Steve Sampson is off to South America. I would imagine that most other MLS coaches are out scouting players one place or another. The Rapids have never seemed very concerned about accumulating quality developmental players, but it's becoming pretty obvious that young Americans are the key to success these days. The expansion teams realized this, and hired coaches with direct experience in US youth teams. Meanwhile, we have a team that's going to undertake a major rebuilding job in a year with expanded rosters and there's nobody running the team.
The key thing is the expanding rosters. It is exactly the wrong year to replace both the coach and GM. I am not complaining about those decisions, just pointing out that the fates are unkind.
For the record--the MLS scouting combine is January 8 - 11 at the HDC. The draft is January 14th in Baltimore. The way things are going, the new guy will just have time to run to Newsland for some old issues of Soccer America and 90 Minutes.
I think it's exactly the right year. The problem is it appears the decision was recent which means the search only just began. The decision and search should have begun a while back allowing the replacements to be onboard now.
So long as Balboa and Tritt are keeping their eyes and ears open to the college cup we'll be ready for the mock draft as they will be able to tell the new coach about different players. This had to happen at some point and I think it was as good a time as any. I'm also glad to hear that the Rapids are looking all over at potential coaches. That being said, there better be someone in there by the end of the month.
There's good and bad with everything. On balance we're to the good. If the Rapids take their time and pick the right coach then I have no complaints. We won't know that until it happens. On the scouting, I would hope to a certain extent that all the candidates have a feel for the players out there. The MLS assistants certainly will, Onalfo has the view from the USSF, and Osorio if he's really interested in coming to MLS had better be up on the players.
I don't think it is a handicap yet not having a coach n place. I would hope that the Rapids are also looking at players while checking into coaches. It would seem to me to be the smart thing for Balboa and Tritt to be doing. I also think spot is right on about most of the coaching prospects having some idea of players out there. Any MLS assistant will be in the know from their own teams. The only weaker area for us is probably scouting the foreign talent. But are we really goign to have any new foreigners anyway?
I think guys like Bliss, Onalfo, Soehn and Hamlett already know the league and its players well enough. If Osorio gets the job, then we may well be behind the curve. But not nearly as far behind as we would if Hanki were running things still.
Figure that regardless of the Rapids' decision, each of the candidates (except for Osorio) will be paying close attention to the draft, to any potentially available players, etc etc etc.
I guess you could also think about which is worse; not having a coach or having Steve Sampson as your coach. LOL