Let's get a list going, with some reasons why a coach belongs on either list. This should be fun. Have at it boys.
I guess this is your opinion for overall and not this year? At 7-6-1 and 1-3-0 in the Big South, this is hardly a banner year for the Chanticleers. I like Shaun a lot and do believe he has done an outstanding job at Coastal Carolina, but the 2004 season is not worthy of "best coach" material in my opinion.
It's easy to say coaches at big programs from schools with athletic programs that are prominent in the revenue sports and who are fully-funded do a good job. I don't mean to diss these coaches but it's easier to coach at UCLA, Virginia, Maryland, Stanford, Indiana, Southern Methodist, Connecticut, Penn State etc... just because of the advantages those programs have. That doesn't mean those coaches aren't good. Some of them are, some aren't But, for my money, I want to know who does the most with the least, year-in, year-out? Look at a guy like Seth Rolen at Farleigh Dickinson or Karl Kresmer at FIU or Tim O'Sullivan at Virginia Commonwealth or Gary St. Clair at San Jose State. Those programs are always competitive (though SJS is struggling this year) even though their budgets are small, their campuses aren't always the nicest, their conferences aren't as good, they don't have high profile revenue sports and they either aren't fully funded or they're fighting their administration to keep from being cut. Another criteria. How does UNC-Greensboro or Furman have more players in MLS right now than Penn State or NC State? The bigger schools usually get better players coming in, but they aren't as good leaving. Why?
Excellent post ... a related point is that unlike coaches in the major sports, soccer coaches lack upward mobility. Take the ACC as an example ... it has several (most?) of the premier jobs in college soccer, yet there hasn't been a single change since Bruce Arena left Virginia in 1995. It's hard to over-state how remarkable this is ... despite all of US soccer's progress in the past decade, no ACC school has seen fit to upgrade its coaching. With so few top-level openings, it only stands to reason that some of our best coaches are plugging away at the smaller schools.
Best Coach - Ken Lolla, Akron. Outstanding abilities as a coach overcome the recruiting challenges he faces at Akron. He could coach anywhere in the country. Worst Coach - Ian Collins, Kentucky. Probably the worst brand of soccer played among major D1 schools. Unlike Lolla, he wouldn't be welcome anywhere in the country.
Best Coach-----Bobby Clark-----Best Recruiter World Cup player for Scotland Won at Dartmouth and Stanford where academics make it hard to recruit some of the top talent Winning at ND where he has all the advantages.....will win a National Championship
Best Coach.....Even though he past away last year Clive Charles will always be the best coach to me. If you've ever played under the man you would agree. The man knew the game and the players and had the best coaching style and relationship with his team. Most professional college coach ever. Worst coach...i hear berson's not too good...Ian Collins plays boom ball as well I have to agree just smack it and run not a great style. I thought creighton's coach seemed like a prick and idiot bob warming is it? anyway just some thoughts
This can't be right. For once I agree with UKforUnc86. I'm sure he heard about Bobby Clarke through the grapevine though.
Yes...sorry I didn't clarify...Shaun has done wonders for the program over all. This year has been rough..to start the season 7-0 and now 7-6-1 After our game with Liberty which we won 3-1, Liberty got 2 red cards, the second resulting in a broken leg to one of our best players....mentally they've lost it plus we're now very young. Shaun is doing all he can.
Clark was my original pick, but in thinking about coaches who have a difficult time overcoming recruiting hurdles, Dartmouth, Stanford and Notre Dame are considerably different venues than Akron. No doubt though that Notre Dame is far more likely to win a national title than is Akron.
I don't think Sandon forgot him, at least not in the context he was describing. UWM has 26,000 students, has the only fully funded program in the Horizon League that I'm aware of, with virtually every player on the roster from Wisconsin (and a great many of those in their own backyard). Academically, it's not difficult to get into, scholarships go a LONG way, and they keep their non-league schedule just soft enough to insure a good winning percentage to keep in-state recruiting interest high (although this season is something of an exception). Sort of a perfect situation, and all Bennett (who's more promoter than coach) really has to do is not f*** it up.
Come on mate .....Bobby is from THE KINGDOM ......where anybody and everybody is an expert on football....that is why I could not take your advice on returning to the UK....In the UK I am just another bloke.....O..but ..in Dukie land....I have an obligation to educate the misguided like yourself....... I will undo all those mistakes taught to you by Rennie the cupcake scheduler But I see you have taken the first of the 12 step program.... Bobby...is good......Rennie.....is bad WE at BS are proud of you Big Bonnie ..........and we are here for you any time and please feel free to invite other misguided Dukies to convert.....UNC is only up the road and we would welcome you back to the ACC from Cupcake Land....When you are ready to take this important step back to the ACC come to Fetzer for conversion......In the name of all that is holy...... Go TarHeels
When did you play for Clive Charles and where -- at Portland? If so, what brought you all the way east to Rock Hill, SC?
Having played for Bobby Clark I have to say he is a quality coach who once he has his system in place will win wherever he is. He is a great man as well who will go the extra distance for his players. I have to agree with DSocc about Ian Collins. We played against Kentucky in what he described as the greatest College Soccer match he ever saw and it was nothing more than a Kentucky kick-fest. THey sat back and kicked 60 yard field goals and almost won but luckily good beat evil that day. Tarantini must be up there due to the fact he identifies his players during games by number and country of origin.
If I was an MLS GM or a major college AD and I was looking to hire a head coach, Bobby Clark would be one of the first people I'd call. I doubt he'd leave Notre Dame, but I would go to my bosses and try to get enough re$ource$ to put together a very tempting package. I've hear him speak a couple of times and both times was just so impressed. He knows the game but it's not just that. He communicates so well and he commands respect without being overbearing. He's likeable but authorative at the same time without being pompous. He's a great teacher and a pretty good tactician, too. And, he's got a great resume: *Played for doneky's years in his native Scotland, winning a Scottish league championship and a Scottish Cup with Abderdeen. (And, during his playing career, he still managed to get his degree from a college in Scotland.) *Played several times for the Scotish national team and was a part of their World Cup squad in Argentina 78. (Is there another D-I head coach who was on a World Cup team?) *Towards the end of his playing career, he coached Abderdeen's youth team while still playing. *After hanging up his boots, spent a year coaching a professional club in Zimbabwe. *Left Zimbabwe to coach at Dartmouth. (Any one know how that happened? How'd a Scottish guy go from Zimbabwe to Hanover, NH?) They guy made Dartmouth a national power in the late 80's, making the NCAA quarterfinals twice. (One of his star players was former Galaxy reserve Andrew Shue, better known for his "prowess" on the small screen.) Dartmouth hasn't been a national contender since he left. *Left Dartmouth to be the coaching director for the New Zealand national team, coaching their senior and youth teams for a couple of years. (All those Kiwis playing in MLS and major college ball? That's all because of the pipeline Clark established with NZ players and the US.) *Left the New Zealand job to coach Stanford, which had never been a national power before he arrived. In five seasons, made the NCAAs the last four years and reached the NCAA final once. *He's been at Notre Dame since 2001. The Irish had losing records the two seasons before he arrived but since then theyv'e made NCAAs each year and has a legit Final Four team this season. I don't think he has the offensive weapons to win it all, but I wouldn't be at all surprised if he somehow pulled it off. He's a winner, develops good talent and turns kids into adults. He can coach and he can coach my team anytime.
I'm thinking that you have to consider Dr Tom Martin at James Madison as one coach who consistantly does more with less.
I guess you got your hands on some good bud and e-pills from Franklin Street huh? Don't let that stuff get to your head though, you'll continue to post donkey dung like the crap you just posted. Good talk. I'll see you out there.
Best Coach - Ken Lolla, Akron. Outstanding abilities as a coach overcome the recruiting challenges he faces at Akron. He could coach anywhere in the country. Collins (or his assistant coach) apparently is pretty good at recruiting ... 2 StL boys from the U17 National Champs (Scott Gallagher) just committed to UK.
Why would that be? That's like saying Sasho Begovic at U. Illinois-Chicago was a pretty good recruiter because of the players he picked up from the Chicago Sockers U17 national championship team. Get serious. I'll reiterate: Kentucky plays the worst brand of D1 soccer in the country, and Collins is among the most classless coaches in the game. My condolences to the two players from Scott Gallagher, who apparently got more than their deserved share of bad advice on that deal.
Here's what you missed. Score: Kentucky 2, UAB 1 Fouls: Kentucky 28, UAB 11 Yellow Cards: Kentucky 7, UAB 1 Red Cards: Kentucky 1, UAB 0 And virtually all of this in the 2nd half half after a scoreless 1st half. See any pattern here?
It sucks that the long ball physical style gets results. According to Mike Getman, UAB's coach, UAB probably had 80% of the possession and chances but Kentucky scored on their two real chances. This probably kills UAB's hopes of an NCAA bid.