I just read late last night that Porter decided to leave the Timbers. Do you think he is going to make a move at the USMNT head coach position?
I hope not....not a fan of how he does tactics (specifically how he plays negative soccer with a lead or when on the road) or how he has (not) developed players like nagbe.
I have mixed feelings. He blundered the U23 olys qualifiers but the kids played an attractive game. He coached the all-star game a few years ago and the team looked very much in sync so much that Guardiola took exception to the game. My biggest objection with him is he plays favorites to an extreme.
Ugh, that was such a disaster. His players let him down mentally at the end of the decisive match, but losing 2-0 at home to a particularly talentless Canada was pathetic. As much as I like the guy, that stain lingers.
If memory serves me right, Porter had no concept of player rotation, that was one of his many undoings.
Once burned twice shy. I thought Arena must have learned something since 2006. Instead he came out with exactly the same flaw of trying to run the ball into goal with donkeys. Has Caleb learned anything? LouisZ's summary is a good one. Those "favorites" are often players who fit the mythology of the great American sports machine - which prizes vertical jump at its good ol' boys' combine before the super-draft every year. So, you end up with your typical "monstah" in goal. Super freak athlete Sean Johnson. Now, if only he could play, right? Klinsmann used to talk about how in soccer you can't stop play and go talk to your athletes like in the typical American sports. Mentality is so important. How Arena could not have learned that in all these years is beyond me. But if Arena hasn't learned it, has Caleb? Edit: To end on a positive note, that job Caleb did with the All Stars against Pep was impressive. I watched a little of the practice. he went in with a good plan and carried it off while Pep figured he'd give his younger horses a workout and they played typical, uninspired academy ball and lost.
I agree with you regarding Porter. I really believe he mishandled the away game with Houston, not going for the win. Well it came back to bite him in the nether regions. Not sure if he has created or just contributed to Nagbe's problem. I hate to see Nagbe go to waste, but he really has no drive, as far as I can see. Not sure this is a coach's problem, other than giving him a starting position week after week, so there is no incentive to improve himself.
I can’t believe they’d hire a coach now and this quickly. The same would be true of a technical director. It seems weird if he were to have left without something else lined up. Other MLS job, something outside the US be surprising with his resume. The only things within the federation that might make sense would be a full time u23 position or even more likely would be the interim job guaranteed through the WC with options for the rest of 2018. I could behind an interim role through the middle of next year with the u23 position through 2020 Olympics. It would incentivize him to focus on youth in the first half of the year.
Porter has no business applying for the NT job and Sunil and his cronies have no business considering the next coach for the NT job. Porter should go earn his stripes abroad and Sunil should go lecture some kids on how to funnel money into off shore tax havens.
I like Porter, am sorry to see him leave my team and I think he is at the top of the pack of American coaches. Having said all that he would be a complete disaster for the senior team and is nowhere near ready. Hopefully he is leaving to become David Wagner's assistant or something.
well porter was nagbe's college coach too...so nagbe has had 1 coach basically (aside from JK and Arena) for his whole underwhelming pro career....and since he was a teen. maybe no one can get nagbe to his full potential...but CLEARLY porter cant.....so, to me, its a strike against porter....especially considering MLS blocked nagbe's move to Celtic (i'm assuming with porter's consent). So, if the new USMNT will work with youth and young players and help them reach their full potential....again, not sure porter has that arrow in his quiver.
Wouldn't mind Porter. Then again I don't think the National Team manager position is all that difficult. You have to work to screw it up, and Klinsmann/Arena worked pretty hard to get us to fail at qualifying.
I believe Darlington Nagbe is the only player in Portland Timbers history to have received even a mere Camp Cupcake callup with the US national team. That's an astonishingly unimpressive record for a coach who has led them for 5 relatively successful seasons.
Active? Because Jorge Villafana was an integral part of their Championship team. Besides, Portland has generally relied upon foreign players. According to Wiki, of their top 10 in appearances, just 2 are American. Nagbe and Jewsbury.
CP failed at the Olympic U23s before announcing taking the Timbers job in August 2012. I think that failure influenced and hastened his decision to leave Akron.
From what I've heard, MLS HQ did not block Nagbe's transfer. Merrit Paulson did. Anyhow, next cycle is the most important in our program's history. Can't risk it on someone like Caleb. I also remember him saying he was inspired by Bob going abroad and his success over there. Well he might go over there and get his feet wet.