Coach

He deserves a 2-year extension. I was surprised to realize that his original contract was only for two years. It shows me a lot of desire and courage if you're willing to uproot your family and move to a strange place, knowing you're going to be on that short of a leash.

 

The collapse at the end of the previous two years and the two eliminations in the first round of the playoffs show a serious lack of leadership. If Jeffreis does not learn that, I suspect we will see more of the same.

Last year, Jeffries had a chance to lead the Burn deep into the playoffs. He failed. Time for a change.

Prove me wrong, Jeffries.

 

I will say up front that I am a Jeffries supporter. I think this is the best team Burn have ever had.

So I am going to ask you to give 5 legit candidates that would be BETTER than Jeffries. And since the Burn have no owner, you can't list another current MLS coach.

 

Leonel Alverez, Nigel Clough, Alan Hinton, Hugo Snachez, Randy Waldrum. Buzz, I will never get those two seconds back.

I have been a vocal critic of Jeffries. Everyone who has been to the tailgate knows this. I don't want Jeffries to fail. Buzz, I want Jeffries to prove you right and me wrong. If he does that, I will gladly aknowlege it. I sincerly hope that happens before Death calls my name.

 

How old are you ???

Actually - I was skeptical of Jefferies at first, especially with the Graziani trade. But he has accumulated some pretty talented players and has been able to keep them here.

The team was better his 2nd year than his first year. He gambled and lost during that 3 games in 5 days stretch and we never really recovered - but you can't really blame Jefferies for trying. MLS and the USSF did a horrible job of scheduling. What choice did we have.

We lost to Colorado on a fluke Mark Chung header in Game 3 OT. We tie or win in OT and we make the semis. That's progress and everyone is happy. We were close.

I like our chances this year and Jefferies certainly deserves 2 more years to improve our playoff record.

 

I hope so too... let me address your candidates for a second. As I am sure you are aware no foreign coach has succeeded in MLS without a period of time working within the US system so he has an understanding of the US System. Not to pick a fight but I would not call any of your 5 LEGIT candidates. Although Waldrum might be the closest being at Notre Dame...

 

I've been as critical of Jeffries as anyone, I think. Especially after the way the season wound down last year, I was not particularly pleased with him. But during the offseason I started to think about it a different way and kind of changed my attitude. I started thinking about what a remarkable change we saw in this team from Jeffries year one to Jeffries year two. We went from having a joke defense to having one of the best and most exciting defensive units (I didn't say goalkeeper) in the league. We went from having no player on the team who could play right mid to having one of the best and most exciting right mids in the league. We've seen Chivas put in the position to showcase his offensive talents by adjusting our team tactics to minimize his defensive liabilities. We've added both youth and experience throught draft and discovery. And we've traded very profitably. All solid foundations for success.

I'm no Jeffries cheerleader, but I liked what I saw on the field last season. And if we see anything like the kind of improvement this year that we did last year, it will be a hell of a season, Cup or no Cup.

 

First off I would like to acknowlege the fact that I hated Jefferies for the 2001 season.

But...I think all Burn fans had a hell of a lot more fun watching our Black and Red this season. I think in the first game when we lost 2-0 to San Jose at home, everyone (myself included) thought "here we go again". But he changed the team with a great draft and a new system. He knows talent when he sees it. And IMO, it was more of a team problem at the end of the season. Especially in Game 3. Come on, I think everyone hates remembering that damn night, but one goal from a crappy game would have had us in the semi's and everyone patting him on the back. Keep Jefferies for at least 2 more years. I have a feeling this will be our year. No early exit this time. HURRY UP DAMN APRIL!

 

Watching the Burn from afar, it would appear that Jeffries has a great eye for talent and that he is a very good tactical coach.

To me, it appears his glaring weakness is his ability to really motivate the players and get them to be fired up. For all the talent the Burn have, they rarely seem to play with an inner fire (lowercase "f") and often appear listless and sometimes, even worse - disinterested. This has resulted in Dallas not winning several games the past 2 years that most observes felt they should have.

It seems that Jeffries' attitude is: you're a professional player so you should be ready to win and always play hard every game. Period.

But, even with the most veteran of teams, a good motivator can make the difference in a handful of wins and that's what the Burn seem to be presently lacking.

Perhaps Jeffries will be more comfortable getting in his players faces and getting more vocal and rah rah as he continues to prune the team of Dave Dir's players. Or, failing that, perhaps Jeffries will have to have an assistant coach who can handle the motivating and leave the talent evaluating and Xs and Os to himself.

 

I believe you are right but in Dallas the Cowboys had the same type of coach (Landry) and did well for years. A good evaluator and tactician may not get immediate results but they also don't wear out their welcome once everyone gets tired of their schtick. If he keeps upgrading the talent they won't need motivating if he doesn't he eventually will be replaced.

 

You hit it right on the head Sandon.

But I've chosen to be optimistic about Jeffries this season. He's a smart guy (he has an MBA in finance and once worked as a financial analyst for Merril Lynch iirc), so I'm counting on him to learn from his mistakes and make improvements in his coaching as well as the team. We don't have to wait long to see.

Given that all coaches will one day be fired, I only hope that when that day comes, we'll find a way to keep Jeffries in the organization as Technical Director, talent scout, GM, or some other management position. His eye for talent, both collegiate and veteran has been magnificent so far.

And I do like your idea of the assistant coach for the "fiery motivator" role. Does anyone know if Morrow is interested in a coaching future? Would he be any good?

 

MJ has proven himself as a master of player personnel.

Landry's personna motivated his players, MJ strikes me as 'somewhat humble', and not 'the kind' that demands attention.

My first glimpse of Morrow showed me how vocal he could be, but I'm more interested in knowing if Stewart could be a legitimate leader on this team.

If Earnie could start with a "I'll lead by example" role and then slowly impose his competitive nature and passion for the game - onto his Burn teammates; well then I'd be in favor of a player/motivator taking on the critical 'leadership role' the Burn so sorley need.

That being said, I think it is very difficult for one person to pull together what is often referred to as a 'split' social enigma amongst the Burn players. While there hasn't been any 'outright' descension that we can see, I've often wondered if there's underlying resentment amongst the 'South-of the border' players - against the 'local' players who 'seem' to get 'the push' from time-to-time.

I'm not looking to open up a big can of worms here, but I would really like to see ALL the players pull together for a passionate run at the Cup.

 

With the exception of Hugo Sanchez, I think all those names are legit. Nigel's ultimate goal is to coach Nottingham Forest as his father did, and the MLS might be a way to get there. He is young, flexible, and, when he excahnged one red shirt in the midlands for another in the north, Latin players were seen in the Premiership. Plus, he has his father/madman/genius/drunken/hold that Super Cup a little bit abouve your big head, Sir Brian Clough, as an advisor. The other names are totally legit, and tow have Dallas connections. Want five more, Buzz?

Andy is comitted to MJ, just as St. William was to Dir. Jeffries was brought in to take the team to the next level. So let us comapre and contrast. In his second year, Dir took a team that surged into the playoffs, beat the top seed, would have been in the MLS Cup Final if it wasn't for some bad seafood, and took the US Open Cup from the the holders, Supporter's Shield Winners, and two time MLS Cup Winners. In Jeffries's scond year, the Burn stumbled into the playoffs and stumbled out. Exactly how has the team taken another step? MJ's more talented teams don't win the tough ones.

Jeffries will get, at least, his third year. Let him prove me wrong, and Buzz right.

 

You still haven't given me 5 real candidates.
Hugo Sanchez already turned down a chance to interview here once. Actually I think he may have just laughed.

Alvarez is playing somewhere in Colombia I believe, so is not legit in my book. He also does not fit the criteria of understanding the American player and system. Think Frank Stapelton.

Hinton would not come here either. No MLS coach has even found a way into the EPL or Div 1. Again he doesn't know US system which is too critical for sucess here.

Clough? Give me a break, no way is that a legit candidate.

Waldrum The women's coach at ND is not what I have in mind either. He hardly fits my question of 5 LEGIT candidates BETTER than Jeffries.

Look at coaches who have won championships in MLS. Arena, Bradley, Sigi, Gansler, and Yallop. North American coaches who know the US system.

So I am still looking for 4 legit candidates from you. I will give you Alvarez, becasue I like him and I don't know for sure he is still playing. I would have reservations about his ability to flourish with the US system.

 

Tom Dooley, Schellas Hyndman, Dominc Kinnear, John Trask. Another three seconds I'll never get back. Five more?

We'll never settle this, Buzz. I would take most high school coaches, you wouldn't repalce Jeffries with Giovanni Trapattoni.

He was hired to take the team to the next level. Two first round eliminaitons. It was his team last year, it will be his team next year. The Burn is a pateint organization, but it is time to win something. At the end of this year, Jeffries will have had more time than a lot of coaches. Either win a cup or leave. Niether is going to happen.

 

Ok Dooley I like. Hyndman is a legit candidate, but I am not a personal fan. Kinnear is very interesting.
John Trask is a guy I don't know much about.

Much better set of candidates. Dooley I would really like to see coaching.

In the end I still think this is the best Burn team yet. The 99 team was very good. Offensively about the same as now IMHO. But the Burn Defense is much better. And I think you will agree that MLS is better all around than in 99.

So I will agree with you on one level then. Dir was Hick's guy. Jeffries is Swift's guy. Given the way sports works I am sure Hunt will want his guy, and that guy will want his coach.

Man I hope that doesn't happen. I really like the way this team is progressing.

 

I forgot to mention Ralph Perez. I am uncertain of your problem with Alan Hinton.

I am not sure how Hunt will run the team. It was here for years and he was uninterested, until it looked like there would be a stadium deal (and Hitman assures us it is a fait accompli) and Uncle Phil owned all the other teams. Hunt will take a serious look at the office, but will also look at the performance of the team. If the team is winning, the attendence is good, and Hitman Stadium in Frisco is on schedule, I doubt Hunt will do anything.

Winning solves so many problems. I have admitted in the past I have been wrong about Jeffries. I hope I will be doing so this year and the next. I just doubt I will have to.