In his own polite way, Frankie D discusses possible changes in the front office. There's a chance you won't like some of his thoughts, but he is raising the issue that's been raised here.
Well, he raises the question of whether sweeping changes or just "tweaks" are needed, but clearly says that things are not working and some kind of change is needed. Diplomatic, yes, and it isn't clear if he is speculating on what they could do or saying what he thinks they should do. There is no indication by the article that he spoke with any decision-maker as to what they might be leaning to do. The thing that strikes me the most is that he is out of contract at the end of this year, and the Krafts need to decide what to do. Let me ask you this: Has there ever been, in any sport, a team that has experienced a fall-off-the-cliff drop in results over a four-year period, and the coach has been re-hired? Ever? OK, Connie Mack managed the Philadelphia A's for 50 years, and they had some great teams, but mostly bad, but that hardly counts because he owned the team. Walter Alston managed the Dodgers for almost 30 years, all on one-year contracts. They were mosly pretty good, but even after a bad year they never wallowed in total ineptitude like the Revs have. Staying with the baseball comparisons, the Sox are falling apart right now. Wll Francona keep his job? He has had more success more recently than Nicol, but that may not be enough. But as grim as the Sox situation is right now, there are still about 20 teams that would love to trade places with them. Is there even one MLS team that would trade places (either as a competitive team or as a business) with the Revs right now? I think we all know the answer to that...
Little Frank mentioned Nicol and Shalrie Joseph as potential goners. Why does Mike Burns get a pass in this discussion? And when he become Michael? Why would anyone think that Sir Michael of Burns would be a good GM, or club leader? As a player, he was the most vanilla of all US National Team players. The polar opposite of Alexi Lalas, who was loaded with personality, if not ideas on how to put a good team together. So why would Little Frank suggest getting rid of Joseph, the team's best player, and not mentioning Pee Wee in the front office? Has Joseph been that much trouble as a player? He can still be a player without having to be a captain. You don't get rid of your best player unless he is a detriment to building a better team. The real people who escaped mention - because Little Frank knows there is no chance of change - are the Krafts. If the Krafts truly cared about the Revolution, they would spend the money necessary to have a first-class organization and a championship-driven team like the Patriots. But they don't. They never have, and there is no indication that they ever will.
Joseph is out of contract after the season. There has been a pretty lengthy discussion on what they should do. It's too late now, but some suggested trading him and getting some value, a player or two good enogh to start for a good team, not just the Revs. They can try to re-sign him for less than he had been making, but the risk is that Shalrie will balk and refuse to sign, then go somewhere else in the league like Red Bull. That's how we got Ryan Cochraine, so we know the system works! They can also sign him for what most of us think is too much money, and it will hinder our ability to "almost" sign various star players over the winter, due to salary cap constraints. Mikey-Mike has decided he likes the more formal "Michael" in recent years because it makes him sound like he is all growed up. For that reason alone, when I have sent him e-mails, I always address him as "Mike." On the bright side, he no longer uses the pork chop comb that former Bruin Mike Milbury gave him when he went into TV, so he does look more "dignified."
LOL of course they will let Shalrie go. They will make him a scapegoat for all their ills. Then they will spread 1/3 his money around to 5 bad players and rkupp and Doc will tell us to wait until August to complain about the team, because they will still have time to add players. Then, come August 15th, they will have added no one, will be sitting on 21 points, last in the league, and Doc will tell us how we should look at all the positives going into the 2013 season. I'm living in ********ing ground hog day.
He's no longer our best player IMO. I would argue that Shalrie is a liability at defensive mid. He doesn't have the athleticism required to play that position and our opponents just pass around him. I'd be fine with him if he could adapt to a new role with less defensive responsibility, but until he proves himself at this new position, I wouldn't give him a big contract.
I think he's still a competent d-mid. He still reads the game well, tackles hard and passes efficiently. Yet he's no longer a dominant d-mid. We got spoiled with Shalrie. There were numerous years where he was the single most influential player in the league, able to command the entire middle of the field. What the Revs have now is an older Shalrie Joseph who plays more like what other teams get from that position.
Glad to see Nicol's contract is just about up, it would be outrageous if they kept him. Not saying they won't of course, but we can only hope we'll get someone new with new ideas accompanying them. And hopefully they'll bring a scout with them.
They could have gotten a lot of quality if they gave Larentowicz what he was worth after the 2009 season and traded Shalrie. After 2011, the last of "Red & Dread" will have departed with nothing to show for it.
That is as apt an analogy as can be made about living in Revoland. Nothing ever changes. Not even the head coach, like in the bad old days. The Revolution are like Newcastle United, except without the fancy stripes and large, caring fan base. At least Soccer Doc can still see some light at the end of the tunnel. Or is that a train coming to run over the club's last vestage of optimism?
"Mariner would be the perfect addition, but he has a secure position as director of player development and a significant budget to work with at Toronto FC." This is polite, oblique journalist speak for, "The Krafts are cheap sh*ts when it comes to running the REVs." Doc, Rkupp, please don't try to convince me otherwise.
No way at this point I would even try. After spending years treating delusional humans I know there is little possibility of having a reasonable dialog with the lynch mob mentality that dominates the majority of posters on this Board
Your condescension requires quite a bit of chutzpah, considering how frequently your optimism has been shown to be misplaced.
Personally I think Nicol will be going to Toronto after this season. Nicol and Mariner have a great relationship and Toronto seems like would be a good fit for him. As much as I love Nicol and would love him to stay with the Revs in some capacity (not as a coach), it's time for change.
Doubt it, Winter's been given free reign to try to finally build a winning team there. He wouldn't be allowed to make a trade every week if they were not confident in his ability to lead them out of suckiness.
The three responses to Soccer Doc's post convey dullness of the mind. EDIT: Except TheLostUniversity, who got it.
Totally missed it and I've seen One Flew Over the Cukoo's Nest multiple times too, I'm a little dissapointed in myself haha
What would he do if not coach? Scout players? Haha I just hope he saved his money from when he was playing because I don't see a lot of people beating down the door for a guy that coached a team from contender to last place and are horrible to watch
I simply can't take seriously any journalistic piece that purports to speak of "change" that would somehow right the New England Revolution's foundering ship, yet fails to raise the possibility of Mike Burns being terminated, fails to mention Brian Bilello at all, and raises the spectre of Steve Nicol having the responsibilities of technical director added to his Revolution CV despite the fact that the job he's done coaching this year - indeed, the last three years - has been, at best, piss-poor. Blow the organization the f**k up and start from scratch. Anything less is the pro sports management equivalent of applying a Band-Aid adhesive strip to a gaping thoracic wound. The time for half-measures is long since over.