https://theathletic.com/578999/2018...-big-bet-in-naming-matias-almeyda-head-coach/ From the comments: Robert Jonas STAFF Oct 10, 5:37am @Scott S. He didn't want to elaborate on anyone on the current roster, but he did say he'll be watching over these next couple of weeks. Once the offseason begins, Almeyda will definitely be involved in personnel discussions with Fioranelli. He won't be able to fully clean house, but he will be able to make recommendations that will carry weight with the GM.
I never saw what Danny's original buyout fee from Groningen was, but, Transfermarkt shows in the end we paid 90,000 pounds to buy him from Groningen. If that is true we got him pretty cheap. Just a guess, but, I doubt Penarol would drop Quintana's price down into that range. And it is troubling that Yefferson can't find any minutes, even after Stahre is gone. Looks like Ralston doesn't rate him that high either. We have been poor on defending corners and set pieces, but, we leave our biggest defender on the bench. Perhaps he will get the go today against Cruz Azul.
When the Quakes considered signing Quintana, they knew he was young and still little raw, but believed his potential upside to be very high. So his acquisition was a calculated gamble. He cost more than some other players, but if he didn't work out could be let go. Someone might look good at home, but may not do so well in a foreign environment. Based on his playing time this year, I assume the judgement was made that that his potential was not going to be realized. (Perhaps Almeyda would feel differently, I don't know). I know that Jesse is big on analytics, so I speculate that Quintana's analytics looked good and made him an attractive prospect. The Quakes obviously see some value in Ockford or they wouldn't have him on the roster. After all, they brought him up from Reno and could have sent him back to Reno. However, as a young player (who was brought up to the first team because of injuries, suspensions, and absences of other first-team players) they now also have to consider how much more potential he has to grow when compared to other options. I suspect that the Quakes, in contrast to their assessment of Quintana, believe that with Ockford what you see is what you get. More experience will help, but there may not be much more room to improve. My guess is that if the Quakes think Quintana's potential was stifled by the coach or the system, they might reassess him at season's end and choose him over Ockford. On the other hand, if they think Quintana's strong potential isn't going to materialize, they'll keep Ockford and his lower salary and use the money saved for other players, even if Ockford's long-term prospects for additional growth aren't convincing. Of course, a lot depends on whether or not Flo will be around and put in a center back position (I'm not sure he and Kashia can cooperate well - they are both good team leaders, but they both like to give directions and if they play together on the back line only one can do so). We also have to see how Almeyda values current players and if has other players he wants to bring into the team to replace Quintana and Ockford.
It would be nice if Almeyda said, "who the heck picked these players?" and told Jesse to fire himself.
mj, IMO you misjudge Jesse, but be that as it may, I think Jesse and Matias share much the same views about what the team needs and will be working in concert pretty well.to create those changes. In Almeyda was not at the Cruz Azul game, he was back home.
I’m sure he watched it on TV.... Anyway, Almeyda may bring in some of his Chivas players. I don’t watch Liga MX that often anymore but the only one I know on their roster is Carlos Salcido who will be 39 next April. He may be too old to play full time but he could be a one season part time wonder or even as an assistant coach and help groom and/or lure some younger talent.
Ockford's age is another major consideration. He's unlikely to get significantly better in the amount of time he's got left in his career. It's very difficult to judge how good any individual defender is based on this year based on how poorly organized the team was as a whole. I think Ockford showed some very good things early on, then became just as bad as every other defensive option, which means it's probably less him and more Stahre's utter mishandling of everything. Still, Ockford has limitations and a player. I don't know all that much about the kinds of defenders Almeyda uses, but I have a feeling that Ockford does not fit that mold very much. Even still, if I had the choice, I'd probably keep Quintana and Ockford, and dump Jungwirth instead. I assume Affolter will be gone as well.
Quintana played in the Cruz Azul game and was very active and energetic, and involved in a lot of the play. He and Affolter played CB and I think Quintana was the one directing the defense. I got the impression he relished his chance to show something in that game and he looked pretty good.
I don’t care who he brings in or gets rid of. I just want to see Almeyda and Jesse recruit local talent and develop the stars of the future. Wondo cannot be the only guy from this area that knows how to play.
I didn't see the Cruz Azul game, but of course, Quintana is our fastest defender. Almeyda sounds like an all for one sort of coach. Think Dutch total fútbol as interpreted by a Latin American. He says that he wants hard workers who run a lot. So that means Quintana and Lima fit that mold, and none of the rest of our defenders, maybe Cummings, maybe Partida and or Marie. But the starters will mostly get sacked. (As they should.) I expect to see at least eight to ten guys gone, mostly starters, which means that we'll get several new starters for next season. And maybe a few new backups, but our problem is that our second string isn't good enough, it's that our first string isn't good enough, that and they were led by a demotivating, clueless, divot. Go Quakes!! - Mark
In their defense, I think the Quakes have been doing so. They signed two 15/16 year older players this past year. Lima, TT, and Bingham/Pelosi in the past are all local talent. Yes, they could possibly do a better job with the development part, but even that is debatable. Some players develop, some don't.
"Earthquakes place big bet in naming Matías Almeyda head coach" (The Athletic - Tuesday, 10/9/18) GO SAN JOSE EARTHQUAKES!!! -G
More from The Athletic; Matias Almeyda shakes up MLS with clout and a samurai code It’s a sexy hire, and it doesn’t hurt that Almeyda has a jaw that looks like it’s chiseled from stone, flowing locks framing the sides of his rugged features, and, uh, a…samurai code. Yes, Bushido—not any particular soccer philosophy—is what guides Almeyda and his approach to management. The code of honor based on ancient samurai (which, by the way, may or may not have been mostly made up—the jury’s still out), primarily from the Sengoku and Edo periods, was adopted as a more mainstream Japanese national identity in the 20th century, co-opted by the military, businesses, and sports teams alike. According to Nitobe Inazō, who popularized the term and code in Bushido: The Soul of Japan, the formal version of Bushido holds to eight virtues: justice, courage, benevolence, politeness, honesty, honor, loyalty, and self-control. So with that knowledge, here’s a reasonable extrapolation as to how Almeyda will shake up San Jose with his warrior philosophy.
I had an interesting conversation with Erik Visser (former USF coach and now athletic director at Solano Community College) about just this topic at Sunday's game. He has literally decades of experience scouting youth teams, and still finds it mystifying how difficult it is to gauge how a 16-17 year-old player will mature physically, mentally and emotionally over the course of three or four years. Development is always going to be a crapshoot - some players you expect to be great end up as a flash in the pan, and some you believe have limited upside end up bring great.
Just for comparison’s sake: I was told Almeyda, who signed a four-year contract with #Quakes74, is set to make $1.5 million net annually.That’s more than Osorio’s $1.2 million with #ElTriEng and probably right up there with what Tata made in ATL. https://t.co/xhAEARJVv0— Joel Soria (@soriajoelfutbol) October 24, 2018 Given the candidates that remain, I highly doubt the #USMNT will outspend #Quakes74 in their next coach’s salary. Think about that.— Joel Soria (@soriajoelfutbol) October 24, 2018
Here’s what he’s doing today, attending a Chivas movie premiere Matías Almeyda es uno de los personajes principales de esta linda historia. Es un honor tenerlo presente hoy en la premiere de #ChivasLaPelicula #FICM2018 pic.twitter.com/H5wgESEFTl— chivaslapelicula (@chivaslapeli) October 25, 2018
I expected us to bring on some veteran MLS coach. I thought that Caleb Porter was likely. So clearly, Godoy is out! I want our team to play with honor, no cheap fouling, and I've been upset with some of our previous hires because I thought them cheap shot artists, like Nick Garcia. I don't see Godoy fitting into Almeyda's plans, unless Godoy car reinvent himself. Same for Vako. The selflessness that this article suggests Almeyda wants, doesn't really fit with Godoy and Vako, and if Vako goes, so does Kashia. I like the sound of that! He's going to have to try some creative lineups to get good players on the pitch who can work well together. Most of the rest of the article is silly, but, assuming that Almeyda tries to instill some of these virtues, and that he can get the team to believe in themselves, we should get better. I also hear that he likes for his team to run a lot and play all over the field. I like the sound of that too, sort of like: Fútbol Total. If we can play with some Latin flair and style and put more pressure on our opponents, I'll be happy. Go Quakes!! - Mark