Hellz yes he's the fall guy!This team was sleeping when they were brought up to the USL-1 while other teams were finalizing their rosters. Our coach leaves us and how many players are left over from last year but there was very little continuity from last years team. And that screams trouble.
Thoma, I really feel that this sentiment is premature. Although I never was around the Riverhawks FO, I did spend a little time hanging with the Cleveland FO and they seemed pretty sharp with regard to on and off the field issues as witnessed by the success they had in their first two seasons. Cleveland's firing of Mark seems like an a glorious overreaction to what had to be predictable start to the season. Now I don't know who they have waiting in the wings (For example, if Andy Swift is lined up, I don't care who's in there now, vaya con Dios) but there is no quick fix. Firing the GM just seems like the wrong move.
Trust me - you'd have to go a long way to be as bad as the Riverhawks. It may just be that, organizationally, either they didn't have enough time or they mis-judged what the jump would be like. Seems like, as an organization, they flourished at the USL-2 level. It may have just been a series of mistakes that are magnified when everything seems to go wrong in the first half of the season up a level.
Surely that could be the case. The link provides as little information as possible other than the fact that Mark = gone. I should put it this way. If he was released (resigned) due to the teams on-field issues, I think that the resignation was premature. If there are other issues which could any of several (mishandled the coaching search, GM with more experience in certain areas identified, demanded to much money) well, that's business. BTW, Kenn, I was flipping through the old 99 USISL media guide. Do you still have the collarless shirts
Well, I can tell you that Mark was at the game last night. He came and sang with us a little bit. Maybe it was just a resignation for personal reasons. I like the guy, so I didn't pry and ask. Not like he would have told us anyway. He stayed the whole game, too. It wasn't just an appearance. He seemed happy. He was playing soccer with a few kids barefoot in an open area by the entrance to the stadium at the end of the game.
His resignation had nothing to do with the performance of the team and he did not take the fall for it. I can tell you that Mark built that team and orginization from scratch from the first year. There were diffrences behind closed doors with certain people and that is why He is no longer with the team. IF Mark wanted to resign it would have come at the end of the season. Not this early in the season!!
I've also heard rumors that he might be looking for a position in Europe and this played into his decision. It is the silly season over there right now. Although, it may be getting a bit late for any team to bring someone on. You know anything about this?
FO was a good guy, He went back to Germany. He told me that there were alot of things that needed to be done outside of soccer.