I think you just convinced me he's above average, given that most coaches can't overcome weak rosters, and he's been able to make the team average still.
I think up until this year, the roster has been better than the national media expected it to be, definitely average overall. If we're going on a scale of 1-9, Pablo might be a 6. I don't know if that's good enough if you're not going to give him an above average roster. I think he definitely gets credit for Luna and probably Gozo, but how many other guys did RSL whiff on or not even give a chance? Plus there's the way Chicho and Goncalves have been treated. I think we know what Pablo is and I'm willing to chance getting someone worse in the hopes you find a better fit, for whatever the roster plan is. Moot point now though. Hoping to see a plan from Jason this off-season. I know it won't all come to fruition in just one season. I can buy in to a solid plan if I'm shown one.
I think this is the operative clause. I think this is why we seem to be so negative here. This team has been in absolute flux for 5 years straight, Pablo being the only constant. We've been all over the place during his time. RSL coasted on that amazing team from the early 2010s. Beckerman and Rimando really carried us, along with Kreilach (and Rusnak a good bit, with some Savarino thrown in) at the end of that run. Without them, we would have been absolutely dire. (For fun: compare Rusnak w/ Gonçalves. Younger, much more influential, but still seemed to be a bit aloof?) Where our goals will come from has been a constant question ever since the departure of Sabo aside from the first two half-seasons of Chicho. Other than those moments, it has been largely by committee, which isn't terrible. But it certainly is terrible now! (Want some fun? Check out the all-time RSL roster wiki and sort by goals. Trip down memory lane, and also a bit depressing...) It seemed like we FINALLY had a plan, and then it evaporated in front of our faces in the middle of last year. It only worked great for about a year, (honestly, about the most exciting stint I've had as a fan!) starting mid-2023 and then full bore up to mid-2024. And now we look completely clueless, about as bad as we ever have. And I say that acknowledging that the league has improved considerably in the last few years. I'm dubious that the Millers, Kreis, Schmid, and Mastroeni can put it all together next year; very much so pre-World Cup. Hopefully we can get some cohesion by Aug 2026 and see something come together. I really don't know where to start with the club, but movement seems good and Vera being that first piece makes me hopeful, not because I think he's not good enough, but because something has got to change. Ojeda is a fine player and we'd be stupid to move him, I think. Gozo needs more time here as a starter to prove himself capable of putting the ball in the net and providing service consistently. He could see a breakout year like Andrés Gómez. Luna and Cabral are no-brainers to keep, although we likely lose Luna no matter what after the World Cup. Everyone else should be considered. Eneli I would want to keep, but after Pablo benching him, maybe he can find a better fit for his personal career growth and goals.
Ha, ha. He actually could be just that but I will admit that I am rather jaded at the moment with this club. As much as that pains me. I have invested a lot of time and a little bit of money to be a more involved fan, no complaints, it's been quite fun, but this club is just not serious at the moment. There could be a plan, somewhere, but I am just waiting to see what happens. As someone has pointed out, Pablo has been the one constant in a see of inconsistency, but until I can see otherwise, RSL is just treading water. Really well I might add, but getting into a boat and heading off in a positive direction or a better analogy is yet to be seen. Compared to all of the other RSL HC's Pablo is probably above average. Compared to the rest of the league, there aren't enough life vests or those little round life preservers to keep this club from drowning in high seas of mediocrity.
Agreed. And this is my biggest fear with putting Kreis at the helm. There is no evidence in his time since leaving RSL, or in his time since returning, that he can right the ship and create a team that will rise above the mediocrity we've seen since 2013. I don't see us getting beyond the status quo RSL has created without injecting new blood into the FO and/or technical staff. We're leaning on nostalgia to get us to the next level, and I just don't see it happening. EMBRATSU.
Bogert is saying GAM. Ok. $1.5M GAM > $1.6M cash, right? This gives us more wiggle room with the roster?
Kreis knew the importance of scouting for talent when he was here the first time. He’s been to a few places and seen some things since then and my hope is that he has some ideas to make our scouting operation better. I’m also hoping he can make the linkage between the Monarchs and the senior team more productive. Other than those possibilities I don’t see him as the person we needed.
I'm glad Kreis has publicly stated the importance of scouting and his intentions to improve that department but Kreis has already been here for two years! Why are these changes not already implemented? Better late than never I suppose.
To be fair, he was in a different role, there was almost no investment in the club, there was an ownership change and he already told us one of the first things we see was a recruitment director (paraphrasing). The Royals already have theirs.
Surely director of operations to president of soccer operations can’t be that different of roles. Fair enough with the ownership change but I’m hard pressed to believe that Blitzer was against an improved scouting department.
Wasn’t the Blitzer Group supposed to help with scouting, as they have a worldwide presence already? I am continuously astounded that they even bought in. It must be just for the potential equity.
Pretty sure it was director of special operations. It was described at some point as a dual business/soccer role. Hindsight, I'd say he was trying to get a complete picture of the organization. I'm still kind of amazed that the only (that I remember) business we've done with Blitzer clubs is for of outgoing players. Surely there are more opportunities and not exclusive to just players. Seems to reinforce that they really weren't in it to improve long term, just wanted to make a buck. Along those lines, I heard a rumor that the Chicho acquisition was only after ownership was tired of being called cheap by fans on social media.
Nice. I wonder if that would work for the Millers. I'd be willing to suck it up and get back on Twitter (now known as X, the everything app) if I thought I could do some good with it.
As soon as we see the Pot 1 teams drawn and then the games are allotted to host cities, RSL and the Herriman complex come into play. Herriman is a Team Base Camp for the World Cup, and by the time we reach next week, we ought to know who will be here (and for me, I am also watching Spokane and Boise to see who ends up there).
Do you know which WC groups are likely to want to base camp in Herriman? I guess at least D, G, and J?
I'm trying to think of a player or coach so full of themselves that thinks they accomplished something that they really didn't. Someone so smug, they enjoy the smell of their own farts. I want to say Zlatan, but he was pretty good.