If Lalas is serious about this whole "winning pretty" doctrine, I have to believe that there will be major changes made at the end of this season. This team has got to be one of the most boring teams to watch. The question is; will waiting until the end of the season be too late? How many more fans will throw up their hands in disgust, and walk away from this team permanently? I see Mr. Lalas hiring a Brazilian coach, but when?
I think Bradley has no chance of coming back unless he miraculously wins MLS cup this year. His style of play and his personality arent what Alexi is looking for.
You could argue about defensive tactics, it's a valid point after all, but i will submit to you that what Bob is going through right now is just a reality check, and there aren't many coaches that would deal with these realities any better than him. I think we could all agree that the mighty Chicago Fire was a team put together by the league to win, regardless of whom was at the helm, that is not to say tha Bob isn't a good coach, but the "eastern block' was as solid as you could have in this or any league in the world. Allocating teams by nationality played to their favor as well, as it did for DC with the Bolivians Etche and Moreno when they were at their best. The quality of the likes of Kubik and Novak could not be matched, and then Hristo, how is that for an encore. Bob is a good coach and he will learn from this experience and realize that without the kind of team the league gave him in Chicago he just needs to adjust and he will, unless TL aka "the firehouse angel" (Max Earnst character)decides to give him the same in NY, then he has proven that he can handle that, and everything will be fine in Metroland.
i don't think lalas will fire bob bradley why b/c this is the same league that keep Greg Andrulis for 4 yrs.
When AEG sees an empty stadium next Wednesday night as the Metros play a mid-summer match against first place FC Dallas, this could be the final straw.
We will announce "12 K" and everybody will go home happy, plus it has been concluded in this board that level of play has little to do with attendance.
Don't confuse AEG (who fired a pretty successful Sigi Schmid midway through the season) with Hunt Sports Group, who has been notoriously patient and slow to pull a trigger with their clubs NOBES - we already announced 8k for last game against Colorado, I don't think Lalas is going to cook the attendence figures at all. Metrofever - on that note, I don't think the attendance figures are going to be Bob's downfall since that has an awful lot to do with things off the field. Bob will get fired when they don't make the playoffs.
I will issue a challenge to members of this board and put the attendance issue to rest, I would like to count, yes count the fans that show up the next home game, it's really not too difficult, I bet is less than 5 K.
Because one-tenth of the stadium being full is about right considering as usual, it is tickets sold that is counted (and considering the lack of ancilliary revenue, the important one for Metro) - I'm sure there are no-shows too.
What Fina is saying is that the word "announce" gives franchises a good way to hide the real problems they have drawing, announcing 12 K for LA _ NY was an insult to our intelligence and to say that there were more than 5 K vs Colorado is even worst. We, as fans want the "actual" number, not the other one because I don't want to be believing things that are not true, if I miss a game I want to know how many people actually showed up, not some made up number gigen by MFO to hide their deficiencies.
I have yet to know any franchise to not take advantage of it. As a former Ranger season ticket holder, I can tell you that when the team sucked, announced attendence (tickets sold) and actual butts in the seats were night and day. Same thing with the Knicks. and Giants. and Jets It's not a made up number BTW. Both sets of numbers are important - each tells you different things. One gives you an idea of the popularity of the team, and the other gives you an idea of how crappy the team on the field is and serves as a warning signal that sports frnachises should take heed to.
Using Nicks definition from last seasons interview on METRO Fanatic, the attendance number is all tickets outstanding for the game. No shows are factored in ofcourse. How about tickets given away gratis? Freebees are common place. Also, how about tickets that might even be double counted as part of the 'never waste a ticket program'. A person could trade in a ticket for a game (having that ticket being counted towards the initial games attendance, then again for a second game as he trades it in for another game. There are so many ways to play games with the numbers that they become a joke in MLS. They are pretty much useful just for some of these guys here on BigSoccer to guess and stuff. As far as getting any worthwhile information from though, they are complete garbage.
That was Nick. Nick did that, not MLS, and not Alexi. I think that if it was Nick, that Colorado game would have been announced as 12k.
You can bet that all the parents in those half time mini games were given at least one free if not both, because they were part of "the show", plus all the corporate give aways and the people that get in without tickets, "all access" passes etc. etc. what you are left with is a pathetic crowd as far as numbers. I will say this again, let's "count", yes count the fans when we play the top team in the league and that will be the only number that counts for us the fans, if it is more than 5 K I will never again post about attendance.