Paul Bravo interview here It's refreshing to hear I guess had he been here last year, things would have been different Also I made that one up.
That might be one of the reasons that Plush and/or Smith were let go. (Though talking to Plush he seemed to share Bravo's viewpoint on this issue)
Doing that requires a lot of cash. Good thing we have owners that are willing to pony it up. All things considered, we absolutely SHOULD just focus on the playoffs/MLS cup, as its the only thing I think we're able to do with the resources at hand.
If that's the reasoning behind letting go the two, i'm all for it. If a lack of competitiveness continues in any competition including opportunities outside the MLS, i'll lose interest in this team and i'm sure other fans will too.
That's for sure. It's one thing to say the team should be competitive in all 3 competitions, it's another to pull it off. I would be happy if the team could reach a consistently superior performance level in MLS competition.
This interview is worthless. I did notice all the core players came through the college system quote. That seems to be big to Bravo as it was to Plush. That is probably because they can't identify talent anywhere else.
That article pissed me off. We are going to challenge for every trophy! Great! I guess getting rid of trophy winning coach is step one. I can't wait for step two!
Exactly. Although I like this piece of it: Andre Akpan and Quincy Amarikwa made some significant strides and we have high hopes for Eddie Ababio. We also continue to see a lot of potential in Anthony Wallace. Not sure on Q, I think the best he will be is last game sub to pressure defense. Unless he can harness his first touch when attacking.
If we're only going by trophies Smith also never got us into the USOC proper or got us closer than 5th in the Shield race. (He also never won the RMC. ) Obviously one is still greater than the zero that Houghten, Wegerle, Mooch, Hankinson, and Clavijo combined to get us (not counting the RMC). If you're looking a coach that will focus on all the competitions though, Smith didn't seem that interested in doing that. If you're looking for somebody that will focus only on the playoffs/MLS Cup then Smith would be a better choice. It sounds like Bravo wants somebody that was more open to multiple competitions.
Only way to do that (Compete for all) is to get much better depth then we currently have, we spent all $ allowed by Salary Cap. I see other teams working on depth with invites to trial to top young players. Rapids have just picked-up 2 "cast-offs", with MLS experience and we can see if they fit in and add to team. But I would much rather see us Scouting WORLD for young top guys to make our team always in the hunt...
Kinda hard to go after silverware in every competition when you're bench is lacking depth. That is on Bravo. I was never a huge fan of Smith's gameday tactics, but I think he did the exact right thing last year by focusing on getting this team into the playoffs. We didn't have the horses to pull that large a load last season.
I noticed that as well. That to me might be the most telling part of the whole article. Shows just how much he values players from college. This seems strange though when I have seen articles like this recently talking about how college players will have even less of an opportunity to develop.
True. It was incredible easy for me to second guess his decisions regarding other competitions but the reality is only Smith was in the locker room every day. He's the one that had to look around and think, these are the players that played last weekend and have another MLS game next weekend. He's the one that had to analyse their fitness and how it impacts the line ups for this and the upcoming games. Me, I just had to say, win them all damn it, you said they were important, just win. See, easy.
Smith did a straight up AMAZING job last season factoring in injuries. With our injuries and suspensions we had no business even being in the playoffs. These other competitions are a matter of depth, depth that was stripped away once the injury bug became infectious. If Bravo can't recognize that then I have nothing but fear for his evaluation process. BTW MLS CUP >>>>>>>>>>>>>>> All other trophies. That's a pretty basic evaluation right there. I'm not saying that it buys Smith a lifetime pass but I am saying that suits made a MISTAKE! I'm glad Plush paid for it. I'm expecting Bravo to pull a rabbit out of a hat! That is the corner he has painted himself into. I guess Bravo will be going to KSE asking for more $$$ for the US Open to Buyers Cup since now its important.
Bravo out. He is more full of himself than one of the new supporters groups that think they invented soccer in Colorado.
And what about the team's results under Smith in the USOC and Shield race in 2009 and 2010? I'm not saying that ts the end all and be all of judging a coach, but as you say, 1 MLS Cup is not a lifetime pass either. Everyone is going to have a point where they say "Yeah, great job on getting us our first MLS Cup but your results outside that competition haven't been up to snuff so we're going to go elsewhere".
I don't believe Smith cared or would care about the Open Cup. I don't blame him. He gave it the exact importance that the USSF suggests it should have. As for winning. I think David's right it's easy to say, but once the rubber hit the road losing Casey, losing Mullan, losing Smith, having a mediocre Omar... it pretty much became a struggle just making the playoffs. As for 2009, it was much the same thing. Maybe Bravo can introduce a culture where nobody gets hurt.
He does have a Costco membership and they do sell magic spray by the pallet now..... When Omar first came to the Rapids, he was more or less speed, speed and speed with a touch that would make the ladies on Colfax charge double and his passing skills that made Matt Kmosko look like El Pibe. I'm not saying Q will progress just as much. And maybe that part of my memory is corrupt. But Amarikwa's still younger than most full-time college kids in this country. He's got time to change. And Plush was really pushed out the door for performance? If so, what changed in KSE that raised expectations?
We are just gonna go around in circles on this, but here we go.... MLS CUP >>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>> All other trophies There's no need to ramdomly tap people in the nuts in here. LOL, the first time I read the article, I didn't see any mention of injuries and was dumbfounded. I just now went back and it was mentioned. First question first paragraph, very hard to miss I think I would have been alot less pissed. Oh well. Maybe this interview is a good sign that silence is gone under this regime.
It's there, but it's Nick who attributes the team's struggles to it. Bravo has this gem... There were injuries and suspensions, but the players were the ones who led by example when it came to that stuff. We have to respect the effort given by the players. We have a great group of guys and they never made any excuses; they just got on with playing. What does that mean? Having noted that the team was down in all categories, he's praising the players for their effort, lack of excuses, and workman like attitude - in achieving.... less?!.
Well, there's the part about injuries and suspensions that partly explain why they achieved less. He's praising the players for not complaining or making excuses.
I get that. I'm just saying that if you're somebody like Bravo, who at least appears to value the USOC, Shield, and CCL, then Smith's results in everything else but the 2010 playoffs do not really match what you're looking for.