I'm kind of a tactical idiot--and I've got dibs on that name for my YouTube channel. Aesthetics aside what's wrong with a low block and counter? I'd imagine it's a waste of your advantage when you have the better players (as we will be in the group and round of 32) and makes sense when you're the underdog, doesn't it? I really don't care if we win Played Beautiful Soccer in a Valiant Loss awards. Mind you I don't recall him playing a particular form of "antifootball" but I really didn't watch KSA much besides the ARG highlights.
I only saw the end of the game. I can't say I remember watching other Renard teams. Does anyone have an idea of how he likes to play? Is there a predominant style?
Nice Die Hard reference but i do not see any real resemblance between Hervé Renard and any actor (or actress) in that movie. There may be one but I just don't see it.
An obvious advantage of someone like Renard over a top club manager is that Renard is familiar with coming in to a set pool of players, with no opportunity to pick up players on the transfer market to fit his “system.” He has had to take that pool and win, and at the teams he has been coach of, there were holes at certain positions. That seems to be a good quality as compared to a top club manager who can go out and buy pretty much whoever he wants to fit his system and fill holes.
I think Nancy is probably the better coach overall, but the questions on him are 1) is he interested, 2) does his style translate internationally, and 3) lack of international experience compared to Cherundolo’s as a player and assistant.
I've read that his preferred style is possession and high press, but he's obviously ditched that based on the team at times.
Was Cherundolo ever an assistant at international level? Nancy had defeated Cher in MLS Cup. Now this blowout. Nancy isn't a former star player in the European game. His playing career was in the lower leagues of France. His coaching career has been entirely based in North America. I'm not sure of this conceit that he is going to walk into a job in a Top-5 league.
He helped out some during Sarachan's interim. He worked briefly as an assistant with Gemrany's U15s. So not really.
It’s not a lot but it’s not nothing. More relevant is his international experience as a player in terms of having a sense of the differences between the club game and international game. And what Nancy said when asked last night Columbus Crew head coach Wilfried Nancy on vacant #USMNT job,"I don't talk about rumors, simple as that. Like I said, I am limitless. I want to be limitless so the idea is to push myself, to challenge myself, but at the moment I'm here. I'm happy here. We'll see in the future."— Justin Ruderman (@JustinRuderman_) July 14, 2024
I haven’t seen anything concrete previously in terms of whether he’d be interested or not. Just uncertainty given him not being American and having ambitions to coach in Europe.
I don’t think it’s crazy that Nancy could get a job in the French league. Especially with someone like Henry advocating for him. Or he may have to go somewhere like Belgium first. The big thing with Nancy is his style may or may not translate internationally.
I know people mean the "style of play" but I think a bigger sort of concern is that Nancy has helped to create a juggernaut by really developing / getting the most out of players and spots. How much is him and how much is great scouting by Tim Bezbachenko and company is another question. But Cucho and Rossi are great and very talented. Nagbe has been an MLS title cheat code well suited to Nancy. But so much of what wins for them is getting value out of the Crew2 folks -- Schulte, Zawadski, Jacen Russell-Rowe, Morris, Max Arfsten (via SJ) ... this are not big talent names, mostly, but he's getting big value from them. He's also converted Malte Amundson from a wingback / fullback to a 3 ATB CB, and the dude is a key to the attack. Does he have time to mold all these guys to these roles in a national team set up? Yes, the aggressive, possession style game he has is risky to begin with and without time together, those penetrating passes may not click. Without a Cucho equivalent, it may also not click. But a lot of what I love is how all these guys seem to play above their prior talent assessment -- including guys like Hinestroza, etc., and I wonder if that's scouting, if that's putting them in the right role or if there's real development there that requires too much time.
Graham Ruthann on TSS said that he had some inside contacts who thought Nancy would not be interested in a National Team Job. (He's not the most locked-in guy in terms of MLS. But he admitted that and said this was one of the few situations where he did have some direct knowledge of the situation.) I feel like there were other similar comments in other places, but I'm struggling to remember from where. But in any case, there's nothing that should dissuade Crocker from going after him. People react differently to actual opportunities than they would a purely hypothetical one.
If you really think Nancy will translate, let him stay with the Crew through December, or whenever they fail out, then pay him big money for 1.5 years and then let him go. That'd be decently enticing and wouldn't slow down Europe that much. But I'd have to think it'd be money. And the Haslems do have more than US Soccer.
Are there a lot of top non-USA coaches interested? The likelihood of success outside Concacaf is low. I think this job only appeals to a USA coach.
LAFC without key starters Tillman and Oliveria could not trouble Columbus. Both of those players are very key to LAFC at their best. Tillman was sorely missed in this match. Much like Nagbe, Tillman is so press resistant that if changes the dynamics when pressured in LAFC's favor. Without Oliveria (away with Uruguay) LAFC lacked the speed threat on the other flank from Denis which allowed CBus wingbacks to be more aggressive on offense. IMO those are the two best teams in MLS and an absolute pleasure to watch when they are at their best.