[Cweedchop]

Special guest Matt Mathai joined us in studio this week as we broke down the final weeks of United's season.

We covered their last few matches in MLS and also took a bit of a look ahead to next season and if Tom Soehn will be a part of it. You'll be suprised at some of the opinions.

We also gave our thoughts on Kevin Payne's comments last week and then we unveiled our picks for MLS Best X1.

Enjoy.

click on Episode 59



http://unitedmania.libsyn.com/

[itwasi]

Matt was calm and rational and I'll have none of that in my UnitedMania podcasts. Another great show, but a little short to cover just the topics you were talking about. I'm sure the player and coach ratings will be in the next show. You guys weren't able to spend any time on the Toluca match and that was one of the season's best games.

I would also like to bolster Mike's idea that the organization is in a downward spiral. Make no mistake about it I'm not one of the doomsayers believing and screaming that this club hasn't done anything since 1999. However, if Kasper and the organization is on the downward trend there should be no reason to believe they will be able to identify and recruit the few players (a striker, midfielder, winger, defender), you guys agreed upon, that are necessary. Mike was trying to say all this change is what NY does and because their F.O. is incompetent none of their changes ever work. The same might be true for United. They went for the experienced international in 2008 and that failed. You previously gave them credit for acknowledging that failure and dumping all those internationals. However, this year several of the players they brought in also failed leading to a lot of overhaul in the midseason. I'm really not that confident that the F.O. will bring in the appropriate players next year. And that is would be a F.O. that is spiraling down.

[MattMathai]

Originally Posted by itwasi

Matt was calm and rational and I'll have none of that in my UnitedMania podcasts.

Thanks. It was a lot of fun, although I cannot compete with the speed and volume of output from Mike.

However, this year several of the players they brought in also failed leading to a lot of overhaul in the midseason. I'm really not that confident that the F.O. will bring in the appropriate players next year. And that is would be a F.O. that is spiraling down.

I disagree with the idea of anything spiraling downwards. Mike's point seemed to be that if we bring in more players they MIGHT fail again, and that that would be dreadful. Well, that (the bringing in of new players) is something that happens every year and most of it on most teams is unsuccessful.

I would say that we had a spectacular year bringing people in this year. We brought in Pontius, Wallace, Jakovic, James, and Vaughn. OK, some of the others like Habarugira and N'Silu were not as successful (they still might be) but that's fine. Don't forget that we were hamstrung by our lack of available cash because of the nature of some of the players we had on the roster.

[Lowecifer]

Nice job as usual guys. Well done Matt.

Will there be a pre-expansion draft extravaganza?

[Lowecifer]

Originally Posted by MattMathai

Thanks. It was a lot of fun, although I cannot compete with the speed and volume of output from Mike.



I disagree with the idea of anything spiraling downwards. Mike's point seemed to be that if we bring in more players they MIGHT fail again, and that that would be dreadful. Well, that (the bringing in of new players) is something that happens every year and most of it on most teams is unsuccessful.

I would say that we had a spectacular year bringing people in this year. We brought in Pontius, Wallace, Jakovic, James, and Vaughn. OK, some of the others like Habarugira and N'Silu were not as successful (they still might be) but that's fine. Don't forget that we were hamstrung by our lack of available cash because of the nature of some of the players we had on the roster.

From a playing personnel point of view, I agree with Matt that we aren't in a downward spiral. I think we are in a downward spiral, to an extent, with management. There is good raw material to work with, but we don't have a good craftsman in charge of production. That craftsman is under the auspices of a guildsman who is becoming more crotchety these days.

[itwasi]

Originally Posted by MattMathai

Mike's point seemed to be that if we bring in more players they MIGHT fail again, and that that would be dreadful. Well, that (the bringing in of new players) is something that happens every year and most of it on most teams is unsuccessful.

Yes, I absolutely agreed with yours and Webb's logic that the team has to make changes and that there is always the possibility that the changes may not work out. However, I think Mike was trying to say, but was so emotionally riled up he failed to, that if the F.O. is tending toward the jersey end of the spectrum, then the probability of them selecting players that will not work out is very high. I think this upcoming season will be a clear test of what the F.O. can do. No international tournaments, no need really to blow up the team and bring in 20 new guys. Just a few players for certain positions for which this team has needed help with for years (wingers and a stable defense).

[Lowecifer]

The question for whomever the coach will be is, whether they are in possession of enough intestinal fortitude to make the hard roster decisions that are necessary for the team to move forward.

[revelation]

I would disagree with one point about roster change. In MLS and in plenty of teams in Europe, there are teams that succeed after wholesale changes. The key is that the management and coaching staff know what to do and are able to communicate that to the players.

Why it takes MLS players (and DC United in particular) so long to learn how to play together is a mystery to me... I've seen third division Bundesliga teams with as much roster turn over get it together in a shorter pre-season training.

[Cweedchop]

Originally Posted by Lowecifer

Nice job as usual guys. Well done Matt.

Will there be a pre-expansion draft extravaganza?

The game plan from here on out for the rest of the season.



11/15:

United player grades

MLS Cup preview/Conference final review

Who will United protect?


11/29:

Expansion Draft review

Any relevant United news (new coach perhaps?)

MLS Cup review


12/6:

Special World Cup Draw show

- All-Star cast to predict all the groups. Should be a lot of fun.




Thanks for listening as always,

Chris and the rest of UnitedMania

[Ceraphs]

Great show guys, I really enjoyed hearing Matt and his take. Again thanks for making the work day go by a little faster with DCU talk.