From https://www.sjearthquakes.com/post/...ed-2018-us-open-cup-2-0-loss-portland-timbers: SAN JOSE EARTHQUAKES HEAD COACH MIKAEL STAHRE On the upcoming league match against Los Angeles FC: “We have two extremely important league games now. We are close, but we’re obviously not good enough. We have to win now, with two extremely important games at home. First against LAFC and then the New England Revolution. It will be super important for us to bring back the confidence and show the fans and ownership and everyone that we’re proud to play for the club and show the qualities in order to win.” (emphasis added) Those are words from someone who knows he is on thin ice. Two home losses will lead to wholesale changes. Note that Blank Stahre mentions ownership, which is unusual for a coach. He knows that Fisher is pissed. If the Quakes lose or tie playing poorly, boo loudly. That's our power.
If that is true, it will be the first time I’ve ever heard anything from Fisher. Even though it’s coming indirectly from him..
Given that these have been CRYING NEEDS of this squad for YEARS, what makes you think that we're actually going to do this?
B.S. Explain 2012. You get three choices in the player selection / playing style process: 1) You buy the players needed to play the style you want (and you need to pay big to compete... like AFC and LAFC) 2) You play a style that fits the players you have (most reasonable coaches) 3) You start with 2 and move toward the style you want through farm clubs (ala FCD or NYRB) Everyone of our coaches has ignored these rules to try and play a style the players are not capable of playing. That's not on the players and no indication of their talent. That we keep bringing in "DP Players" to play on the wing, that should be second forwards, is a great example of each coach poor we've had. Building up our youth players is another sign of morbid coaching on this team through the years. At least the players liked Yallop... lets bring him back... he's local and available
The 2012 season was 6 years ago and it was a once in a lifetime freak of nature not was there any style. Frank kept putting in Wondo, Lenny or Gordo, they lobbed balls into the box and the big guys pounced on every opportunity in the dying minutes. As soon as everyone fgured it out the way we played, it was done. The Quakes haven't played liked that again.
We played to the style that best suited our players, as stated above. We had midfielders in Baca and Cronin who could distribute the ball well to our wide players. Chavez and salinas. They crossed the ball to our trees in the box. The next season we had the same opportunities but the chances would hit the posts or be blocked by great goalkeeping. But the point is thill there that we played to our strength.
Because we're the Quakes... It is about trying to save face instead of actual performance. We'd rather play lower performing high salary players, than players who would make us more competitive on a game by game basis. If Stahre benches the high salary low performers, the crosshairs are squarely on Fioranelli. You could easily replace Vako and Erickson with Hyka and Tommy with comparable to better results. Imo, this is about Stahre doing everything possible to find a way for these guys to stay on the field and contribute...we've switched to a diamond in an attempt to accommodate Vako.
We played to our strength because we had a great team with awesome players that scored 72 times. Steven Beitashour and Justin Morrow, Víctor Bernárdez, Sam Cronin a lively Dawkins , a younger Salinas and great forwards in Wondo, Lenhart and Gordon all had a great season. This coupled with a great GK in Jon Busch. There is no comparison to this group and sadly that team was a one hit wonder.
I remember near the end of the 2012 season (probably August) walking to the field with the referees talking about the “magical” season the Quakes were having. I really was magical. All the fields were tilted our way, and all fo the bounces went our way. This is not something you can coach or buy - it’s just fate. However, I will opine that within Quakes LLC magical thinking seems to predominate...
These paragraphs pretty much sum up our team ..... Here are some excerpts from Soccer America Confidential: Herculez Gomez: 'I knew I couldn't play forever'.....
I never boo the team, as it might be interpreted as booing the players. In fact, I get annoyed when I hear booing after we lose. I’d rather walk out or boycott and not show up at all, because that is more clearly seen as a protest against the owner and/or the FO.
On the youth side I think we are headed in the right direction. But yeah I could see an argument that we could really be doubling / tripling down on it. I think we are also reluctant to take the last strep which is to give the young guys senior team game time. You have to be willing to take some chances and possibly take some lumps occasionally, knowing that you are building something better for the future. But we make game day decisions as if each game was the last game we are ever going to play.
We’ve yet seen any of our youth team players unless you count TT who played 19 academy team games and Lima who played 4 years of college ball at CAL. We’ve had an academy in place for over 8 years and still no players. The 2010 Under 14’s & 13’s would be prime age by now but I’m betting most of them quit or are playing college ball somewhere. As far as starting the youth and grooming them, I agree that at this point , they definitely should start thinking about it. I’d rather lose with youth than lose with a bunch of experienced scrubs.
Gilbert Fuentes, Jacob Akinyirige, and JT Marcinkowski are coming down the pike. That's what I mean by saying it's getting better. Maybe not as fast as we'd like, but OTOH this is only Jesse's second year.
My cousin coached Jacob Akanyirige at Ballistic United SC in Pleasanton. He stll can't believe he made the Quakes roster.
The 2012 season was like Leicester winning the PL. All the stars aligning at the right time, not to be repeated again without a significant change ($$$) to buy it- er, make it happen.
Looking much worse if he has to fire Stahre...bringing in marginal expensive talent...and possibly getting fired himself as a result of both. Self preservation will drive him to bring in more players. I think we'll finally see that rare mythical beast we've been waiting for since 2008..an actual ACM...and a decent LB....we won't stand pat...no way.