Sometime this week, the Burn will hold a press conference. This press conference will officially certify Elliot as the flunky non-soccer GM we all knew he was. With all of the coaches in the world, Elliot could not find ONE worthy candidate who would accept the job. So, he reluctantly will allow Collin to put on the oversized shoes. What do they pay this monkey to do? He could not identify a banana if it were taped to his butt. If Mike Jefferies had been the assistant around when the season ended, Elliot would have hired him. Had Forest Gump been the assistant at the end of the season, Elliot would be muching on a box of chocolates at this very moment. This is tragic for many reasons, but I will only delve into one reason. I love Irish women, whisky, beer, and passion. However, I hate the creepy riverdance and the archaic style of "football" that they play. I am already anticipating the oh no, he is a "renaissance soccer man" posts that will be made. His lineups pretty much told the story for me. I know what we can expect. This hire will for the first time in 4 years keep me from renewing my season ticket purchase. So what, no big loss for the Burn. This is the tragedy. The Hispanic fan base will put up with a style of soccer that they cannot relate to. This is not necessarily true of the rest of the Burn fan base. Officially, the Burn have unwittingly told the Hispanic fan base, that they don't give a damn about their preferences. I call it a "take it or leave it" marketing plan. Believe you me, they will leave it. (Please notice that I did not say they should have hired any certain ethnicity of coach, I am criticizing the "style of play" that this man will bring.) To make matters worse, I'm sure that the Burn will hire a possession style player or two of Hispanic heritige. This type of player will clash with the old school ways, and so you have an unhappy coach and an even more unhappy player. The Burn will not survive without all 3 parts of its diverse fan base. (Well, at least not on an MLS operating cost schedule. But again, that is a topic for a different post.) Way to go Mr. Hockey puck for a brain. So nice of you to come all the way from California, just to finish totally screwing up what was once one of the best soccer franchises in the US.
Well for a different reason you may get your wish. Morrow is under consideration for the Northern Ireland job and would take Colin with him. It is not a done deal but where would the Burn be then? Time for off season moves and no coaching candidates left. Is Dallas really that unappealing as a coaching job? They are going back to the Cotton Bowl and will then have a brand new stadium. Elliot took the GM job for some of those reasons but no coach seems very interested. I wonder why they never consider Leonel? Maybe Mo Johnston gets another look now.
theodore, I pride myself on being the most vocal critic when there is rationale behind the criticism. You don't have much to stand on... 1. Colin Clarke is not Steve Nicol. Nicol immediately put the Rev in to the typical British "old-style" game you lament. Defend at all costs and go Route One a couple of times per half. In his first game in charge, Colin had us in a 343 or a 433 or a 4321, but the end result was the most dynamic half of Football we had seen at the RPA all year long to that point. 2. I'm one of the Top 5 Anglo advocates in the Burn Fan Base who feel it is their calling in life to Champion the Latino 'cause' with respect to the Burn and MLS. I can guarantee you that if the Football is good, they will go to any park with beer and good seats at reasonable prices. In other words, value. Which the Burn at Sucklack in 2003 did not provide. If you want to get on Eliott's case, then join me in calling him out for not standing up to Garber and taking us, the hardcores, for granted by telling us to "just bend over and take it (the Adu trade)". THAT is worth fighting over. Elliot needs to know that we are tired of getting bent over by the League, and his "clean slate" at the beginning of his tenure is not an acceptable rationale for letting the League screw us over and over and over. But hiring Colin Clarke, if we can even get him now, would be a good move; Colin has the resume, and strikes me as "in the Yallop mold" based on a number of things. If GE hires Colin, great. Leonel ain't coming with Andy gone. -bs
If Collin is such an idiot then why do players like him and think he would be a good coach?? And why do people think that leonell would be a good coach?? Because he was a hard nosed player on the pitch?? That don't make a good coach.. And for the fourth or fifth time, people.. HE DON'T SPEAK A ENGLISH!! None, nada, zilch.. Great players don't always make good coaches. Pele never coached. Maradonna never coached. Cantonna never coached..Larry Bird.. Roger Stabauch.. Get my point?
I personally don't care much for player opinions on the hiring of a coach. If we had just won MLS cup, and were looking to continue a great thing, that might be a consideration. We need a top to bottom shake down.
Ah, but the ones doing the hiring and interviewing do care what the players think. In fact, it was one of the specific criteria mentioned when they fired Coach Jeffries and began the hunt for a new coach. Thanks for playing, better luck with your next post.
I think a British style game could be very successful for us. MLS refs pretty much allow rough play, ala Britain, and we'll never have enough technique players, at least Dallas won't, to really play a South American style game. The heat here might be the biggest negative factor, but with superior conditioning it could be used to our advantage.
Thank goodness, I thought I was the only one. But back to Colin, my biggest worry is probably the opposite of yours theodore. I worry that he may not obsess ENOUGH on defense. His influence on the offense was very impressive when he took over, but the defense did not exactly look any better. Maybe it was mostly a question of talent, but we need so much help on that front. I also agree with you that this club needs new blood at every level, but given that we are not going to get anyone other than an MLS retread, Colin seems to have the most impressive resume at this point. What that says about this team/league is another thread altogether. Hopefully, we'll see you at the Cotton Bowl despite your passing on the season tickets. You sound like a fun drinking buddy.
Re: Re: Killing them with style Given the proper amount of time, I believe Morrow will be invaluable at coaching defense. I got to see/hear him play closely before he officially joined the team, and I was impressed with his commanding presence. Believe it or not, I think Colin is the more 'likeable' guy. I've never seen Morrow joke.. or even smile. The young Burn defenders may be in for hard training if Morrow is assistant.
I think a lot more of theirs than I do...yours. On the point of your post, I think the players that he signs and puts on the field will determine how the team plays. If he had the habit of a preconceived notion of how to play, and forced it on the players, his lousy record would have disqualified him from consideration. If he finds four guys to put on the field to play punt and run, well you'll be right. I bet against that, I think they will play composed attacking soccer, accent on composed. We will see who is right. Against my better judgement, I'll ask you to elaborate on what else about English/Irish soccer you disdain. While I prefer the French, Italian, and Spanish leagues (as far as Euro leagues go), I admit that the top of the Premiere league is occupied by teams that are among the best in the world. If MLS was as exciting as EPL, there would be 24 teams already. one final note, I don't speak for all people of my ethnicity.
Viking, although the question was not addressed to me, I offer my two cents here. There are two problems with the all out-physical-all hustle-approach-all the time aproach you see in the EPL when applying it to the MLS. The first is the weather, the average temperature is 40 if not 50 degrees warmer during the MLS season in Dallas than it is merry old Engerland. Remember what happened to Germany and Spain back in WC94. They came all out at South Korea, took 3-0 and 2-0 leads respectively, and then hung on for dear life as they wilted in the second half giving up a pair of goals. The second problem with the out physical approach so prevalent in the EPL is that where do you go when you run into an opponent that is physically superior to you (an inevitable occurence). If you don't have the skills to fall back on to come up with alternative approaches, your cooked. I much prefer the Argentinian, Brazilian, French approach which emphasize skills developement regardless of the physical tools the players have. Skills are what separate physically gifted players. Skills are what separate Gerrell Elliot and Toni Nhelko from Henri and Ronaldo.
I still would rather see an English style of play over La Liga and South American any day of the week. Now I'm not saying attack every time you have the ball, but push up, make the smart long passes(in front or to the side), don't just kick the ball ahead of someone expecting them to get it(unless it is just for clearence), and don't be afraid to use your body when it comes to trying to get the ball. Besides, I would think that with enough conditioning, even Toni could go and play this style. The last thing we need is to watch the long ball go to a defender and see this over and over.
Honestly, it's as if some of the posters here have never seen Arsenal and Manchester United play at all. Arsenal is HALF French.. ? Manchester United have half of the most gifted, skilled (sorry Arsenal) players on the whole planet, never mind this drivel about 'physical play' that is inherent in EPL. I'd rather MLS be the second coming of EPL ANY day; as opposed to emulating South American styles. Good grief.
Yes Arsenal is close to half French, but they are also one of the most international teams. I think they have about 14 different nations on just their first team alone. Back to the Burn, they need to start playing a different style than everyone else. Most of the MLS is predictable, but why not change things up? Look what happened when EJ, Curtis, and Toni were up front? The middle was actually used! Hopefully with Colin Clarke in charge, it will happen.
Arsenal may be half French, but they play a traditional English style. And when I say English style, I mean a pressing midfield, physical tackling, direct passing and the emphasis on vertical movement over horizontal. I wasn't referring to long ball which isn't very prevalent in the EPL these days.
oozing with style First of all, thank you to all the people posting about a style preference. You make my day! I am especially thankful to those of you with opposing points of view who give insightful answers. Secondly, my irrelevant personal preference is indeed for the modern possesion style of attack. And, it is not only my personal preference, it is the preference of the modern Euro teams as they are throwing billiions in cash at young South American players. Kick and rush is gone as a coaching philosophy. The faulty premis that the FA launched about why goals are scored to me is itself the very indictment of the direct game. If most goals are scored from balls lost in your third of the field, then learn how to not give away the ball, and you are obviously better off. If MLS is to be the nursery for future World Cup success, then a league that develops great talent is paramount. A national vision that looks to build rather than send, is an undebatably a better alternative. However, the truth is that modern soccer is a blend of all schools that depends on countering what your opponent throws at you. Can a coach like Colin Clarke alter strategies to counter the opposition? I think so. Can he teach a fundamentaly different approach to his younger less experienced players? Here I am in doubt. What does his over all soccer blue print look like? I'll bet like most of us, it is what he grew up with. This is my problem. Do you remember the greatest American club team of all time? Yes, I hate to admit it. It was the Inter Continental Champion DC United. Attractive soccer, marquee players, and a modern attacking style that got Bruce his new job. I loved it. I loved the Burn of three years ago that also had a similar blue print. But what I and this insignificant soccer obsessed miniscule minority on this board think is irrelevant. We must have fans to support this team or it will die. True? Soccer mom and pop don't know feces about style or the rules. Little kiddo and his blank slate of an emerging soccer brain is just there because the van let him off at the stadium. The soccer rowdies just want their beer and some wins. Yes, they know the difference, but will put up with whatever as long as it works. Let's get to the meat of the matter. The Hispanic soccer fans have grown up with a preconcieved notion of what good soccer is supposed to look like. (I am not saying effective nor winning, although that is important too). If they are to support the team, the soccer must be about the way that they learned the game since they were kids. They have always been the first to complain when the team strayed from this style. They will not go to watch a team drive ball after ball into a crowded defense. Diagonals, switching point of attack, ball on the ground, triangulation, improvisation are their measure of good or bad soccer. Sorry, but without this sizeable and passionate group of fans, we are left with less than minor league numbers. If you wish to ignore this fact, plod along self indulgently for a year or two. You will then eventually be doing what the Hispanics are already doing. Since they see no pro soccer worth attending, they instead watch "good" soccer on their TV sets. Honestly answer this question yourself. Could you deal with a head coach with a Hispanic accent, ( I am not saying he must be Hispanic)? What if he was a little darker than the guys you normally hang out with? I think that at this point in the road, an affordable and storied coach from south of the border should be on Elliots list. This guy should however, be fluent in English, have succesful MAJOR soccer coaching experience, should have successful teaching experience with a juniors system, should have intimate knowledge of the American soccer scene, and should sell tickets by his name alone. If you know the name of this guy, then you should be the Burn GM.
Re: oozing with style You are talking about the ex-Burn player Hugo Sanchez. I am sure most of us would consider him a good candidate but I doubt he would want to come here. He seems to want to coach the Mexican National Team and Dallas does not further that cause.
Yes, and I've never known a player to be wooed by these teams for being a hack. MLS did well with the early years of DCU. But, on the same token, It irks me to see a diving, whining Donovan take home the gold. Then again, it's a team sport. Look how well a Stoichkov-less Chicago did. It does make a difference. Support "The Beautiful Game".