Regarding selective memory, I offer this: Other than that, color me gobsmacked. Some good byplay in this thread. I have to stand by my initial assertion, though. The best this does for us is dodging the Spoon. Wayne may draw some talent here, but that’s only if Leviathan, et al., crack open their wallets, which up to this point they can only be charitably described as “avoiding like the plague.” We need five or six starters to get a running start at competitive, and it’s far too late for that kind of change this season. Maybe next season this starts to look less like a shitshow and more like a football club, but that maybe comes with a ton of caveats and some serious wishful thinking.
Losada is a up and comer, Rooney despite only coaching Derby carries a much bigger stick than Hernan. When Wayne speaks people listen.
This. The FO could ignore some of Losada's criticism and ultimately fire him for what appears, ultimately, insubordination when directed to change some of his methods and he didn't. Losada was a young guy who had coached a Belgian team up from relegation had them mid-table in the first division when he left. His replacement is Wayne Rooney -- players understand that and the FO understands that if Rooney leaves pissed off, they will be lucky to even get the Chad Ashton's of the world to coach their goat rodeo.
It is pretty depressing that the Rooney/Acosta period is now more vaunted than times we were actually good and had real fire power. Yea, they had a few good goals, so what? We’re just a broken fanbase.
And that's my question. We chose an identity last year with Losada that everyone liked. The FO was committed to that identity sufficiently so, that we traded Arriola over a coach who already had some holes in his man management game before we fired him for piss poor man management. Rooney was closer to Sam Allardyce last year than he is to Losada, so what gives? Are we bagging that identity that we picked for ourselves and got players to fufill and now we're changing course? Tactically speaking, Rooney has holes in his game. How's he going to learn some new system and execute it? 100%, Rooney will inspire these guys and raise their game. Not one single player on this team has the nerve to mail in an effort like we did vs Nashville and Philly knowing he's got to come back to the sideline or locker room and face Rooney, but this is right back to rudderless DCU as we have known it. I really wonder if Levien over ruled the technical staff who will likely be resigning in the next few months. From the other thread about team style via Section107
The "culture" enunciated by Mairs was something like "front foot attacking soccer" which, by itself, means nothing. I've read several pieces about Rooney's style at Derby and it goes something like this: 1. Selective press, but stay organized and drop to mid or low block if the press isn't there. (Losada was balls to the wall, and that won't work over 34 games.) 2. Pragamtic formations and in game adjustments to counter the other teams strengths and exploit weaknesses. 3. He played the young guys, including Academy kids, because Derby couldn't buy and sell players. I think what we will see is a team that plays smarter and still attacks when possible. What I think the "culture" that Rooney hopefully provides is accountability, professional work habits and improving soccer IQ. That is a culture that has eluded DCU for many years.
Yes. There was this myth that Rooney was a stupid git who fortunately could play football or he'd be on the dole. I'm not saying he's a PhD,but he has a Masters in Modern Football and has given the requisite thought to the game to have earned the recognition.From what I could gather from Derby,the squad ran through walls for him.
They did more than just score a few goals. That time brought hope to a fan base that had nothing to get excited for but yearly "mythical South American attacker" articles from Goff. We had hope that years of penny pinching were done and we were about to return to glory. Sadly, we were wrong and the clubs cheap ways led to Rooney leaving on a free. The failed Lucho PSG transfer was the beginning of the end. That candle burned hot as hell but it smelled phenomenal once it was lit.
I think you're touching on a legit fear that many of us have – that this is not the beginning of a new and positive era, but rather just another in a line of occasional splashes from Levien & Kasper make that are completely disconnected from any long-term, coherent strategy. No matter how good a manager Rooney might turn out to be DCU still needs a major infusion of talent to compete for trophies. Don't get me wrong, I'm hopeful about Rooney at the helm. He surprised me (and some of you) when he played here as he seemed to really care, and he did well at Derby County considering the circumstances, but... • I was hopeful when Rooney arrived last time. • I was hopeful when we hired Losada. • I was hopeful when Audi Field opened. • I was hopeful when DCU started an academy. ... etc., etc., etc. It's possible to improve your organization and still fall behind your competitors when they are all advancing faster than you. DCU continues to trail nearly every other club in MLS. I'm a sucker (as are most sports fans) so I'm once again hopeful, but I'm not stupid. I'd probably be more excited if the club had be sold, or if they'd at least canned Kasper.
I think this is exactly right. A fish rots from the head down. The head is rotted. Owners think they have a good team to judge and recruit below market talent in Kasper and Rushton. They don't. Kasper's record is awful. Owners refuse to spend money on the team. Owners trade emerging talent quickly. Owners would be well served to sell the team but keep and lease the stadium to new owners who would be willing to build a dynasty team worthy of our crest and history. They would be well served because they own property all around the stadium. Value would go up long term. Rooney's hire represents a blip in value that won't last.
defenders who mark blades of grass will get lit up. wingers who cross balls to the far touchline will get lit up. forwards whose shots end up in row Zed will get lit up. Accountability has returned.
This is the funniest thing I have seen yet related to this Rooney business… How DC United could line up under Wayne Rooney with Man Utd legend signing Jesse Lingard and Ravel Morrison No thanks on Ravel Morrison and there’s bo way in HELL Levien would pay Lingard his ask and would never come here anyway.
Yep, that’s why they call it silly season. Fits right in with the theme of this year’s théâtre de l'absurde.
A week ago if I suggested Wayne Rooney would be managing DC United I’d have been shamed off this website. Thx, Jay!
I agree. Despite all the potential problems that might come up, I am confident that Rooney won't accept low effort performances. We wont see situations with players like Flores giving up and still starting because we are overpaying them. If defenders don't mark in the box I'm confidant that Rooney will sit them if they're not willing or able to improve their game. We still have one of the least talented teams in MLS but we won't have one that phones it in.
what if our players aren't capable of playing better? He can't sit the whole roster But I hope this will allow for some of the younger players to get some experience. Hopkins did well in his debut and played well at the U20s. Time to get him more pro experience
I don't think that this roster is going to set the world on fire but I think they are absolutely capable of being better than what we've seen over the last few months, which is an admittedly low bar. I agree that this a great opportunity to give young players real minutes. We are not going to make the playoffs and it's better to focus on the future then desperately scrambling for the last playoff spot. I figure we need 6 or 7 new starters. Taxi is obvious but I think we should also keep Najar and Gressel. I'd like to see Estrada stick around for the rebuild too because he has been okay and seems like he would thrive in a team with a halfway decent starting XI. Maybe a few others will be able to show they deserve to stick around but we will see. I hope Rooney is given free-reign over roster decisions and he lets the locker room know they are playing for their jobs. For some guys this is probably their last chance to make it as professional athletes, hopefully they will be motivated.
Couldn't be any worse than starting the exact same mediocre midfield 4 days after a game in Orlando heat.
FWIW: “Obviously once D.C. got in touch, I asked a lot of questions of course—as you can imagine. I asked questions on the team, on the staff, on the club—where it’s all at,” Rooney said. “And of course we spoke about players I potentially want to bring in—what’s available for me to use to bring players in. And I got the right answers. If I didn’t get the right answers. I wouldn't be here. “We’ve got targets. Obviously we’re speaking to players and we’re working at it to make sure we can try to get them over the line,” he added. https://www.si.com/soccer/2022/07/12/wayne-rooney-dc-united-return-manager-mls
“He alone, yesterday, had 10–12 calls from people—players asking him to come. So he's going to help there.” Cleverley, who spent the past several seasons with Watford, was among them. That must have been a glorious walk through Georgetown.
What other guys looking for a quick payday will we be linked to next? They have to be 32+ years old, have no interest in where we live or our league, and definitely won't stay for more than 1-2 years. How about instead we look for our Sebastian Blanco or Diego Valeri to stay with the team for 5+ years and serve as a veteran backbone? Is that too much to ask? Is anyone from the team reading this? ******** off with the trade rumors.