Offseason XI: Part X: Coach

Discussion in 'D.C. United' started by Mr Hanki's Throne, Jan 1, 2006.

  1. Mr Hanki's Throne

    Mr Hanki's Throne New Member

    Mar 13, 2001
    Wellington, Colo
    Pick who is your selection for all-time best DC United coach, while with DC United. The criteria is up to you: minutes, quility over a length of time, most brilliant moment, likeability, etc.

    Previously:
    Goalkeepers (https://www.bigsoccer.com/forum/showthread.php?t=262590)
    Winner: Scott Garlick
    Left Backs (https://www.bigsoccer.com/forum/showthread.php?t=264051)
    Winner: Jeff Agoos
    Right Backs (https://www.bigsoccer.com/forum/showthread.php?t=265390)
    Winner: Tony Sanneh
    Center Backs (https://www.bigsoccer.com/forum/showthread.php?t=267141)
    Winners: Ryan Nelsen and Eddie Pope
    Defensive Midfielder (https://www.bigsoccer.com/forum/showthread.php?t=272897)
    Winner: Richie Williams
    Left Midfielder (https://www.bigsoccer.com/forum/showthread.php?t=274827)
    Winner: John Harkes
    Right Midfielder (https://www.bigsoccer.com/forum/showthread.php?t=277492)
    Winner: Ben Olsen
    Attacking Midfielder (https://www.bigsoccer.com/forum/showthread.php?t=280563)
    Winner: Marco Etcheverry
    Forward (https://www.bigsoccer.com/forum/showthread.php?t=282305)
    Winner: Jaime Moreno and Roy Lassiter


    Coach nominations:
    Bruce Arena
    Thomas Rongen
    Ray Hudson
    Peter Novak
     
  2. highlander

    highlander Member

    Nov 9, 2002
    Springfield, VA
    Club:
    DC United
    Nat'l Team:
    United States
    Does this question even need to be asked?
     
  3. Dave Brother

    Dave Brother New Member

    Jun 10, 2001
    Alexandria
    The Bruce, with Novak a strong second.
     
  4. JoeSoccerFan

    JoeSoccerFan Member+

    Aug 11, 2000
    Mr. Hanky please turn in your DCU card your attendance is no longer necessary. :D PN over BA - puh-lease!
     
  5. gnat

    gnat New Member

    Oct 1, 2003
    I'd have to go with Ray as my second, just for the quotes. :D

    -dave
     
  6. gocaps

    gocaps Member

    Sep 23, 2000
    With the SEs in 134
    Agreed, but only because the other two stunk. He's still closer to Rongen (in third) than he is to Bruce.
     
  7. MattMathai

    MattMathai BigSoccer Supporter

    Jun 28, 2004
    Annapolis
    Bruce Arena: 2 MLS Cups, 1 Open Cup, 1 CONCACAF Champions Cup, 1 InterAmerican Cup (and 1 more MLS Cup appearance and 1 more Open Cup final appearance)

    Piotr Nowak: 1 MLS Cup

    Thomas (coattails) Rongen: 1 MLS Cup

    Hmmm, boy, this is a close one...
     
  8. Winoman

    Winoman Drinkin' Wine Spo-De-O-De!

    Jul 26, 2000
    Club:
    DC United
    Nat'l Team:
    United States
    [/SNL Chicago skit] Da Bruce! [end/SNL Chicago skit]
     
  9. Sundevil9

    Sundevil9 Member

    Nov 23, 1999
    Reston, VA
    Club:
    DC United
    Nat'l Team:
    United States
    Might be a better contest if we have a "Best Assistant Coach" award. The likes of Yallop, Simpson, Trask, Sarachan, Bradley, etc. would make for interesting debate.

    But head coach? Not a contest. What's more impressive about Bruce is that he's only improved his resume since leaving United, while the other two ex-coaches haven't done much, other than offering a quote now and then on the United alumni board.
     
  10. Allan Quatermain

    Oct 23, 2001
    The Lost City of Gol
    Club:
    DC United
    I would go with Rongen in the second spot. Yes, he won a title with players who had won before. And then he lost with them. Even when Thomas's teams were losing, I think we played well much of the time.

    Nowak won a title in a year where the team didn't play very well for much of the season. They did play well at the end, which is to his credit. His second year, the team abysmally underformed, and in a number of high profile situations the team clearly was hindered by the coach's decisions.

    Both coaches have their merits. Both have their demerits. I know Thomas has never been a popular guy on these boards. But I like him.
     
  11. Sandon Mibut

    Sandon Mibut Member+

    Feb 13, 2001
    Man, in each of their primes, that is an EXCELLENT team. I might have put Llamosa over Nellie but I won't quibble.

    Garlick, a two-time MLS all-star, is the only one of them who hasn't been capped. The rest have been capped at least 20 times and seven of them made a WC team.

    What I'm most proud of as a United fas is that there are only three foreign players on the list. Eight of the team's all-time Best XI are American and one of the foreign players is a product of the US college system.

    With that team, it doesn't matter who the coach is. Roll the ball out and count the wins. Seriously, you or I, or even Ray Hudson, could coach that team to an MLS Cup or two.
     
  12. Real Mobile

    Real Mobile Member

    Sep 10, 2004
    Mr. Hanky clearly stated, "The criteria is up to you..."
    If the criteria is, who would you pick to play for your over 30 rec team, then the PN selection is a no brainer. :cool:
     
  13. Jose L. Couso

    Jose L. Couso New Member

    Jul 31, 2000
    Arlington, VA
    This is the first day of a new year, so this must be a trick question.

    THE BRUCE is going to surprise a lot of people at this year's World Cup.
     
  14. Mr Hanki's Throne

    Mr Hanki's Throne New Member

    Mar 13, 2001
    Wellington, Colo
    To put up, ahem, a defense of Novak....
    1) He is knighted.
    2) Likeability was one of my factors.
    3) I associate him with the kind of running game you see in England, which is entertaining.
    4) He is a nasty Pole, and you just don't cross nasty Poles.
    5) Most of DC was ready to have Coach Arena's head on a platter in July of 1996. While nobody had thought of flying an airplane trailing a banner calling for his firing, the size and variety of banners to be found in the stadium were impressive at such an early stage in the league history. When comparing Arena to Novak, let us not forget the first half of 1996.
    6) Novak, the on-the-field coach, kick Arena's but in the 1998 MLS Cup.

    Flame on... :D
     
  15. Jose L. Couso

    Jose L. Couso New Member

    Jul 31, 2000
    Arlington, VA
    [​IMG]

    :D:D
     
  16. MattMathai

    MattMathai BigSoccer Supporter

    Jun 28, 2004
    Annapolis
    No flames. It still comes down to trophies in the cabinet.
     
  17. Allan Quatermain

    Oct 23, 2001
    The Lost City of Gol
    Club:
    DC United

    Not to sound like too much of a DCU apologist, or a whiner, but that was a horsesh*it game -- much more so than any other game where I bitch about the reffing. If I recall correctly, Chicago viciously cut down Etch in the box in the first half ... and nothing was called. Then in the closing minutes of the first half, Chicago scored a goal which replays show is completely offsides.

    Generally, I don't have a great problem with us not winning a third straight game -- I think it's probably best for MLS as a whole that we didn't. But let's not pretend like we were outplayed ... or like Chicago (and Nowak) was the better team.

    Please.
     
  18. Real Mobile

    Real Mobile Member

    Sep 10, 2004
    I'm afraid I can't recall many details of that post season loss by an Arena coached DCU to the Fire in '98, but I know it wasn't anything like the home field humiliation the Fire inflicted on PN's '05 team. Unfortunately, I do remember that one. :(
     
  19. JoeSoccerFan

    JoeSoccerFan Member+

    Aug 11, 2000
    I, humanely enough, don't remember it.
     
  20. Winoman

    Winoman Drinkin' Wine Spo-De-O-De!

    Jul 26, 2000
    Club:
    DC United
    Nat'l Team:
    United States
    A lot of us have been drinking to forget. Now I'll have to start over again! ;)
     

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