Here're links to a couple articles, one by ToLo and one by Rick Alonzo, on the highs and lows of the Burn's 2002 season and what Jeffries and Swift might do to improve the team over the offseason: http://www.dallasnews.com/sports/soccer/stories/100502dnsponuburn.9b614.html http://www.dfw.com/mld/dfw/sports/4224717.htm A couple things in particular caught my eye: From ToLo's article: "Colorado coach Tim Hankinson was simply being a gracious winner, but even so, his comments after the Rapids eliminated the Burn from the Major League Soccer playoffs stung a little. "I believe that [Burn coach] Mike Jeffries has just about the best team in the league here," Hankinson said. If that's true, then why are the Rapids in the MLS semifinals while the Burn is sitting at home?" And from Alonzo's piece: "The team appears to have a good mix of experience and youth, but as the playoffs showed this year, something is missing. The Burn lacks a vocal player who is a natural leader. That's been missing since the Burn traded away Leonel Alvarez in 1999 for Ariel Graziani. Jeffries does not have a dominant personality, and without that type of presence from a player or someone on the bench, the Burn may find itself in a similar situation next season. Swift backs Jeffries, so the club may find itself in the market for that type of player in the off-season, salary cap permitting." Not exactly ringing endorsements for the Burn's head coach from our local scribes. And though Jeffries apparently still has Swift's strong support, I wonder how much longer will that last?
I thought both articles were pretty decent. I also think that he's being given credit for what they did do...came in third in the league in points, lost the fewest (or nearly the fewest) regular season games, and played good looking soccer. They hit an ice patch at a bad time, some internal, some external. There was nothing wrong with the team that smacked Colorado around like a rag doll in game 1. But they were dog tired by game 3, and not putting up a tie in Colorado did it. Realize that if they had tied in Colorado, they would have advanced before the minigame ever happened. The guy is not a cheerleader. He's quiet, smart, and has coaching ability. But in the United States we see a coach as a motivator, and his lack of outward appearance of that bothers some people, me included. No one doubts Sigi's ability to fire up a team, but for all I know it's all Alexi Lalas and Cobi Jones. Hudson is the other extreme, and everyone else is between them. There is a lot to be said for how this year turned out. Disappointment can be a motivator like no other. Experience of being in pressure situations, even when you lose them, can help you win them next time. Do you think LA has any anxiety about being on top? Not after being disapppointed so many times. They think the League owes them MLS Cup, and that attitude is critical to their play. I can paint a picture that the Burn will walk onto the field in 2003 copping the attitude that they got screwed in 2002, and they are not going to let that happen again. And that would make next year interesting to say the least.