I'm not defending him, nor am I'm trashing him. I am as ticked off as much as the next person is. Someone must claim the responsabillity for this f-up. But doing the calculating right now from 1996 thru 1999 Metro have had a record of 51-79 during the shootout era as well with 5 coaches in 4 years. In the current tenure of OZ with the draws installed since 2000 40-36-8 with one match remaining on the regular season. The difference is that OZ gave us two winning records in 2000 & 2001, true that 9-11 erased two matches with the Revs and the defunct Fusion, still there is the improvement. This club that we love so much and we want them to win every time they put themselves on the pitch is having a weird season, but this should be a happy ending to make the playoffs. Instead they are seriously f-ing it up. Tired of the crap that's being displayed and now we won't have Clint or Timmy available unless somehow they get their act together and defeat New England. It looks like some players are going to have to step it up and start to show what they are made of, or get off.
OZ was given alot more then Quieroz, Parreria, Mondello, Bora, etc. and he has done worse with it then most of our past coaches. To him whom much is given, much is expected, and OZ has failed miserably these past two years. If only he would step up to the plate and take blame, I'd have respect for the man.....
I still say Quieroz or Mondello were the best coaches the Metros had, especially they made something out of nothing....
Bora also didnt give a crap and was ready to leave half way thru his contract. He wanted to do good but couldnt believe how much red tape and politics were involved in getting players. He couldnt build his "own" team, Charlie was giving away all of our players, he just stopped caring.
Quieroz wasn't here long enough to have made a skid mark in the parking lot. Mondello actually made something out of nothing and then Chuckles repaid him by sacking him right before the playoffs that Mondello put the team in. Bora finished us off after that.
OZ definitely has had the most talented Metros squad from front to back this year. I've even stuck up for him earlier in the year since he's the only coach with a winning record we've had. But, after the substitutions he made on Sat. vs DC - and his remarks regarding Clint in the press afterwards - I'm beginning to have second thoughts. For a coach of his (supposed?) caliber to sub out ALL his (remaining) forwards to play defense for 20 plus minutes is asinine. No matter what level of soccer you're at I don't think that's a viable tactic. What kind of message are you sending to your team?? "I don't think we can score another goal so let's just try to prevent them from scoring." I think Faria's reaction said it all when he came out. Here's a guy who scored earlier for us and had been playing his ass off the whole game - and his reward is take a seat on the bench?? I can understand subbing out Diallo as his ankle was bothering him. The whole substitution pattern that night left me dumbfounded and wondering if he was ACTUALLY playing to LOSE. As for his post-game remarks about not believing Clint about being off-balance and not knowing Allegria was under him - probably un-professional. It's never a good thing - regardless of the sport - for a coach to criticize his players in the press. Most teams I believe even have internal policies against such a thing - they prefer it be kept internal. (Though I admit to wanting to know the dirty secrets of any of my favorite teams - who doesn't?) I think it indicates that he has no respect for his players and that they probably don't have any for him. I'm beginning to join the OZ must go camp, only because it seems to be that he's unable or unwilling to get through to and motivate the players. Once a coach reaches that point, he has to go, no matter how good a coach they are. I'll be rooting for us to win against the Revs and make it and somehow still get to the MLS Cup - but my pragmatic self knows that it probably won't happen.
Bora stopped caring before the season started. he thought his past relationship with Sunil would allow him to bring in the Mexican players he coveted. While the team was in Italy, Bora was interviewing with Italian clubs and missing days of metro pre-season. Mondelo was given the most to work with by far. he screwed himself with some of his own moves. He insisted on having Vega and caused the chemistry problems by benching Rooney to play the fat man. In additon he lost all control of the tewam during preseason. The players ran the show and told Mondelo what to do and when to do it. he tried to restablish himself by demanding Vega. The guy that was the mastermind behind all the player moves involving Bora's team was not Charlie. It was now assistant to garber, Nelson Rodriguiz. he was the person with the grand plan that failed to materialize. He then turned around and blamed the coaching staff for not coaching the players correctly.
Sir Ek, I agree with you 100%, though i've been in the oz must go camp for a few games already.... its truly unbelievable....he should've stuck up for mathis and said that he diagreed with the red rather then try and blame mathis for the loss.... what about the subs that were made? what about the other 13 games we lost? oz is a friggin idiot....when a coach starts pointing his finger at players, players start pointing at the coach (which mathis has refrained from doing)....but you know there are mathis backers among the rest of the players who undoubtedly are calling oz what he is, a piece of sh!t.