Onalfo in the lead?

I don't know much about Onalfo. Who can comment?

 

Here is a little bio I found on him:

 

One thing I know about Curt Onalfo is that he's held in high regard by Bruce Arena and that's gonna carry a lot of weight with whomever is making the decisions, be it in Colorado or elsewhere in MLS were he to interview there.

He's been Arena's assistant the past two years, joining the staff after Dave Sarachan left to take the Fire gig. Before that, he was an assistant at DC United, both to Thomas Rongen and Ray Hudson.

I don't know much about his coaching style but I know he has a great reputation for scouting opposing teams and breaking down their strengths and weaknesses. He did this both at United and with the nats.

He's fluent in Spanish and his wife is Mexican and that will certainly help him in dealing with any market's Latin media and that could help his case with management if they think having a bi-lingual coach will help them sell tickets to Hispanic-Americans. That, and dealing with Latin players.

The biggest thing to remember about Onalfo is that he was once a very promising young American player. He was a mainstay on the US youth national teams, including captaining the 92 Olympic team, and he got capped by the senior team while he was still at UVa.

But, soon after the Olympics he was diagnosed with cancer and while he beat the disease, he was never the same player, which is why his four seasons as a player in MLS were pretty undistinguished.

This is just me guessing, but I'd imagine that after beating cancer, you aren't going to be too much of hard-ass in live and that that kind of philosophy would make you the type of coach players want to play for. Again, that's just me guessing. He could be a total control freak for all I know.

But, Ffom "Meet The Team" events that United sponsored, he always struck me as likeable and low-key and at 35 he's young enough that he should be able to relate to most of the players pretty well.

That's all I know; hope this helps.

 

Position?

Despite keeping tabs on the MLS since the opening season, I cannot really recall either what position he played nor what he looks like.....Guess it's the dementia, you know, again getting in the way.

Does anyone have a 'primary memory' of him in MLS???

1996 Defensive Rookie of the Year with DC United
6'0" 185 lbs playing weight
Photo from Google Images: www.mlsnet.com/content/01/dc0307supery.html

 

others are in the mix as well. Fernando Clavijo (I know LMAO) had his interview last week.

 

Re: Position?

Somehow, I don't think that's correct.

A) In 1996 Onalfo played for the Galaxy.
B) He wouldn't have been a rookie by MLS' criteria because he'd been out of school for a few years and had already played professionally in France and Mexico.
C) If anyone won the Defensive Rookie of the Year award with United in 1996, I'm guessing it was a fresh-faced kid from North Carolina named Eddie Pope.

Interesting about Clavijo. His first year with the Revs he got them into the playoffs and the next year had them in the Open Cup final. Granted, he got canned, but he had a bit of sucess there.

If true, that would make at least four known candidates for the job: Trittschuh, Bliss, Clavijo and Onalfo.

Interestingly enough, all played for the US senior team, winning 38, 34, 61 and 1 caps respectively. And, the person with whom they're interviewing won 128.

Ladies and gentlemen, we've finally reached the point where our former internationals are in and competing for positions of influence within professional club soccer in this country. Progress, folks, progress.

 

I hate to bring this up, but a related point is that he was born in Brazil and probably counts as hispanic. Since none of the 11 current coaches come from minority groups, this could be an advantage.

Then again, Balboa is Argentinian ... would he really want a Brazilian head coach, much less a Uruguayan like Clavijo?

 

http://www.bergenrecord.com/page.ph...lRUV5eTY2MTk1NTgmeXJpcnk3ZjcxN2Y3dnFlZUVFeXk2

Rapids on coaching search

The lone coaching opening in MLS is on its way to being filled. According to league sources, three candidates have emerged to fill the Colorado Rapids post left vacant when Tim Hankinson was fired. U.S. national team assistant Curt Onalfo, Chicago Fire assistant Dennis Hamlet and former New England coach and one-time Metros assistant Fernando Clavijo appear to be leading the way for the position. Kansas City assistant Brian Bliss has also been reported as a contender.

One name that may be added to that list shortly is current Manchester City assistant and one-time Metros assistant Juan Carlos Osorio. A finalist for the D.C. United post before Peter Nowak was hired last winter, Osorio is said to be once again pursuing a return to MLS.

First time Hamlet, who of course was an original Rapid before his career-ending injury, and Osorio have been mentioned but the Onalfo thing appears to have legs.

BTW, what does it say about the quality of the Rapids media coverage that you're getting more info on coaching candidates from papers in DC and Jersey than you are in Denver?

 

Why on earth would the Rapids be seriously considering Clavijo? I mean, Clavijo was fired almost immediately after a very mediocre Rapids team put a 5-2 whooping on his Revs in '02.

Maybe we are afraid of too abrupt a transition out of mediocrity and poor play?

 

I'm curious about the inclusion of Hamlett, as this is the first time I've seen his name put out in public.

 

Nowar99.... You might want to ask some of the New England fans what they thought about Fernando's coaching ability and his insight into picking up young prospects in the MLS. Guys like Dempsy never seem to be picked up by the Rapids. Clavijo also did pretty well during his short stint with the Haitian National team and he was a damn fine defender on our US National team during the 94 World Cup, particularly in our the big upset win over Columbia. His coaching mentor was Bora Militunovich who is also a pretty good judge of talent. I'd put Fernando up against any of the other three names.

However, IMHO whoever gets the job is going to have a hard time creating a winning team out of the havoc created by Counce and Hankinson during their tenure. No draft picks and a very thin base of soccer talent does not make for a winning season. It will take time to rebuild this team....adios

 

Was Dempsey a Clavijo pick or Nichols?

I'm less excited about Clavijo then some of the others. He was a good player. He had a good chance with NE and didn't really make much of it. Bora as a mentor is a little worrisome as well considering our complaints about the style of play for the last two years.

Right now my list, not terribly justifiably breaks out like:
Yallop
Osorio
Hamlett, Bliss
Clavijo, Trittschuh

 

Dempsey was a Nicol's pick.

 

Whoever we get we need to get someone in soon. They need to start getting to know the team, trying to plug some holes with trades/signings, getting ready for the draft. If they pick someone and he signs in late December or early Jan., there will be no time to get ready to scout the college guys, let alone make other moves.

 

A) There's no indication Yallop is interested in the jpb or has been contacted by 'pids management.

B) You ommitted Onalfo, who will merely come with the endorsement of the greatest US coach ever. If you don't think that will get him some high consideration from Balboa and Kroenke's other lackies, you're being naive.

 

Hamlett's name has come up pretty regularly for coaching posts. I seem to remember that his name was in the ring as far back as when Mike Jefferies was being interviewed for Dallas. BTW, he's Costa Rican, so it looks like there's a good chance that whomever Rapids end up with, they'll speak Spanish. As a Fire fan I don't want to lose him because he is a class act. He's quiet, but responsive, at least the contact I've had with him. As a Rapids fan I'd certainly take him over some of the others, like Bliss. But I think I would most like to see Osorio get a chance in the League. I thought he was a shoo-in for Chivas.

 

Seems like this is a good problem for the Rapids to be having right now. Osorio, Onalfo or Hamlett. All of those guys would be a winning selection, if you ask me. Balboa, Wright, and the Kroenke brain trust (hmm... is that an oxymoron?) will have their hands full with this decision, which could explain why they are taking their time.

Bliss and Trittshuh would be good, but I'm a little less excited about their prospects, maybe because they are a little more well-known to us, and they have been assistants to coaches that favor defensive soccer.

Good thing there aren't more teams out there scouting for new coaches. The Rapids, being the only team with a vacancy, have the luxury of taking their time and weighing all of their options carefully. If there was another team out there, I would be worried about losing a coach like Osorio or Onalfo as a result of bureaucratic foot-dragging.

I'm hoping this is settled before the end of the year.

 

It's worse than that ... it all dates back to 1996!!! We've been rebuilding every year we've been in MLS

 

This could be a doubled-egded sword - it's good that we have time to meticulously evaluate the contenders, but unless they are rifling through scouting reports now, 2005 could prove to be a dismal season because whoever is selected has had no time to prepare for the superdraft.

Still, who'd have ever thunk we'd have SO MANY candidates to replace Hanki. I guess we should thank LA for canning Sigi during the season.

 

I'm fairly certain 2005 is going to blow no matter what!

 

Tom Soehn, DC's top assistant, is in Denver today. I'd imagine he should be put on the list of candidates.