The offical "Fire Bob Gansler" thread

As an outsider. I have a question about Gansler's tactics last night. I was at the game in colorado and thought that overall the game was pretty even in terms of real goal threats until the second half when KC poured it on for a bit (just a bit). Then Gansler made some really wierd subs. First, the score is tied at 0-0 near the 72th minute and he makes a defensive sub (Davy Arnaud 72) at least that is what the roster list said on the hadout in Denver. Ok, maybe he is trying to rest a defender who is getting tired of the Colorado pressure or maybe just trying to bore the fans. Then Colorado scores. Gansler, with his superior wisdom and tact decides to make another sub Carey Talley comes in for Zavagnin in the 88th minute. A defender for a midfielder when you are down 0 to 1 with a couple minutes left in the game? What is he trying to accomplish? Is he afraid of loosing 2-0 instead of 1-0. Does he feel that the public will appreciate the fact that he didn't allow Colorado to beat him by more than 1 goal and this is good?
I can understand your frustrations with Gansler. good luck!!!

Just make sure you don't fire him prior to playing us again in the playoffs. LOL

 

Arnaud is most definitely an offensive sub.

He's a forward/attacking midfielder.


Talley for Zavagnin makes a little sense too, since Carey does bring more to the attack than Kerry does... but I don't see why that would be the sub.

 

Question regarding decorum in the Cauldron.

I am so disgusted with our play that I will be displaying a "Fire Bob Gansler" sign at the game on the 20th. Should I plan to sit in my club seat for the beginning of the game, or would the majority of you mind?

Thanks for the feedback.

 

As a joke, we could bring back the "Sack Ron" posters and sacks.

Davey Arnaud is an out and out striker.

 

Generally I don't favor insulting a coach/player like that to their face, but in this case making a sign or whatever is the only way Curt is gonna get the point. Every single one of us is sick of just squeaking into the playoffs and leaving in the first round, we need to start looking for something more. Not to mention we have some major talent just rotting away with the current play of our team.

Fore sure somebody will say "we can't fire Gansler because then who would our coach be?" My answer: why not Brian Bliss? Anybody think Bliss might be a good coach?

 

I agree with LSN. Bliss seems to know a lot more than Gansler, and off the field, Bliss is a better guy. Gansler just seems like a jerk. I dunno, but something needs to change because we have the talent, it just isn't being put to good use.

 

Why not Mo Johnston?

 

My only problem with Bliss taking over as head coach is a possible "remnant effect" problem. He may be seen as a "Gansler remnant" and therefore the players may not respond to him as well as they would to a completely new system.

Don't get me wrong... Bliss WILL get a head coaching gig in the NEAR future, and I'd love to see us actually keep some talent home - Mo - but I'm not sure it's the best move for the team right now.

 

As much as i appreciate what bob has done for us over his tenure, the simple fact of the matter is that his system is getting old, everyone in the league knows it, and, to put it most simply, its just time for a change.

Talent is not the reason we are losing these games, and nothing individually is the reason we are losing these games. its the outdated strategy of bobs that every team in MLS has figured out, and , as a result, the team suffers to do much of anything.

NOw i want the wizards to suceed as muc h as they can no matter what, but i have to say in this case, right now, that i might rather see us miss the playoff and have gansler fired, than see us make the playoffs, not go far, and have gansler stay.

of course...these last few games will tell the tale.

 

I was thinking that to but how eager would the Metros be to let him go? That would be one kick ass combination...Preki and Mo as coaches.

 

I am all in favor of signs shirts, etc to display our displeasure with Danger Bob. His tactics are questionable at best this season and he shows very little signs of even trying.

Mo/Preki is worth a shot to me. Lets give it a go.

 

Preki as a coach?

I wonder how Preki would do as a coach. I've thought about this before and I fear it might be similar to Magic Johnson's short stint as coach of the Lakers.

The conversation would go something like this:

Magic/Preki: I told you to do this, but you didn't. Why didn't it work?
Player: Well, I can't really do that.
Magic/Preki: Why not. I could do that when I was a player.
Player: That's because your Magic/Preki.

It didn't take long for Magic to grow weary of watching players with inferior talent (relative to his own) and decide he'd be better off watching than coaching. I would guess the same thing would happen with Preki.

That's not bashing Preki. Just a thought about what might happen if he were a coach.

 

I agree..and have been saying for it a little bit..Gansler should go..the fact that Davey Arnaud is even on the roster..let alone comes into the game to "add to the offense" is silly..I really dont think this team has a lot of talent..aside from Preki and Igor..who else can take players on? Gansler has chosen these players and he will die with these players..(Klein has been invisible since he was dropped by the Nats after his 45 min against Brazil at the confed cup..Garcia is gettin' burned every game..)..who else on the team has talent?..He has a proven creative midfielder in Vazquez who he won;t even give a try..YEs..Gansler must go..

Bliss would be a horrible replacement..he was a horrible player..and would be Gansler 2..

we need new blood and a rehaul of the team..

 

I'm for this. And I don't think Gansler is the one to do it. We have a lot of average-above average MLS players, and the only one to get excited about is 40 yo Preki. We don't even have a young star in the works- even the Burn has some of these. Gansler had them playing well for a while, but they hit a wall and I can't begin to figure out exactly what we need to do-and apparently neither can Bob.

 

While you're central theme, "Gansler must go", is correct, you're still an idiot. Its one things to have opinions, its another to be outright moronic.
You want Vasquez on the field? If you see that, say goodbye to any sort of defense that we have remaining. Or we'd better be playing with one striker, because Preki and Vasquez in the midfield would give the other team no pressure when they have the ball.
Arnaud is right near the talent level of the #4 forward/#6-7 midfielders on every roster in MLS. For his age and pay he's a great value.
I wouldn't bring a sign, its just not my thing, but I got no problem with them. I'm pretty sure that after the last 8 games, we all pretty much are thinking the same thing.

As for the replacement. Bliss would be a good coach. I'll somewhat agree that promoting him may not rid the team completely of the mediocricy that Gansler has brought. Mo wouldnt have to have permission from Metros to leave. Any smart coach with ambition takes a head coaching job over an assistants job.

 

the criticism is fair, but fire bob now? that's a horrible idea. I'd at least wait until the end of the year, b/c like I've said before, we still haven't seen our team at full strength.

If bob is getting us ready for a november push, I'll love the guy. the last two years we've been unlucky with players, like lassiter's bust and our bad defense last year.

If we have another first round flameout this year, that will be three in a row after the ring, and we should consider other options.

I think our problem now is with the players anyway. Preki is playing well, but who else is? is it really the coach's fault?

 

Thats the biggest problem. Because MLS allows 8/10 into the playoffs teams, not just the Wizards, allow their coaches to get by and keep their job being mediocre.

Suppose we get lucky and win a couple games in the playoffs and make the Cup. Two good results warrent Gansler keeping his job after the last 8 games? I don't think anyone needs reminding that this Saturday it will have been 2 months and a day since we won a game...

 

Who was missing during our last couple of games?

At the end of the day? Yes, it is. The coach bears the ultimate responsibility, especially a coach that has been around for more than 4 years and is dealing with a roster that contains players that are mostly his pickups. The 2000 champions, mind you, were mostly Newman players.

For four years we've watched Bob trade away the future of the club for today. Well, today's here and I'm looking at a 9 game non-winning slide.

You mention not being at full strength, but look at the history of players like Wolff and Burciaga, Jr. When you rely on players who are frequently injured, what do you expect?

 

Bob has never been the kind of guy to get "fired up." Remember in 2000 we had guys with intensity like Vermes, Mo, Preki, Molnar, Tony, and McKeon. Look at what we have now- a whole bunch of hum-ho guys who act like it is a job to come to(Quill, Gomez, Wolff, Igor). Can you tell me honestly the last time you saw any of those guys get fired up for a game. I'm not talking about hustle-I'm talking about adrenaline, hunger, passion-Where the hell is it? They don't seem to be out there because they love the game, their out there because they get a paycheck for it. Preki seems to be the only exception, but he can't do it all himself.

What we need is some fvcking fire in the locker room. As much as I've been for Gansler in the past, I just don't think he really cares anymore. Most of his post-game quotes sound like he just woke up and they don't make sense. It may take a new coach to right the ship, but I think our captain needs to take some initiative and get on these guys. We need to find some motivation and find it fvcking fast or were gonna see the same things over and over for the rest of the season. After all there's nothing better than a pissed off player who has something to prove. Isn't that right Preki(circa 2001)?

 

Here, here!!

 

The problem isn't players... we have guys out there trying to make stuff happen. (Igor, Preki, Wolde to some degree, Diego maybe?) But they're all out there trying to win it on their own. Nobody is playing as a team any more.

You could have the best 11 guys in the league, but if they can't work together then they will be mediocre at best. This team has no cohesion & no fire, and the blame lies w/ Gansler.