We all know he’s supposed to oversee the hiring of the head coach position.... something he has failed to do yet and uninspired by apparently his top pick (something a 4th grader could have got). But what the hell else does this man do? In the world of how the hell is there a job for that, what the hell does he do?
Pretty sure all his time is filled with coming up with criteria for the new manager that will eventually point only to Berhalter.
https://www.ussoccer.com/stories/2018/06/06/17/49/20180606-news-mnt-general-manager-job-description Does what the GM usually does in American sports. Which means a lot of his work won't really begin until competitive games start again.
Based on the "core responsibilities" laid out in that link, most of his work should be well underway long before any competitive games: Most of those things are about putting everything in place ahead of time so that the team is best set up to win competitive games when they arrive. Related query: does the capitalization of U.S. Soccer's "Style of Play, Team Tactical Principles, and Key Qualities" imply that there is some formal embodiment of those things already out there? Or is it just Grandiose Press Release Syndrome?
Ohh, but you have to make sure there's some Mueunster on that rye. Actually, griddle that bad boy as opposed to toasting it.
Per the link description, and after removing the boilerplate: Scouting Handling the TD responsibilities or working with the TD.
So according to the description to me the most crucial is: "--Communicating and working with the Sport Development Departments to drive technical alignment and integration, including Coaching Education, Player Development, High Performance, Talent Identification and Youth National Teams." Since nothing really matters if our development doesnt change... I would like another clause : -"Admit we dont have a clue, and reach out, pay, hire, grovel to other countries programs which have turned around their youth development programs and gather as much applicable knowledge as possible. Beginning with France, Belgium, and Germany. -Look for similarities in said programs, and see what could be applied to our domestic landscape.." Problem is no one would ever then take the job....
Sounds fancy, but I’d like to hear a case example of what this even means. In other words, they’ve conceptualized the position but how is it operationally defined? It seems like they’re just throwing out highly technical terms in order to elude their responsibility and placate the mob.
Yup. Welcome to Bureaucracies and how they try to justify things through the use of senseless jargon and Human Resources terminology It is also coincidentally one of the many reasons Universities fail and are deteriorating into oblivion.
Exactly. My post while serious, was more tongue- in- cheek eluding to the frustration of your point... Adding to your last line, providing details backs them into a hole and forces the pressure of accountability. We all know they don’t want that, they want the flexibility to fvck up and not be called out on specifics. That’s why I said at the end of my post no one would ever take the job.
Definitely... I meant my point not directed at you but the subject you bring up. It just seems like they’re throwing some bullshit down the pipe and expecting us to eat it up. What pisses me off the most is that we could be emerging as an elite soccer nation. We have the resources, the kids playing the sport, and a culture that is becoming significantly soccer friendly, and yet, the excuse is well, it’s hard to do better. It’s weak. It’s a leadership style that has become so corrupt and complacent, they don’t care to take the game to the next level and are okay with mediocrity. In fact, I believe they can meet their bottom line much easier by supporting other nations in this country. It sucks because there is absolutely no reason, for example, why we don’t have 20 Atlanta United’s in the league. That’s what happens when we have solid leadership that is focused on winning. Long rant aside, obviously we need to clean house within the USSF. A year has gone by and we not only don’t see progress, we don’t even have a direction we’re going. Hell, we don’t even have a coach. As far as I’m concerned, Earnie is hardly anything more of a puppet and the change we should have seen after the World Cup failure has not happened. An example of what I’d like to hear from Earnie, besides new coach, but not limited to: +Increase pro-American crowds by X amount. +define the relationship with MLS and USL in a coherent synergetic plan. +Establish concrete performance measure for the coach. +Form a full time u23/B team and/or how to improve the Olympics. +How to address that 18-24 age gap. +How to improve coaching and access to training. Etc. Mainly, Earnie needs to have his feet to the fire and let the fan base have concrete information on what he’s working on. Otherwise there’s nothing to justify his salary. In most jobs, you have periodic performance appraisals to make sure you’re meeting those goals. If he doesn’t hold himself to that standard, then we need someone with more fire in his belly.
Totally agree with the rest of it, but this isnt simple. I do admit it is harder than I thought after reading another thread regarding youth soccer dropping numbers (which I thought was unfathomable, especially since youth football is dying) due to travel expenses/burnout for travel teams. I never was aware of this. This is an issue that is hard to address with our huge geography, and regardless of how good of staff we actually manage to get, will remain an issue Basically this is the conundrum how I see it: How do we get enough talented kids within a reasonable distance (remember, this is europe where all kids are playing soccer) playing together to get around this? The only solution I see is: 1) Bradenton type academies. Ship the kids in from all over. But who is going to pay? The parents? 2) focus on densely populated areas and promote/scout the crap out of them to avoid travel issues.(And no, I am not saying just inner city poor, because that seems to be the theme. All income levels. 3) Continue with #2 with MLS teams academies. Those are our only current options. And the college system isnt a viable option to improve our current system. Yes it is good for catching outliers/late bloomers (ie. Dempsey), and GK's since they have longer careers and peak later. ANd reducing coaching/refereeing costs should have been frigging done day one on the job. Along with a comprehensive revamped online/easily accessible training porgram for aspiring coaches so they at least get on the right track with our local youth and understand why... We get good players out of nowhere sometimes. We could also get good coaches (some random kids dad) that evolve out of nowhere, and develop over the years.. It cant hurt.(this might be in place already so someone correct me if I am late to the party..) Awhile back Sporting Kansas City I believe traveled to the very successfull French academy (Fontaine?) to learn from their program. This was a few years ago, and I never heard much about it except it was grueling. Why hasnt USSF done something similar? seriously? Its hubris and arrogance, plain and simple.
Good point. I’d say on the youth/travel problem that what you propose seems like good solutions. I’d add we have this mega million surplus.... why not spend a bulk of that on the problem? Mainly, partner with MLS to establish residency programs for every club. Moreover, I’d like to see Bradenton return but be used to prepare players who have aspirations who want to play in Europe. And, I’d like to see all the USL clubs, Championship, League one, and League two, establish developmental academies. Also, to counter the NCAA problem, I’d like to see the eventual push for MLS to form a u21/u23 league for the collegiate age players. Moreover, I’d leave room for expansion teams from the hotbed college towns. Granted, it would be great if we could reverse the ruling that prevents so many men’s teams and also have spring/fall, but we’re going to need to just outthink this problem. This might not be feasible now, but as USL stabilizes and academy players grow up, there should eventually be the need for this concept. Another point would be to push for high school soccer to be played in both spring and fall. As small potatoes as school soccer is, it’s typically most players first exposure to the game. If we increase popularity/access at school then it’ll grow the sport as the whole. Likewise, invest in building more soccer fields across the country. An example of doing it right is what Atlanta United did with the MARTA station fields. That would be a good use of funds.