My vote for Hristo ..... It seem that Hristo have a magic touch with the young soccer players, Beasley is a living proof of this fact....
Try that add on the argentina classified ! Just try the same words on a Buenos Aires newspaper ...What we have here on MLS/USSF is just an aberration, we are willing to pay lothar mathaus 1 M buck but what about a decent coach on a performance contract ?
Yes, I believe there are times when change is good, even if the coach in question (Ellinger) is doing a decent job. However, let's face it. This is totally a political process, and as long as Ellinger pleases his bosses, he's safe. I've seen the 17's play in person, and watched them train. We can be much better. The current assistant coach, John Hackworth would be a good choice. He's still a young guy who can relate to players that age. Former head coach at South Florida, assistant at Wake Forest, and he PLAYED at Wake. I'm sorry, but we need young guys with REAL playing experience as head coaches for our national teams, ESPECIALLY the 17's when these players are just coming into their own. Bobby Clark would be an excellent choice. Played in the world cup for Scotland, did he not? He's older, but his experience is a heck of a lot better than Ellinger's. We need to get rid of this good ol' boy network of soccer coaches in this country, and Ellinger and Arena are the two ring leaders. Here's another name. Dan Donigan, head coach at St. Louis U. Great player at UConn, played professional in the 80's and early to mid 90's. That guy would be a very good choice.
Re: My vote for Hristo ..... So is that kid whose leg he broke because he was mad about an offside non-call in a practice match. Hristo Stoichkov coaching the 17s would be an absolute living hell. You'd have kids coming home mid-semester, some kind of scandal probably and the Fed would end up getting sued. We probably wouldn't even qualify for the worlds. I know we all toss ideas around here and there, but this one just won't fly. There's a BIG difference between having been an encourager to a young player away from home and managing a 40-man ,multi-million dollar developmental program.
I'm not calling for Ellinger to replaced, though I don't think he should feel like he doesn't have to be held accountable. But, if he were to leave, say, to coach DC United, then I would echo the suggestion that Bobby Clark be brought in to coach the 17s in Bradenton. This guy has a great touch with kids and he knows the game, first as a very good player in Scotland and the NASL (won a Scottish championship and played on their 78 World Cup team and won a domestic title in the US) and has been a great college coach, winning at Dartmouth, Stanford and now Notre Dame. And, he has international expeirence as a coach from spending three years guiding the national teams (senior and youth) of New Zealand. It's not his resume but his ability to teach the game and convey what he knows to the kids. I've heard him speak at coaching seminars, etc... and he is very impressive. The only person in US Soccer I've ever heard speak whom I was more impressed with was Bruce Arena.
Lothar for Commish' "we are willing to pay lothar mathaus 1 M buck" Modest proposal- Why not replace the amateurs at the top of the FED and put Lothar to work where he can really do some good. Talented u-16's might not decline nat team overtures if seasoned pros at the top. Also while we're at it- Move Soccer House to LA area near HD and near Lothar house. maybe chicgao would get a nat team match once in a while. Bear
Umm, I think there have been two players TOTAL in the residency program's history who have declined the offer, and one of them, Chris Germani, ended up going the following year. What more and more players are choosing not to participate in is ODP, particularly on the state level, because their clubs tell them they offer better training, because of the expense, and because it is increasingly true that you don't have to be in it to be considered for the national program. This year's residency class includes a few who did not. Just a few facts to toss in.
Don't let facts get in the way of a good story. As for Ellinger, I'm the first to say I don't think he's qualified to coach in MLS because he's never coached a side over the age of 23, except that one year in Columbus as an assistant. IMO he needs a few more as an MLS assistant or A-League HC to be more qualified to coach a professional side. However, I think he's very qualified for the Brandenton job for the same reason. His whole soccer career spaning some three decades has been at the youth and national youth level. That has to say something about his qualifications as head of the residency program and why he has the job.
Before they went to MLS, neither had Bruce Arena nor Sigi Schmid. College coaches with no previous experience coaching pros or grown-ups get considered for MLS jobs all the time. Schellas Hyndmann of SMU is considered one of the front runners for the Burn job and Ray Reid, when UConn was hot, was mentioned for a lot of jobs. I'm not sure Ellinger is going to MLS, but if he doesn't, it won't be for the reasons mentioned above.
Coaches Sigi may need a job soon. He would be a decent choice and has experince with teens and the U-20's.
If LA eliminates San Jose Sunday, there's no way Sigi gets canned. No MLS coach that has reached the conference finals (or league semi finals when they didn't have conference finals) has ever been let go that off season. And, that doesn't even take into account the long leash Sigi has earned by winning four different trophies since the start of 2001. (CONCACAF and US Open Cup in 01, Supporters' Shield and MLS Cup in 02.) He likely needs to get off to a good start next year, but for now, I think Sigi's job is safe.
Sigi at Brandenton Even if Sigi wins it all, the powers that be will make a change if they get the man they want. In any event, Sigi would be a great catch for Brandenton. The experience he brings into play is just what is needed. Don't get me wrong. Ellinger has done a fine job but its time for change.
Re: Re: Re: Ellinger Use a more combine view, what about teams from mexico and teams from usa....Just imagine how would it be if we start to hire coaches base on performance ...
but nobody had addressed the real issue I mentioned below- no high level coach wants this job!! Nobody with serious coaching aspirations wants to train amateur boys- and willing to move to Florida to do so. I am not a particular Ellinger fan, but before suggesting Mattaeus, or Stoichkov or anyone else-if you asked one of these guys to move to Florida, committ for 2 years to coach 40 amateur boys they would laugh in your face. When Mattaeus wanted to start a coaching career, I think he started with Rapid Vienna- a bona fide first Division pro club>he is not about to babysit 14-16 year olds. The Fed is probably grateful that they have someone OK, who is getting reasonable results, and is good with both parents and kids. I have no doubt whatsoever that there are people who in theory are better than Ellinger in a soccer sense, but so what if they can not be had.
Lets try a different approach Think about this ....just go into Buenos Aires or Budapesh or Montevideo and ask the same question "Do you want to move to Florida to coach soccer ?" They are hundreds of experience professional coaches coaching for free sometimes on dilapidated streets and patched soccer ball ....USA soccer cannot affort to fail and fall into the pit of fail soccer enterprises, we need to increase the quality of the product with the best coaches of the planet we have enough of mediocrity.....
Dang...I did not know that Things are worst than i though....So we are having a one year coach assistance running our U 17 USA soccer team ....no wonder !!! This kind of philosophy will never get us to be the BEST soccer on the planet..... Probably we deserve the position we are righ now ...what a sorry mentality !!!
Re: Lets try a different approach well, we are not at the point of trolling the streets of Buenos Aires looking for any street bums who play futbol quite yet. But if there is a legitimate, well-established pro coach who wants the job and will get committed to US soccer- great. But seriously, this is a hard job to fill with an outstanding person-most top coaches would not be very interested in this- those with great resumes here should feel free to apply at the US Feds address.
thanks for the counterpoint to those who think the US Fed is just too stupid to hire Carlos Quiroz, who is, as we know, just dying to take over the U-17 team of the USA.