http://www.coloradorapids.com/news/2012/08/dave-dir-joins-rapids-coaching-staff Getting the band back together! Also, evidently David Kramer left the team, too, for other opportunities.
I thought he was one of the best color guys MLS has had, but as is typical of soccer fans there was more negative thumping then nought.
“Dave has tremendous experience in MLS and his tactical and technical knowledge is going to help all the players at our club,” said Rapids Technical Director Paul Bravo. “He’ll be helping our technical staff with everything from training to match preparation, and will be working closely with our goalkeepers.” So let's read between the lines here. David Kramer is either fired or disgusted with Bravo and left.. which interestingly the goalkeeper has been one of the few bright spots of the year. So now we get a new goalkeeper coach who is going to help (show everybody how its done) with training and match preparation? WTF Isn't this the kind of change you make in the off season? And I don't think I would describe his MLS experience as "tremendous"! The guy was a head coach in the MLS over a decade ago and then became an assistant outside the MLS. What kind of 'head coach' goes to being a not head coach.. a sucky one. I'm pretty sure the MLS has changed over the past 10 years, is this guy going to be able to keep up? I just don't get it, what are we doing? Why not go after a young and up and coming coach who is going to bust all ass to get the job done? I just don't see it here, another Bravo decision, another Rapid failure.
While that's certainly a possible explanation, its hardly the only one. Let's see where Kramer ends up and how quickly. He may have actually gotten another offer that was more appealing. Given that Dir was Pareja's coach in Dallas I'm guessing this was a Pareja move, not a Bravo one. Kramer was also the only holdover on the coaching staff from the Smith era (technically he goes back to the Clavijo era). Dir has been with the U-20 team for years, and I don't think its a coincidence that they just finished the Milk Cup a week or so ago and this deal gets announced. It may be that Pareja had this move in mind for a while but Dir didn't want to leave the team until after the Milk Cup. Dillon Serna was on that Milk Cup team as well. I wonder if this move increases the chance of eventually signing Serna as a homegrown player or not.
Lets just say Daminada Pt2 and Jason are both correct here. , someone quit OP's fabulous training techniques and he brought in a buddy. Its awesome folks.....
Not when this particular season has gone as poorly as it has - bringing in a veteran assistant coach for wisdom and a different set of ideas sounds like a great idea if you're trying to right the ship. I just don't know why we'd do so at the goalkeeper coach position when that's been maybe our only strong suite this season. Dave Sarachan kinda won a few Cups with Chicago, before he was let go by Chicago and he decided he'd rather be Arena's assistant in LA. And let's face it, assistant coaching is less pressure, more hands-on, and sometimes is better for your particular skill-set. It doesn't mean you're a bad head coach, it could just mean you're better as an assistant. Do we not have two younger/up-and-coming coaches right now? How are they working out? And if this move ends up not being a "failure," are you ever going to come back and concede your overhasty judgment? Or are you just going to do the typical internet thing of hiding after having a ridiculous opinion?
Gansler also left KC after winning a MLS Cup (and USOC I think) and then became an assistant in Toronto. Oh, and before KC he led the U.S. to a World Cup.
I've no problem with this move, but it doesn't strike me as being any more/less outlandish then Tritt's departure. I do remember some heads exploding over that, and not affording the coach his due at the time. Maybe Kramer doesn't deserve the same sentimentality, but then again as RapidStorm points out it's not like GK is a real weak spot.
I heard something about Kramer leaving this weekend. Apparently under Smith (and possibly under Clavijo) his position was as focused on the Academy as the first team and it was a little more laid back. With the expansion of the Academy under Pareja he wanted more of a first-team assistant/GK coach in that role which isn't what Kramer was apparently looking for. If accurate then this seems like a simple parting of the ways from Kramer and Pareja. No more, no less that what happens in companies around the world every day as companies grow and roles change.
Why not hire a Striker coach? Teams have forever had a Goalkeeping/assistant coach who was a former goalie himself. Why not a Striker coach? Someone who scored goals for a living. A true Strikers dynamics are just the opposite of a goalkeepers. Strikers are the first in this parameter. Goalkeepers react to Strikers. Why coach from the reaction point when you can coach the force that creates or beats the reaction? Goalkeeper coaches do have their place but the Rapids should of hired a Striker coach.
Good point I wonder if any team has a "striker" coach? Bet Jason knows. Just to clarify, GK coaches is about positioning and decisions making of coming out or not. Reaction is basically unteachable and what separates top keepers from guys no longer in soccer.
I'm sure there are teams with specifically striker coaches, but to the best of my knowledge there aren't any in MLS.
GK coaches also tend to focus on defensive set pieces, and defensive organization. I don't think anyone would argue that our team couldn't use some help in those areas.
Granted its been a while since I have played, but In my experience GK coach would take keepers off during practice and never spoke a word to any of us field players other then to ask us if we want a drink.
Just stumbled across Kramer's LinkedIn profile while updating mine. He's now the Technical Director for the Colorado Edge club. It looks like he had that spot lined up when he left the Rapids or found it very quickly as the dates seem to indicate very little time off between the jobs.