In the spirit of overthinking, perhaps we are missing something. As Dustbin points our above, there was nothing stopping HSG from appointing a coach currently in the organization, as they are wont to do. Yet they have not done so. Why? I suppose the best case scenario may be something like this. In an attempt to sell tickets, HSG has targeted a big name, Perhaps someone not in the MLS. If that is the case, they will have to explain the way things work. He has agreed, with the caveat that FCD gets three players. Not positions, names. HSG is trying to figure out just how much money these players will cost, how many tickets they will sell, and how to get them on the team and the cuts and trades that must happen. I believe that JK9 is a non starter. His English only policy will not work here., Then, of course, we have the worst case scenario, which is the one I always look at. I have been doing to since 1996, and I have been proven correct more often than not. Specifically, no one wants to take the helm. HSG will prevent from succeeding. Dead but dreaming, Scipio Diabolus, vos farum. Contra. Proudly not voting for the President.
Yes, he was the Director of Group Sales since 2017 and a ticket sales guy for several years prior. Apparently he'd been the "director" of a club in England, where he is from, but it would be like me saying I was once the "director of Inferno FC". He's only making business decisions and frankly there will not be that many for a single USL 1 team.
Isn't that where you got the Hitman moniker? If so he can't compare to you as he doesn't have a cool nickname from director days.
https://www.fcdallas.com/post/2018/12/16/fc-dallas-names-luchi-gonzalez-seventh-coach-club-history I’ll share a Luchi Gonzalez story. In 2002, Luchi was a rookie on a San Jose team that had just won an MLS Cup in 2001 and would win again in 2003. Though a Herman Trophy winner, he found playing time hard to come by and was barely known. Only featured in a few games. My wife and I visited a frozen yogurt shop in San Jose, and the only other folks in the place were Luchi and a companion. Really nice guy. He seemed shocked that anyone would know who he was. Probably as shocked as I am that he turned out to be an MLS coach...
It is and has been all along. Dan will tell everyone he talked to a wide variety of "highly experience" coaches with interest, but the FCD statement of they never discussed or offered a contract to anyone else - believe it. They wanted Tab, but didn't really want Tab when they found out his price. In the Hunt's mind, and they may be correct, they got someone just as good and as experienced as Tab - but at their budget. Oh, and he knows the joint and players better. So, in Clark and Dan's mind, they got the very best person for what it is they want to build. Will it win them a MLS Cup? Who knows. The guy literally has never coached an adult, pro player - much less a team of them - a single day in his life. I said it on Twitter - I honestly do not know if this is a hire of club self confidence of the highest order, or just the cheap way out. I want it to work, because it would be a beautiful success story - but history and reality tell me it will be, at the very least, a real struggle before it ever gets back to even 2016, much less a trophy. I guess we'll see.
Can't it be both? This is just my own pet theory but what if Dan is one of those guys who wants to sit at the table and watch his stack of chips grow? Except his chips are sheer number of professional soccer players he can churn out at FCD or elsewhere that were associated with FCD. Winning is nice, great, he does want to do that but I think even more than that he wants to be one of the cornerstone franchises that propels American soccer to the level of England or Germany one day. He wants to churn out prospects. He wants them year over year to be better prospects to the point that he beat the money teams with his home growns then sell them for profit. He now truly understands that the best HGs may not even want to try MLS so he'll sign them early, or get them to agree to a USL deal, or loan them out to BM to get that profit but also help the player. He wants players around MLS and the world to be associated with FCD. To attribute their success and development to FCD but unlike Arthur Blank he won't pony up $15m for Barco. He'll buy the cheap Chilean, squeeze out everything he can then sell them on for profit. I have no idea if he can make that theory work in reality and win at the same time but damn if he isn't going to try. So if he's not going to spend money on big coaching hires or transfers, at least he's spending money on the kids, DA scouting, affiliated clubs, and prestigious tournaments for his kids to play in.
I agree but he had been an assistant for the U17's and an assistant for Schellas before that. I believe that he was offered the FCD gig before Morrow but insisted he wasn't ready. None of this means Luchi can't do it but I do hope he's ready.
I've really made peace with Luchi and have a weird (delusional?) feeling that he'll work out for us. I am fully committed to shrugging off bad results in 2019 as part of his learning curve too, as long as it allows him (and the team) to grow.
Cautiously optimistic here, but I am trying to mentally prepare myself for a few learning moments in the first couple of years. I don't want to hate by mentioning names, but Jacori getting a red card in 2017, was a learning moment, and really helped him in 2018. I think the manager and young players are going to have a few of those in 2019, I just hope they all don't happen on the same match day.
big diff #2 - one had a lengthy pro playing career. one did not. Look, if this is a "we're 100% in on the youth, record be damned", it's the right move, but today Luchi talked about that NOT being the idea, "balance" and then that is when I wonder about having to coach vets, earning respect, etc. If the idea was to balance a roster, then I think they hired the wrong guy - and when you take into consideration Dan's voluntary reveal of a long list of interest from guys with vast global experience, you wonder what really is going on here. (although, we know).
"He wants to churn out prospects. He wants them year over year to be better prospects to the point that he beat the money teams with his home growns then sell them for profit." I know a lot of people are upset about Acosta and Ulloa leaving but one of the signs of the academies success is that other teams want these players. It's one thing for you to value your own people but when other teams are coming to get them that is a true sign of respect and success. I think the model is working and I hope that Luchi continues Oscar's legacy.
OP's first regular season game with Tijuana looks to be a tough one @ Chivas on Saturday night (1/5). On Univision at 9:00 Central.
Tijuana were 15th of 18 in the Apertura. Chivas were 11th, missing 8th place and a playoff spot by 6 points. I admit I based my statement on Chivas' past reputation. https://us.soccerway.com/national/mexico/primera-division/20182019/apertura/r48393/
Fair enough. I based my opinion on Chivas getting smacked around at the World Cup by AFC and CAF teams, plus their missing the playoffs last season. Didn't know Tijuana was worse.
What team am I describing? Solid back 4 and decent GK, but gives up a goal in a close game. Content to allow the opponent to possess the ball. Only real option in attack is to send a speedy guy up the wing. Decisions in the final third are not great. Finishing isn't good. Yes, it's Oscar Pareja's Xolos team this past Saturday night vs. Chivas. Fabian Castillo has added to his game the ability to cut in from the wing and the ability to beat defenders 1 v 1. He would have been MOTM if he'd scored in the 2-0 loss. Looks like a long season (unless he gets fired) for OP if he has to depend on Fabian for all his offense.
lol, turned this on during Cowboys halftime and promptly was treated to the reality that Castillo is still waaaaay too fast for the rest of his teammates and spends most of the time crossing the ball into the box, dangerously across the face of the goal - but the nearest teammate hasn't yet gotten into the box. Good to know he's still got the speed: facing up a defender only to pass the ball into open space behind the guy and our racing him to it. What was clear to me is Oscar now has to go back and fix Fabian's devolution of losing the ball when attempting to dribble past three compacted defenders and then just standing there as they race away. Some things never change. I will add this: I don't ever watch LigaMX, but I hope that isn't the average match, as it was about as boring, meh skill and tactical level as a MUFC/Montreal MLS game in August.
I know. It was ironic. Actually I bet watching matches between average teams and not the top 4-5 in any league aren't much better than MLS anymore. The really big teams have the great players but after that the players aren't much better than MLS players. Morales in Bundesliga is an American who can't seem to get callups from the US anymore and never got many. Is that because our national team managers have something against players in Germany or that there are some better players in MLS at midfield? Now of course McKennie and Adams will both get callups from there but the line is blurring as MLS gets incrementally better every year.
Now that ATT Uverse has dropped BeIN Sports, I don't have access to Spanish or French games. ESPN picked up Serie A from BeIN, but they hardly show any games. I've been filling the void with Liga MX. I watched the last game from the Apertura championship which was a hackfest on a crap field (did they have motocross at the Azteca the day before the game?) and this Xolos - Chivas game. So far, not much better than MLS.