bad form, Prime... Didn't believe it was appropriate to address the obvious yet...but a certain heavy-handed "moderator" forced my hand. RSL's improbable run in the playoffs only underscores the importance of a club actually getting there. RSL got lucky with 40 pts. That's not nearly good enough typically. Not even by Garth's own sober measure. It was a (sublime) fluke. I'm sorry. The governor telephoned at 11:59. Nothing more. The playoff run also proves RSL possessed the talent to perform better than a 40pt team. In light of all JK's head scratching *tactics* (cough, cough), at least part of this under-perfomance rests on his shoulders. As IBIK mentioned--lest anyone drunkenly forget--Kreis is only a 93rd minute Fred handball away from failure. But for that call in the box, perhaps Kreis, not Tom Soehn, is spell-checking his CV. Even we who believe RSL must be managed better (week in, week out) are thrilled for Kreis. It's a great story. Kreis deserves this reprieve. But it's only temporary. And *cutting off* all discussion about long-term improvement in this area is bizarre. Forum open...
I was wondering when this would show up. I think especially in light of the playoff run (how many wins in a row? 'nuf said) that whatever he started doing at that point worked. Call it key injuries, mistakes by young players, whatever. Yeah I really do want to see them win every game and I think that the playoffs are still a bit of a joke. I think the only trophy worth anything in this league is the supporter's shield as that's who the true champion is in my opinion. That said, the last two months have been awesome. I think that the brand of soccer that RSL plays under Kreis is entertaining, win or lose. Just think if they went to a Jerry Sloan Utah Jizz style and just ground out game after game of 1-0. It would be like Arsenal in the 60s and 70s. I don't think you upgrade Kreis, I think you patch whatever hole Philly makes in the lineup and continue mission. FIDO.
RSL was more than good enough at home - they were pretty much a disaster on the road. What's encouraging to me is the run at the end of this season took place away from Rio Tinto - Jason had the team playing positive, attacking soccer at Columbus, Chicago and then in the MLS Cup in Seattle. Hopefully, this has proved to coach and team that the 'defend and draw' road mentality isn't the right answer. Crazy how sports can literally teeter on a 'knife's edge' for players and management. Kreis has gone from goat to hero in a matter of 3 weeks - and much of the help to secure that opportunity was completely out of his control.
Fact is Kreis is safe next season and whether or not you like him, we all need a place to complain about him. Its what forums are for! I'll reserve my judgement until next season on him.
And I'll specifically agree with the 2nd half of your post. If the run through the playoffs is more than a fluke, and, next season, Kreis can continue to make me feel confident in RSL (it's really, really weird to feel confident in the team), then he's good. If he can't, we toss him out. Until then, it doesn't seem like we have a lot to talk about.
If anything, JK increased the expectations that will fall on his shoulders next year. Had we made it into the playoffs, played decently, but bowed out to Columbus, or even Chicago, then I think the general concensus would have been, "Well, that's about where we are as a franchise, and we're probably not getting any further with the current leadership." Playing the manner in which the guys played - motivated, prepared, organized, and executing - for 3 straight road matches indicates that the ability is there. NOT seeing an improvement on the road next year will most certainly fall to JK's responsiblity, since he's now proven that both he and the players can do it. Much congrats to him and his staff for what they've done - now to figure out how to keep doing it, which may be more difficult than the prior.
to take this point a bit further, kreis has EXPONENTIALLY increased road record expectations. if we dont have a decent road record next year there is going to be a large amount of blame going around. kreis has sort of dug his own grave if you will, the expectations for the defending MLS cup is a lot to handle and not performing up to those expectations is a recipe for disaster (being fired in his case). without a doubt kreis is safe for next year, but if he still cannot get road results and we flounder around the middle-bottom of the pack again then we really have to question his coaching ability. was the cup run a fluke? i dont know, we got hot and carried it all the way to the end. i know kreis was a big part of it and he gets his due. he's got to keep it going into next year though.
Expectations are a funny thing. I almost see winning the Cup as an unbelievable, unexpected achievement. And frankly not one that we deserved based on our play over the MLS season. But I understand how the playoffs work, I understand the parity in MLS, so I'll take it. But to me, this is not yet (or frankly, even close to) the dynasty that Mr. Checketts wants to build. My expectations for next year is significant improvement in the regular season. Similar record at home, a big step up on the road. But to think this team is capable of walking in and repeating in current form is a huge long shot. Let's give ourselves a chance to host a Conference Final, or even an MLS Cup (if the owners decide to change this). How great would that be? So yes, Kreis, Garth and company still have a lot of work to do. What a season. They all absolutely deserve this moment of celebration. Enjoy the Thanksgiving break. Then Monday, back to work. There's still a lot of it to do.
Last night, all Kreis wanted to talk about is next year. He is very aware of the increased expectations, and he has his own expectations as well. He talked a lot about the 7-game winless streak following the 6-0 Revs game and how he thought that the players started believing they were so good, and how he plans to keep that in check next year. I don't know if he can achieve his own goals (they seem lofty), but my own expectations of RSL's road record and their ability to qualify for next year's playoffs are higher now.
Short of a disaster (like going 1-8-1 in the first 10 games)... Kreis will get all 2010. However, in sports, people have short memories (particularly owners). I think we'll see much better road form next year do to the fact that the team now KNOWS if it plays its style of soccer they can get results. This year when RSL played on the road they would seem to adjust their style of play - almost like they were trying to hold on and stay in the game RATHER than take the game to their opponent. In the playoffs, they seemed to play with "nothing to lose" and really just took the game to their opponents, exactly like they tend to do at home. My expectations for JK have not risen dramatically since they won the Cup, but I do believe that his chances for meeting those expectations have increased dramatically by winning the cup. The players now know they can play their game on the road, don't do anything different from Home games, just go out and play aggressively for possession. Win the ball quickly and don't give it back easily. What are my expectations or criteria for a "successful" regular season next year? 1) Continued HOME dominance: another +2.0 pts per game average. 2) Roughly .500 on the ROAD: +1.00 pts per game average. ----------- This will get roughly +45 pts in the season. If this happens, they had a GREAT regular season and are in the playoffs where anything can happen. Remember, they now have to deal with the CCL games as well as raised expectations for the USOC. I'll also point out that JK and RSL have a solid playoff record over 2 seasons at 5-1-1 (if you look at each individual game result). We've only lost 1 of 7 playoff games over 2 years and it was a fluke (hitting the posts 3-4 times). ---------- Donk, like you... I WISH they crowned the League Champion by the regular season record BUT until they do I would trade MLS Cups for Supporters' Shields any day. The bottom line is the league has designated how they crown the champions and that is through the MLS Cup. And, until MLS plays a true balanced schedule the SS is a bit flawed as well for awarding the "true champion".
Perhaps I am too much of an American sports fan to understand this affection for the SS as the crowning achievement of a season. The regular IS the set up for the playoffs. The team with the best record or most points isn't necessarily the best at the end of the season and a team with less of a record may be much better than it's record may indicate as illustrated by RSL this season. The team with the best record doesn't always win in the playoffs because they are not the best team despite success. Playoffs increase the pressure and teams that can conquer the fears and put all that they have learned and fought for during the season together deserve to be called champion regardless of how they fell, backed or jumped into the playoffs. The allegiance to a SS system benefits teams and players like A-Rod and the Atlanta Braves of the 80s & 90s who won their division for 14 or 15 years in a row only to win the series once. Great skill and talent alone should not a champion make. I will take a team like RSL winning a title over a team like RSL never having the opportunity win it in a playoff system. If LA, Columbus or Chicago were better teams they should have beat RSL.
Aothed, yes, I agree, it's not fair, but still, the table never lies and I think that MLS is close to being where they can go to a true single table home and away schedule and crown a champion through that. The idea is not the best team at any given moment, but who the best team is over the course of the season. Cups (think something like the FA Cup) are about the best team at any given moment. There is the real distinction. Was RSL the best team in MLS this year over the course of the season? No. Were tehy the best at the end of the season? Yes. By allowing a team from the middle of the table to win a championship, you discount the body of work over the course of the season and reward teams that are simply good enough and then get a hot streak at the end. I understand that MLS is how it is, that doesn't mean I have to like it and it doesn't mean I can't advocate for something I view as better. As for Kreis, let's see what happens. If they can keep the form they had at the end of the year, great, long live Jason! I honestly think that will probably happen, especially given that the core of the team should remain largely intact and that means a lot for long-term success. Watching the games that were lost, more than anything the losses seemed very much mental. My one criticism with the road losses was attitude. On the road, it seemed they were playing not to lose, not playing to win. That is always a recipe for disaster. Play for the win, be happy for a draw on the road. I also think that in general, the team is still pretty young and so I think much can be chalked up to mistakes that younger players make. Also, how many times did someone like Olave pick up a red card for a stupid foul and the leave the team short for the rest of the game? Those were killers. Once that stopped, things were a bit better.
RSLFM, I think you are being a little dramatic. The other thread was fire Kreis. We all know that it most likely wasn't going to happen any way. Now that we we the cup, it is even less likely. I am fine with this thread. It makes more sense. I am with you. I don't care for Kries and I think that we could and should upgrade the coaching.
What makes you think Dave would trust you with anything other than the appropriate public company line? Seriously...
The one thing I really liked hearing from the club themselves (and this is no "secret" so I think its fine to share) is that they want to improve that road record. They even said "our only goal next season, is to have a good road record". Why? Because they said "all the teams that end up winning the whole thing or that are consistently good, have a good road record" I think if we address this issue we will be great next season. I am not going to say I expect another championship next season cuz I honestly dont. However, I do expect playoffs and for us to be the team playing the second leg at home (if that remains the same) next season. A finish in the "top 4" is not too far fetched is it?
Then perhaps before you go all Al Gore and declare the question decided and an unassailable fact... realize that Checketts offered the same hollow, open-ended endorsements during Ellinger's final days also. For public consumption. Reasonable minds can disagree here. But yes, it seems to be somewhat moot with the Cup.
If you pay attention to other sports at all, a vote of confidence by ownership in a manager or coach usually means they are a loss or two away from getting fired. That said, I don't know where else you would go. Much as there has been talk of firing Jason Kreis in the past, I don't think I've heard too many viable options to replace him.
I have no inside scoop and I don't pretend to. I am offering my own opinion. If we didn't make the playoffs, I feel that Checketts would have given Kries the first 10-15 games at least to prove where they were going that season. Checketts has a serious man crush on Kries. He always has. Once RSL made the playoffs, I pretty figured it was in the bag that Kries would stay for the entire season next year unless they really tank it bad. Didn't Real Madrid let Capello go after they won the cup? I would love for RSL to get a new coach moreso than the majority of people on here.