More from MLS confidential It seems like Clavijo could run into the same thing with the Rapids, but who knows which of our illustrious SI's will be around next season.
We need a coach who is not going to blame the roster for the team's shortcomings, whether that means the players he inherits from the Days of Hankinson, players he's "forced" to acquire or the players that he signs yet are routinely injured (or simply fail to perform). A good coach knows how to work with the hand he's dealt; the freedom to build a team on his own terms to match his preferred style and/or strategy is an honor that needs to be earned, not gifted. This is true for soccer the world over, but especially so in MLS where the league is not blessed with the finances for the best players and coaches around. I don't expect a new coach to come into Colorado, make minimal roster changes and win a title overnight. But the first step must be to prove that he's "better than the last guy," and that means getting results with many of the same players.
If the Nuggets were looking for a new coach we wouldn't get a list, but both newspapers, several radio stations, and every network would let us know when any coach crosses the state's, make that the city's, border. Anyone who gets missed would get leaked to the press. New coaches are already market tested through leaks so the American Idol system is extant. I honestly didn't even consider the source when the list was released. The fact is that whenever there is a coaching vacancy anywhere in sports the candidates are always a poorly kept secret. They can't wait for the media, they have to get the word out to their base. Imagine a leak to the Post. RFO "Psst, the Rapids are considering Bliss, Clavijo, ...." Post "Who are the Rapids." RFO "The soccer team." Post "Who cares...click" The day isn't here yet that the Rapids can use the media to inform the fans.
If you read the Soccer Confidential article, as many of us already have, you would learn that Harkes said that he was contacting his agent to talk to the Rapids. He also indicates his good relationship with Balboa as a plus to the Rapids.
I can't imagine Harkes being a good coach at all. He still thinks he is a player and that generally doesn't work out. Does the man have ANY experience coaching at a higher level? Any FIFA coaching certs?
Yeah, let him learn in Rochester. I see no reason to bring him to Colorado and I hope the Rapids don't get near him.
Article on ESPN.com..... Rapids Search A Mess When you're a pro sports team searching for a head coach should you A) publicly acknowledge and announce candidates when there are still a bunch of them, B) talk about the candidates while they are still employed and without their permission, or C) have candidates speak publicly about the position? The answer is D), none of the above. Unfortunately, Colorado seems to be clueless when it comes to this very scenario. The Rapids announced a list of candidates for its vacant head coaching position on the Major League Soccer website on Wednesday, naming some of the coaches who have interviewed, while concealing the identities of others. Fernando Clavijo, Brian Bliss, Curt Onalfo, Tom Soehn, Juan Carlos Osorio and Dennis Hamlet were all identified by Colorado as possible replacements for fired coach Tim Hankinson. "These six coaches have proven themselves at the highest level of soccer on and off the field, both in the United States and often times abroad," said Colorado Rapids governor Charlie Wright. "We are confident that we will find among all of our candidates the head coach that will make this team a contender for MLS Cup for years to come and make our loyal fans proud of their team." Why Wright felt compelled to announce six candidates is inexplicable and certainly left some teams whose coaches were named a little disturbed. Has Wright turned the coaching search into a soccer version of American Idol? Will people be able to vote via text message? Even more baffling than the fact that the Rapids have a governor and ambassador (Marcelo Balboa) but no general manager, is the team's decision to keep private the names of three other candidates, citing the fact that the three were still under contract with current employers (New U.S. Under-20 coach Sigi Schmid is one of the three). The same could be said for five of the six named candidates (Clavijo being the exception). Colorado's mishandling of the coaching search begs the question of whether the team was really prepared for the fallout after firing general manager Dan Counce. Who they select to be their new head coach will go a long way toward answering that question.
I'm sure this has been discussed, but didn't Peter Nowak have no head coaching experience when he took over DC United this year? He seemed to do well.
And I was just pointing out that I've read that Harkes is going to be given and he's going to accept the Rochester job. Sorry, thought I'd just throw out some knowledge someone may not have had.
Personally, I don't think the Rhinos are going to offer Harkes the job. The Rochestor paper was big in mentioning that the Rhinos had not actually offered the job to Harkes. Sounded like they were just more excited to get him up there to give him a dog & pony show of what cool soccer things Rochestor's got going on.
Looks like Ives Galarcep has an update on the coaching search for us. He thinks Schmid, Osorio and Soehn are in the lead. Hopefully we will hear an answer this coming week.
Lots of mumbling about the past few days that Onalfo is the leading candidate for the position. I can't point to a definite source on this (hence no Rapidsfan posting), so take this with a grain of salt... but I'd bet that Curt will be announce as the Rapids coach sometime next week.
Gus Martins of Boston Herald is reporting Clavijo is "a leading candidate" ... but take this with a grain of salt ... seems that the source could be Clavijo himself http://sports.bostonherald.com/soccer/view.bg?articleid=58432
Don't know if anyone saw this article by Marc Connolly...very interesting read on Osorio, who everyone thinks off as just a conditioning coach... http://soccernet.espn.go.com/feature?id=293999&cc=5901 The term: "manager-in-training -- who happens to be an expert in fitness, rather than a fitness coach who happens to know soccer" Summarizes what Osorio would be able to bring to the table with the Rapids.
Expect more mediocrity if this snippet from Soccer America's Daily is true: COLORADO SEARCH: Who gets the Rapids coaching job may come down to money. According to sources, the team isn't offering a lot of it. The low end of the head coaching pay scale in MLS is in the range of $100,000 -- although the highest-paid coaches make more than twice than that -- and the Rapids were reportedly offering in the high five figures as an initial salary. Depending on whom you talk to, nearly every candidate named publicly could be construed as the favorite. Fernando Clavijo is a longtime buddy of former U.S. international Marcelo Balboa, who is heading the search; former MetroStars fitness coach Juan Carlos Osorio and U.S. national team assistant Curt Onalfo both did well in their interviews; D.C. assistant Tom Soehn has long been regarded as being ready to step into the top job, Brian Bliss publicly expressed his enthusiasm for the position, etc. Fire assistant coach Denis Hamlett said Monday he hasn't heard back since interviewing for the job more than a week ago. Clavijo said he talked to Rapids Governor Charley Wright yesterday and has no further information on his status, but expects the process to be done before Christmas. "I think they talked to everybody," said Clavijo, "and I got the feeling maybe they have reduced their list from six to three, but they did not tell me that." Good 'ol Stan Kronke cutting costs on the Rapids again...