Is Peter Nowak missed?

Discussion in 'USA Men: News & Analysis' started by Red Card, Jan 31, 2010.

  1. Red Card

    Red Card Member+

    Mar 3, 1999
    Club:
    New York Red Bulls
    Nat'l Team:
    United States
    Nowak left as assistant coach at the end of May 2009. He was replaced by Mike Sorber. Imho, this was a big step down for the usmnt. Although the team peaked in the confed cup soon after Nowak left, the team has not been too successful thereafter. Could the reason be partly due to Nowak's exit?

    Will Nowak be missed in South Africa? Certainly Bradley needs lots of support. He manages the player pool very well, but his in-game tactics and changes leave something to be desired. And seriously, Mike Sorber? What does Sorber bring to the table?
     
  2. FIREbradley

    FIREbradley New Member

    Jun 6, 2009
    Club:
    3 de Febrero
    What does Bob Bradley bring to the table?
     
  3. Bigrose30

    Bigrose30 Member+

    Sep 11, 2004
    Jersey City, NJ
    I would dispute this premise.

    The US lost a tight game at Azteca then won three straight qualifiers, including two on the road, to qualify for the world cup with a game to spare.

    Seems fine to me.
     
  4. Susaeta

    Susaeta BigSoccer Supporter

    Apr 3, 2009
    Nat'l Team:
    United States
    Aside from the first two games of the Confederations Cup, The most concerning losses since Nowak's departure were against Mexico (5-0) and Honduras (3-1), both with what I would consider a mix of our second and third string teams.

    Would Nowak have helped in those games? I doubt he has so much sway with Bradley he would have talked him into different lineups or formations. Everything I have seen and heard is that Bradley is going to do what he is going to do regardless.

    If you believe that, and I do, then this is really another thread about Bob Bradley.
     
  5. usasoc

    usasoc New Member

    Aug 21, 2003
     
  6. soccerfan

    soccerfan BigSoccer Supporter

    Mar 13, 1999
    New Jersey
    Nat'l Team:
    United States
    it is well known that Nowak was the brain of the duo. The US been getting by and getting some results bothers me is HOW is done, very painful and labored play.

    Also......

    Our Fed is being left behind in its preparation,by our neighbor to the south.
    Almost as if afraid the faults of this team will be exposed a few months before the WC. Mexico has 10 games in its preparation( 6 of them in my country), vs US, so far 2 games i know of.
     
  7. FakeFlopper

    FakeFlopper Member

    Jul 21, 2005
    Austin, Tx
    Had Nowak gotten to the 2nd rd of the olympics, then i think we could have a reasonable measuring stick of what we loss or didn't lose. In terms of luck, Bob bradley is luckier than Nowak. Bob always escapes to fight another day.
     
  8. Reccossu

    Reccossu Member+

    Jan 31, 2005
    Birmingham
    This looks like an acceptable forum to point out that Bradley sucks and any help he can get is good.

    I'd say no one coach is responsible solely for success or failure, but it cannot be disputed that Nowak at least played the game at a higher level than almost all of the Nats -- something Sorber can't say, and certainly Bob can't say. You'd be silly to dismiss this as something that could help the Nats a great deal.
     
  9. Bigrose30

    Bigrose30 Member+

    Sep 11, 2004
    Jersey City, NJ
    There is 1 FIFA date between now and the end of the European season. Most of our players play in Europe. How would you suggest this be done differently?
     
  10. Lloyd Heilbrunn

    Lloyd Heilbrunn Member+

    Feb 11, 2002
    Jupiter, Fl.
    Nat'l Team:
    United States

    How is Mexico doing it?? They have some important guys in Europe.....

    Haven't we also heard here that Bob was building up credit with managers by not calling up 100% on FIFA dates so that he would get guys for non FIFA date key games? What happened to that quid pro quo???
     
  11. Susaeta

    Susaeta BigSoccer Supporter

    Apr 3, 2009
    Nat'l Team:
    United States
    My post was not meant to be anti-Bradley. My intent was simply to say one way or another, Nowak was probably not going to make a huge difference.
     
  12. Donofan_10

    Donofan_10 Red Card

    Aug 20, 2009
    Club:
    FC Tampa Bay Rowdies
    Nat'l Team:
    United States
  13. Bigrose30

    Bigrose30 Member+

    Sep 11, 2004
    Jersey City, NJ
    The Mexican Fed gets together and makes their league let their guys go for games. Chances are their European based players won't be let go...unless they are unimportant to their clubs.

    Check their rosters for these games if you don't believe me.
     
  14. oldguyfc

    oldguyfc New Member

    Sep 26, 2006
    Chicago
    No - besides, he'll be busy handing off his dry cleaning to Hackworth in Philly and yelling at Seitz to quit diving for no reason.
     
  15. usasoc

    usasoc New Member

    Aug 21, 2003
    I didn't think it was an anti-Bradley comment at all. You were saying that Nowak might of helped in those games and I was merely saying for you to pick other games. The ref caused those games to have an edge to the opponent so he wouldn't of made a difference.
     
  16. diablodelsol

    diablodelsol Member+

    Jan 10, 2001
    New Jersey
    Well known by whom? Nowak couldn't even figure out the card rules for the Olympic tournament. Genius he ain't.
     
  17. minya

    minya Member

    Mar 27, 2008
    san diego, ca
    That's so cruel.:cool: I like it. Do you also suspect that their third keeper is the best one?
     
  18. soccerusa517

    soccerusa517 Member+

    Jun 23, 2009
    Ohio
    Club:
    Columbus Crew
    Nat'l Team:
    United States
    hilarious haha
     
  19. Susaeta

    Susaeta BigSoccer Supporter

    Apr 3, 2009
    Nat'l Team:
    United States
    I apologize. Either I am not stating my perspective well, or you are missing it. To put it bluntly, no, the US does not miss Nowak. US fans really have only two matches since his departure to complain about, and I doubt much would have been different had he been an assistant.
     
  20. Clint Eastwood

    Clint Eastwood Member+

    Dec 23, 2003
    Somerville, MA
    Club:
    FC Dallas
    And as far as I know.........Mike Sorber is well respected in US soccer circles.
     
  21. SamsArmySam

    SamsArmySam Member+

    Apr 13, 2001
    Minneapolis, MN
    Good question in the OP. I have no idea.

    But I am not a fan of the argument below. By that measuring stick, Wynalda should be Bob's assistant.

     
  22. oldguyfc

    oldguyfc New Member

    Sep 26, 2006
    Chicago
    Sorber is well liked in US soccer circles - if you've ever been around many coaches from all the circles, you'll find that most worship at the alter of the Roman god Janus.
     
  23. Reccossu

    Reccossu Member+

    Jan 31, 2005
    Birmingham
    If I implied that Nowak's playing career is the one and only basis on which to judge his prospects as a coach, I apologize. If you inferred it just to make a cute post, I accept yours.

    But let's run with this for a second.

    It seems pretty non-controversial that a high level playing career would give a coach some insights that another coach with much less personal success as a player would lack. So, yes, Wynalda probably has some insights that Bradley does not.

    Can he communicate them? Are they relevant to the situation? Etc.


    Well, given two otherwise similarly experienced and capable coaches, the significant high level playing career of one over the other should mean that the former player not only has insights but generally knows what to do with them. Nowak falls in this category. [Note that a nonplayer coach can still be better without those insights by being better at all the other parts of being a coach. I am not thinking of Bob here, of course].

    So, no, Wynalda's playing career alone is not sufficient. But experience as a a player is an arrow in a coach's quiver that Nowak has and Bob does not.
     
  24. Sam Hamwich

    Sam Hamwich Member+

    Jul 11, 2006
    I asked this question a while back as well. My feeling is that we did not give up early goals when he was there and our midfield passed much, much better.

    Nowak is old school and european, two things we really need to increase the level of sophistication not just in the game, but in our mentality.

    He has his soft spots as well of course.
     
  25. NoSix

    NoSix Member+

    Feb 18, 2002
    Phoenix

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