http://voices.washingtonpost.com/soccerinsider/2009/10/dcus_style_council.html?wprss=soccerinsider I'm not in disagreement with him, but it's pretty odd for the general manager of a club to make a statement like that. Saying you play ugly is one thing, calling out other clubs is another issue altogether. The ugly soccer got us into the playoffs though
Sounds like someone is sore loser. And what is Payne's solution? Put 8 to 9 guys in front of the ball? Well that doesn't sound like a smart idea. Don't you need the ball in front of you in order to pass or shoot? Hey Payne, perhaps the reason why your team is not in the playoffs is because you were too worried about making your team play pretty soccer instead of winning. Ask your fans what they'd prefer.
If he thinks the Revs didn't score many goals this year because they were packed in, he wasn't really watching.
I agree Nathan, there's some truth to his statement. But he's an idiot for making the comments (at his level anyway). This isn't the first time this year that Payne's taken shots at other teams right? Trying to remember....
uh, i've seen DCU play, and they play like a team that can't even make the playoffs in MLS. pinnacle of Jogo Bonito all tellya whut.
MLS in general is ugly. DC is getting restless because their glory days are behind them. Odd to take pot shots at specific clubs though.
Payne's comments are amusing because both Colorado and RSL scored more or less as many goals as his practitioners of jogo bonito. However, both Colorado and RSL can occasionally defend, unlike DCU.
I don't think so. Seattle does what DC used to do--intricate midfield passing, cutbacks to the top of the box, dummies, delicate chips, diagonal balls--with guys who can actually RUN.
I agree with KP. Anybody who watches a typical MLS game will not be impressed. In stadium atmosphere is key...seattle, toronto, even DCU have an advantage in promoting the game because of the game day experience. They've done a pretty good job promoting the sport. If the Revs ownership had 1/2 of what those teams do then we'd see an improvement. KP is safe. He's part owner of the team now and has really invested everything he has time/money into MLS since '94. Tom Soehn is in jeopardy of his job. I be surprised to see him back. Dave Kasper is apparently safe, but he's best buds w/ KP. Clearly a comment out of frustration. They tend to try too hard in DC. Regardless of the busy soccer schedule there is really no excuse for not making the playoffs in MLS. Even the Revs did it without a striker or attacking midfielder or fans in the stadium!
It's not directed at us, it's directed at DC rightfully disgruntled fans. Many will fall for it, I imagine.
Correct me if I'm wrong, but isn't Payne just acting as GM? I thought he sold his stake in the club a while back? [EDIT] Excuse me, team president...Kasper is the GM.
Agree, it's the old Holland excuse: "We lost, but you're still going to love us because we played prettier than those Italians or French, or fill in the blank."
How is it a "cheap shot"? I mean, it's a dumb thing to say and a pretty transparent attempt to cover over his own team's shortcomings, but it's neither untrue nor out of bounds. The Revs that just made the playoffs are the most offensively inept in franchise history, so there is some basis. But that's the Revs' problem, not DCU's. DCU would have been fine, and maybe would have been championship quality, if a) they would have had their keeper situation sorted out earlier and b) had capable center backs. Those are issues that they failed to adequately address from last year. So that's on them, not their supposedly freewheeling style of play (which is not all that it's cracked up to be, IMO).
He's the Brian Burke of soccer... The Revs have always been a "conservative" team, but when our forwards are consistently injured, what can you do? Go out and find a marquee player that wants to play in the MLS? You can look at a team like Toronto and notice they just don't have forwards. I'd like to see Stevie N pick up a forward or two in the draft.
In other leagues you'd be right on this. But remember the MLS is single entity, with the different teams being part of the same "company." This would be like the owner of one Dunkin' Donuts trashing another store because they had crappy coffee (well, they all do in my book, but that's a different story).
That and the man is suppose to be a professional. As a GM you should be held to high standards. What he said should be no more acceptable than Nicol's italian salute during the Seattle game.
With DC missing the playoffs for two straight years and with having no new stadium in sight, it sounds like his job is in jeopardy. Sounds like he is trying to deflect the crap that is coming his way.