Yeah was gonna say the Matterazo stuff came up cause of changes at Hoffenheim which will likely change the strategy in the transfer market it dies sound like we have at the very least made contact. The articles can get gossipy but they're fairly reliable
yeah, its surprising cause having euro ball this year is the reason i think anyone had him "off their list". its certainly why i havent held out any hope.
If you consider Bild too gossipy, here's a similar article from Kicker, who I believe is considered much more reliable: https://www.kicker.de/us-verband-will-matarazzo-1042072/artikel The Bild newspaper was the first to report on this, and it is true that the Americans are trying to sign the 46-year-old. Matarazzo is said to have been open to the offer, which was made to him before sports director Alexander Rosen left on Monday. Accordingly, he had already submitted it to Rosen. However, the coach has not yet decided whether he wants to leave TSG despite his contract running until June 30, 2025.
SAP, the multinational of the billionaire Dietmar Hopp, who owns Hoffenheim, is in deep trouble because it's been found to pay government officials in dozens of countries to get exclusive contracts that were over-valued from the start. Basically, white collar robbery. So they're going to cut costs everywhere. https://www.stateofflux.co.uk/ideas-insights/blog/april-2024/sap-bribery-scandal https://www.news24.com/fin24/compan...raw-line-under-shady-eskom-contracts-20240325 And that is just the start.
The basic problem for new coach is 1) back line 2) a real 9 apart from Sarge and 3) GK Matarazzo with 3atb? I'm sure this will change with new gen players coming on in the last 2 years here and there, inury, form etc. but one can definitely see this taking shape. ---------------------------------sarge/? -------------------brenden/gio------puli/balo --ARob/kev--adams/musah--johnny/tessman--tim/kev -----------------ream---------zim--MRob/CR/scally, et al. ----------------------gk: Ronald McDonald
From PM's perspective, if Hoffenheim are cutting back a 2 year gig in the US wouldn't be a bad idea. He's well respected in Germany and could easily return after the WC.
As long as the rating of Sarge doesn't include comparison with......who exactly? Balo couldn't complete the most basic 9 type dishes in midfield and couldn't receive the ball with back to goal. Haji doesn't play 9 anymore. Dani Williams was your typical American fan "golden generation" midfielder. He basically couldn't do anything at all.
https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/futbol-americas/id1670741192?i=1000614593116 Futbol Americas interview with Matarazzo from 5/23. Talks a little (evasively) about the US job towards the end. The job was open at the time and he had just come into Hoffenheim three months earlier and kept them up. And here’s an older, more biographical interview with him from 2020 with Grant Wahl, may he rest in peace. https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/fútbol-with-grant-wahl/id1513071118?i=1000488956184
And further reports from another major German sports outlet (Sport1), which also adds an extra detail that people perhaps won't be thrilled about: https://www.sport1.de/news/internat...verband-will-matarazzo-prominenter-konkurrent As Bild and kicker report, Matarazzo is said to have received an offer from the US association. According to SID information, the American is on the shortlist in the search for a US national coach - this also includes Gareth Southgate, who was team manager of England until his resignation after losing the European Championship final.
I don't know a ton of Matarazzo, but of what I know, I think he'd be a very good hire. Probably the most successful American club coach ever in terms of success at the highest level, and he's been pretty good at two stops (though Stuttgart got much better after he was dismissed; he did get them up, though). Stylistically, he's not a massive shift from what we've been doing, which with two years, is a pretty good thing. Have no idea what his man management is like. American, which I know will be a negative for some people. But at minimum, it will help minimize any politics or rifts within the organization with those who want an American. He's also not a US Soccer insider, as he played at Columbia but as far as I can tell, never did anything with USSF. More of a bonus than a decision making, but you know if a non-elite foreign coach stumbled, some people would jump immediately to it being a foreign coach that doesn't get Americans no matter the actual cause.
I think you and I were both on this a while back. At any rate, I was wondering when Matarazzo's name would come up.
He got us up and kept us up through two tough relegation dances at a time when we didn't have much talent. And he's done well with not all that much at Hoffenheim. I like it. (Full disclosure: I'm a Bundesliga partisan. LOL)
Interesting tidbit that he was once Nagelsman's assistant at Hoffenheim before leaving to be head coach at Stuttgart. I really don't know of enough of him to have any real opinion other than he's coached longer in a top 5 Euro league than any other American ever.
A good source saying he’s interested in the job but no offer yet 🚨🔴⚪️🔵 Pellegrino Matarazzo, one of the top favorites to become the new U.S. men's national soccer team! The 46 y/o, currently under contract at TSG Hoffenheim until 2025. Matarazzo has informed TSG about the interest. After that, talks with him have taken place. There is… pic.twitter.com/Rkt5pGYwmQ— Florian Plettenberg (@Plettigoal) August 3, 2024 Hoffenheim being in flux all of sudden definitely changes the dynamics. I’d be fairly content with this hire but I do wonder how the fanbase would respond given some of the names that have been out there.
Hoffenheim suddenly perhaps pulling back on spending would be a godsend. He had a great thing going that you normally wouldn't want to upset before your rep is solidified, but if you see a fall coming, then getting out for two years, doing well, and then hopping back into club might be suddenly very exciting.