin, the secrecy thing is what I've been noting all along here. I think it comes with the territory when we have Kevin Payne involved. I mean when did he ever tell us something he was gonna do beforehand? *I think we are damned lucky that Goff got this article out at all. (And saying that, who knows if Payne is leaning in an entirely different direction.)




*(Answer: never)

[JCUnited]

Not sure about Hamlett. He's been around MLS for awhile as a Fire Assistant, yet never seems to get serious consideration for a Head Coach job until now @ DC. That kinda worries me.

Don't really know enough about the Man City Assistant to comment intelligently on him.

Of the three, I like Nowak. It's not so much his passion as a great player, but how much credit he gets from so many sources on helping develop some of the great young talent at Chicago (such as DMB). On the pitch, he was an incredible leader. Right now, that's what we need the most. Somebody to come in, buck up the morale, and create a team out of some good talent. The DC United of 2003 was rarely a cohesive team (for whatever reason) and to go out of the playoffs like that didn't look too good for Hudson's coaching (after two seasons, he had a club with no desire, no flair, no teamwork, and little scoring ability).

[DigitalTron]

Judging by the fact that Hamlett isn't being interviewed in person, I doubt he's going to be chosen.

If we're rolling the dice, I'm OK with either Osorio or Nowak, but neither has the relevant experience that we'd like to see. Arena was head coach for DC United for a long time and was highly successful. Ditto for Bradley at Princeton and Sarachan at Cornell.

Osorio's experience isn't as the head coach, and Nowak's has no professional coaching experience. So at best, all of them are huge projections. Either of them will need time to retool the roster, implement their system, and go through growing pains as a head coach. Everyone likes to point to Yallop, but he studied under Rongen in Tampa Bay and DC United before becoming a coach in his own right. Even then, his coaching ability has undergone significant refinement from his first season at San Jose.

I wouldn't mind seeing John Harkes brought on as an assistant. I doubt it happens though, because if the head coach falters, there'd be a push to axe him and give Harkes a try at the top level, so any coach would be a bit brave to select Harkes as his assistant.

-Digital

[DutchFootballRulez]

I'm not sure who I'm leaning toward. Osario is a former Scum assistant so at least he understands the American game, maybe he wants to prove he can be the gaffer.

Nowak, I mean do we want to make such a gamble on someone w/ no Managerial/coaching experience at all. I'd rather have Osorio right now. Hamlett may be the best choice even though there's been no interview. He's the Dark Horse. Who knows. I'd rather DC be amazingly fit w/ Osario than disgruntled w/ a rookie manager like Nowak.

[mellon002]

The article also mentions Dave Dir. Why not him?

[Th4119]

I don't know how much stock I'd put in about studying under Rongen helped Yallop. How could studying under Bradley and now Sarachan not be so much better for Hamlett?

[JoeW]

I got 2 "surprises" from the article.

1. That Nowak hasn't had a "face-to-face" interview so far but only conference calls. Okay, maybe it's difficult to get Kasper (especially if he's on the road scouting), Zach and Payne in the same room at the same time with a candidate. Still, I'd have thought that if Nowak was the favorite and had made such a strong impression, then there must have been a formal interview. Maybe Payne or Kasper talked to him during the season--who knows? But I find that a bit strange (that he's so strongly regarded yet no formal IV).

2. No other candidates (other than the Dir reference). Okay, maybe for PR reasons they don't mention the candidates who said "no" (like Yallop and Ray Reid). Still, I'd have thought that since SG mentioned Onalfo and Mo Johnston at various points, he got those from DCU staff and therefore they'd have been mentioned as candidates to be considered.

The IV process sounds as if either Payne or the entire troika feel very confidant--no need to consider multiple candidates b/c they are positive they've got 2 good choices in Nowak and Osorio and that they can probably come to agreement with either. I hope they're right. While I don't need 150 candidates, I am a bit surprised it looks like only 2 candidates get interviews.

And if it's only 2 candidates getting IVs, it seems somewhat strange that it would take until early January to get this thing resolved.

As for Nowak, my take on him is yes, he's got a passion for the game (but so does Etcheverry). And yes, he's got a gift for working with young Americans (but so does Etcheverry). But Nowak also preached clear roles and structure and organization (on the field and off it). And this team needs that a lot. And Nowak also has a very strong set of expectations for how players behave (on the field and towards fans). I don't mean to make this sound like Nowak is Mr. Clean or the essence of sportsmanship--for instance, Chicago from their first year was always a team that delayed opposing team's throw-ins (would pick up the ball and act baffled when the ref repeatedly signaled to the opposition, would then toss the ball away--delaying just enough to get a breather and allow the defense to transition yet not enough to earn a card). But Nowak was always under control on the field and expected it of his teammates.

I see almost no comparision of Hudson and Nowak as players (other than both were "engines" for their respective teams with high work rates).

If the rumor that Nowak would bring in Lubos Kubik to assist is true, I'd like to know what Kubik has been up to. I thought he returned to the Czech Republic after his last year in Dallas. If so, I hope he spent it assisting a team or acquiring some player management experience that would benefit a coaching novice like Nowak.

[roadkit]

Originally posted by DigitalTron
I'm OK with either Osorio or Nowak, but neither has the relevant experience that we'd like to see.

I don't know about that. With all the injuries we've had, I'd say Osorio's background makes him a lock.

[Marco10]

This article is interesting in that it seems to box the gang of three into 3 specific choices (really 2), leaving them no options for a surprise candidate. I agree with Ursula that Payne never tips his hand, so why allow Kasper to relate all this specific information to SG almost as a press release?

Granted it's much appreciated fodder for us to wrangle over, but why release so much specific information now, especially when the final decision is apparently only a week or two away? And why restrict your options unless you're certain? And if you're certain, why are there 3 choices with so wide a range of ideas. Surely, they're not the only guys with those types of ideas at this point in the process (ie, how is it that Johnston, etc. have apparently already been eliminated?). Or, put another way, given the 3 choices and their varying sets of "qualities and skills", is the team really be that indecisive on the "new direction" at this point, and if they are why publicize it?

So, just to play along with the news we currently have, I'd say DC really is still trying to decide on the new direction it wants to take coaching wise.

Nowak - respected, knows the league and the players, but little experience actually running a team which could mean weathering some bad decisions while he learns the ropes. Something DC probably can't afford given the situation with United's recent history. He's the choice for the new direction being a more structured team, but probably only slightly more imaginative in terms of being different than most MLS teams in terms of style. Probably will require few changes in personnel, and a relatively quick learning curve. Relatively safe, but only a slightly new direction.

Osorio, innovative based on what's been said about him, likley to be respected, some experience in MLS, but not recent, overall, a compelling choice for a totally new direction, but no way of knowing if his ideas are sound as he's never been the head coach anywhere either. MLS is a tricky league in which to try and be innovative, especially if you haven't been around in a while. He's the choice for a totally new direction with the team, might require some serious changes in the roster, and might have a serious learning curve as well. Risky, but an intriguing new direction that could be just what brings DC back to the top of MLS.

Hamlett, paid his dues as a player and assisstant, likely to be a solid choice, but also less likely to have a new vision. He's the choice for little changes in roster or style. Probably not too much of a learning curve either. But likely not much of a new direction either, likely just the same old MLS ideas. Safe fall back position.

Tough choices, I agree, so I wonder why they're being so specific in public right now.

[dcajedi]

Well, I don't want to imply anything about the process since I know nothing about what's going on, but I do find it a little interesting that there is not one non-Caucasian coach in MLS at the moment, and having heard rumors about LA trying to put a more Hispanic face on itself, I wonder what effect that might have on DC, another AEG team with a large Hispanic fanbase.

Again, I am not trying to imply that anyone is playing the race card. I would be thoroughly disgusted if that were the case and would think a lot less of the United front office and AEG were it so. But it should probably be thrown out there.

[roarksown1]

Nowak was a great player, and I'm sure he'll be a good coach, but with Adu coming into the squad and all the pressures associated with it, I'm not so sure a first time coach would be the best solution. I like the idea of getting Osorio...

[Th4119]

Originally posted by dcajedi
Well, I don't want to imply anything about the process since I know nothing about what's going on, but I do find it a little interesting that there is not one non-Caucasian coach in MLS at the moment, and having heard rumors about LA trying to put a more Hispanic face on itself, I wonder what effect that might have on DC, another AEG team with a large Hispanic fanbase.

Again, I am not trying to imply that anyone is playing the race card. I would be thoroughly disgusted if that were the case and would think a lot less of the United front office and AEG were it so. But it should probably be thrown out there.

Heh, I'm surprised Wilbon isn't having a fit that Hamlett has dropped to 3rd on the United radar screen. Of course, that would imply that he gave a damn about soccer so nevermind.

[Colonel Angus]

Originally posted by DigitalTron
I wouldn't mind seeing John Harkes brought on as an assistant. I doubt it happens though, because if the head coach falters, there'd be a push to axe him and give Harkes a try at the top level, so any coach would be a bit brave to select Harkes as his assistant.

-Digital

Yeah, and Harkes has been known to publicly disagree with his coaches on a regular basis. I think it would be self-defeating to bring him in as an assistant, because the head coach would constantly be looking over his shoulder to make sure his back didn't hurt Harkes' knife...