Breaking news: http://www.coloradorapids.com/News/newsdetails.asp?ID=759 Too bad HSG is such a cheapskate and didn't seriously consider doing the same to Clarke.
I'd be the first to agree if this had been Clarke's 4th season as head coach, as it was with Hankinson. The team's done nothing but go up in the 14 months or so Colin has been in charge. Give it some time.
No kidding. Rapids fans must be elated, though. I know I would be. What a dour coach he was. I have far more faith in Coach Clarke than I ever did in Hanki ever amounting to anything.
Granted, Clarke has done alright personnel-wise. Picking up Valakari, Gibbs, etc, were all solid moves. But I hate Dallas' style of play under Clarke. While things have certainly improved defensively, on offense Clarke seems to be making FC Dallas into a Texas version of the KC Wizards (and not a very good one at that).
Hankinson was a lousy personnel guy but once he got down to coaching I really thought his teams overachieved based on VERY limited talent, so......I think his player selections cost him his job not his coaching. In either case he's gone and the Rapids fans can dance in the streets because their wish finally came true. Any word on making the Crew fans happy?
The begining of the end was last yr when he benched Garlick, the starter for 90% of the season for Cannon in the playoffs.
Elliott's words were "3 year plan" so i'm guessing we get two more seasons of Clarke as long as some improvement is shown next season. i, for one, am glad they are looking at a long-term approach to building a consistent winner.