It's time. Year one, I get that they were an expansion team and all , but still doesn't mean they should just give up on the season half way through. Year Two. Lack of tactics and fitness became a liability. Getting 1 point out of the first six games really killed things too. Year three. No more excuses. If your team goes away from your game plan like he claimed happened against Dallas, why was he just calmly sitting back on the bench and taking it? Isn't it part of his job to make sure things go how he wants them? Isn't that why he stayed so loyal to his veterans especially Captain Kreis, to keep the experience on the field and make sure the younger guys don't do this sort of thing? And Columbus, well, neither team deserved to win and we're just lucky that one didn't go in. Thank God Garlick's goine or it would have been 3-0. It's time to start the deathwatch.
Sometimes I wonder who is realy coaching this team. Does Ellinger have control or does he just do what Kreis wants him to do. This is a do or die year for Ellinger and in some ways for the club. It is time to put the offense on the field and win some games. 0 - 0 at home against a so so team is not a path to success. Ellingers comments in the Tribune yesterday were a joke. "For the first time in team history, Ellinger didn't make one substitution. "Is that a new record?" he asked. Ellinger said the coaches looked at each other and decided no one on the bench could make the same impact as the players already on the field. Columbus used its maximum three replacements. "Who do you take out?" he said. "Its not youth soccer. It's not high school soccer. You don't make substitutions just to make substitutions." " Coach, if you think that that is the best the team has to offer then pack your bags. The players on the field did not get it done!!! Put in some fresh legs and lets play to win. I think that he was to scared to make a change because he didn't want to loose at the end of the game again. So instead of playing to win he played for one point. One point at home each week is not the sign of a good team or coach. Also, by making this comment what kind of signal do you send to the players fighting for a starting spot. Get real coach let play to win or clean house.
Whoopty ******* ****. We have 4 points fewer than we should. Four points fewer than we would if we had a coach who could do anything right during a game. It seems to me Ellinger is a fine coach 6 days a week. If we could just get rid of that one pesky day. . . .
Why the Deathwatch thread? Because, after 2 home games to open the season...in a year when RSL HAS to make the playoffs...RSL sits 5th in the West. Because, after 2 home games at altitude, RSL appears to be less fit than the lowlanders with whom they are competing. Because, after 2 home games...Coach E still appears to be completely incapable of making in game adjustments that make a positive difference. Because, after 2 home games, it appears that not much has changed...which, supposedly was not going to happen this year. Because, after 2 home games wherein RSL blew a lead (FCD) and never appeared ready to win the game (Columbus), there is still a chance the ship could get righted...but the number of people who believe E the right person to do so are rapidly diminishing...as will the attendance if the results do not improve immediately. Because, after 2 home games, we next play at Chivas..who have looked very good and dangerous offensively. Odds are, depending on who the Galaxy plays next weekend, that RSL will be sitting in last place in the West next Monday.
We'll trade you Sarachan for him. Dave has 4 points after 2 matches, one of which was on the road. That's better than what Ellinger has done. So surely, you can't turn down my generous offer.
I think they are cut from the same cloth...and come from the same revolving door coaching fraternity...we'll pass.
That's the sentence that sums up US Soccer at this point. Ellinger didn't show much at Brandenton, doing the same now. Yet, he has close to a decade of employment in US Soccer with high profile jobs. Pathetic. Coaching is the problem with US soccer across the board. We don't have much. Add the patronage of the USSF and you get the Ellinger's of the world.
Re: :UNOFFICIAL: John Ellinger watch Thread You're missing the point. I know there are fire Ellinger threads. This is a watch, counting down to when he goes. I am just assuming he does get fired and sooner rather than later.
John Ellinger is a joke who only knows how to coach teenagers. You guys are screwed till you get a new coach.
I like the sunglasses smiley. Like somehow you think you're telling us something we don't know, or that somehow your comment will be upsetting.
It absolutely does. We played kick and run with ht ebst to choose form in the US. Whenever we played a team with tactics and skill we were made to look hacks. I have wathced every U17 WC mathc. Some live. Have them all on tape. When we play the likes of Brazil, Spain, France, all teams with technical and tactical ability we looked like a bunch of clueless hacks. Couldn't string 3 passes together. No idea how to move into space, make a pass into one, etc. If you are going to fool yourself into believng that he did well then you are part of the problem here in the US. Winning, by playing kick and run, with the supposed cream of the crop, in a fully paid for, full time 2 year program is your idea of creating athletes who can compete and excel at the highest end then you are part ofthe problem. We beat on weaklings, and did well in meanlingess friendlies, using the "win first" instead of teach menatlity that is a cancer in our youth systems. It creates limited players who fall to pieces whenever they play prganized, skilled, tactically astute teams. History shows that we did that in Ellingers time at residency. The first year was a fluke and a half, and hindsight shows it. He had LD and DMB and a WC schedule that allowed them to avoid any type of savy comp. That fooled many, and it hurt more than it help. Cycle 2 & 3, along with his RSL tenure show what he is all about. If you think his residency stay was a success, a repeat again, you are part of the problem. Funny, after looking complettely clueless in cycle 3 versus Spain and Brazil the USSF even got it and changed the way we trained players form ther eon out. USSF kick and run soccer only talks you so far. Ellinger is the poster boy. If you understand the game, history sure as heck supports my statement, and so do soccer coaches and brains who get it. Unless you are happy creating limited players who beat up on limited opponents in 2 year full residency, unlike other countries, who create rounded players. USSF has gone far, far from the Ellinger style since he left. There is a reason.
I take offense to this comment. Does this mean that everyone who doesn't hat Ellinger is stupid and doesn't know a thing about soccer? Because that is what I am getting. I Think you need to check yourself before you go on your tirades. their are a lot of us who have followed soccer for a long time who do think Ellinger has proven himself (though he has yet to do so with RSL). This does not make us part of the problem as you so feverishly put it. I recommend that you not insult evryone that has a diffrent opinion then yourself. It ok to state your opinion but when you lump all who see diffrent as stupid and a problem you start to wlak a fine line. Donk has the same opinion as you do and yet he has not attacked everyone who saw diffrent then he did and I respect him for that.
With respect to the US U-17s, he had one good tournament out of three. That year, incidentally, was the time he spent the least amount of time with the kids. The first year of the program was around a year, IIRC. The next cycle, when he had a full two years to prepare his team, they went out in the first round. Interesting. Also, it should be noted that just because he's done better than previous U-17 coaches, that's hardly a fair comparison because USSF he was the first coach to ever have anywhere near the kind of resources. His teams were playing together year round, whereas teams in other countries rarely got together to play, and past US U-17 teams would get together about once in a blue moon to a camp in California or Florida. Apples to Oranges. With respect to the Olympic team, he was an assistant. That was CC's team.
Seems a bit early to be talking about firing a coach. Then again this isn't about 2 games but the last 66.
Nope, it probably means you haven't followed Ellinger, his teams, and his style close enough. The 4th place was right place, time and teams we faced. We didn't face teams that were savy. We played teams that were similiar to us and we had good weapons. It is a general problem with US Soccer. Until we accept that we are very young with regards to the game, the majority of fans are young in their understanding, and that most grew up in a soccer devoid culture it remains a problem. We are basically school kids when it comes to in depth soccer knowledge and culture and we act lik eit. Have written this quite a few times but it resonates. When US players go overseas they are almost always described as naive, tactically deficient, immature mentally, don't understand the subtleties of the game, or combinations of some of these or all quite honestly. We are young and naive compared to a soccer culture much older and sophisticated than ours. Fact. The fans and media in this country follow suit with this. It's not an insult, it is a fact. Reading these boards proves it 10 times over. A lot of enthusiasm but knowledge is limtied. Ellinger is the poster boy for this. Limited in knowledge, pro experience, tactics, coaching training at a pro/high/sophisticated level, never was a pro at a high level, never learned from top guys, etc. Fact. He grew up in the kick and run culture of the 70's and 80's learning from books and second rate players and coaches. He is what he is. Fact. The guy had nice USSF patronage connections, big problem in the USSF, as the best coaches or better ones aren't brought in for th egood old boys who toe the line. Ellingers teams were devoid of tactical ability. Virtually inept. Only a few players were technically proficient. Passing, movemnt, you name it, were crap. The teams, what they learned and how they played, consdiering the money and time and choice of pool were poor. To justify a run to the semis as being a good coach is weak. It was a run in a tourney where we had a great draw after looking at all the teams, how they played, and ho wwe played. Throw in the jokers of DMB and LD and it was just good timing. Otherwise we got results form kick and run and looked pathetic/clueness/naive gainst any decent side after that. In To Drawer it was reported that the USSF, who of course were going to keep the good ole boy on the job, yold him to change how he coached and what he focused on! Incredible, and they were still going to keep him! Absurd. Luckily for the U17's Real came along. Bad for my 2nd fav team Real. Until guys like Ellinger are gone from coaching in MLS or high profile US jobs our players will continue to be limited. How can a guy who is so limited knowledge wise, experience wise, playing wise, etc, etc possibly be a top flight coach. Sorry if it offends. I am in charge of a lot at work and that's how I have to talk to my people to get hings done the way they need to be. Apologize if you were offended but it does not change the facts of where we are as a culture, knowledge wise, tactically, and understanding wise when it comes to the game. BTW - DO you think BA is a "great coach" I wonder. In the world of soccer, the fans, coaches and media in this country are way down the ladder. Just the way it is and I get it. Fine with me, but it is a huge problem because people see a guy as clueless as Ellinger and just don't understand how poor of a coach he is. He keeps getting jobs and people defend him with obscure stats from coaching kids, with all the advantages in the world, and a track record that shows he was weak overall, plus a pro record and moves that shows it some more. Read all the ignorance on these boards leading up to and during the world cup. Reality and understanding were 2 words that never ever could be used. Only time will change that. If you want o keep suffering keep JE on. He isn't going to learn all of a sudden after all of this time.
So which was it: “we faced teams that weren’t savy” or we faced teams with a “soccer culture much older and sophisticated than ours”?... No one has claimed that Ellinger has a lot of pro experience. And since when is being a player at a high professional level a requisite to being a good coach? Some of the best coaches in the world never made big as professionals, ie; SAF, Mourinho, etc. Say… from the way you talk, you sound like you’d be a good coach. Why don’t you submit your application for the RSL coaching position?... Certainly you could do better than Ellinger, right? BTW, which is your first MLS team? I’ll look forward to seeing how they fare… In the meantime, I will enjoy RSL’s kick and run football… P.S. Try to get some help with that U.S. soccer inferiority complex, will you?... P.P.S. I bet you’re a real motivator at work…
Yes, that team in the next cycle went out in the first round, but expecting a bunch of American teenagers to have their mind focused on soccer games less than two weeks after 9/11 was probably not very realistic. I'm going to give Ellinger...and more importantly those kids...a pass on that one.
Ok, one of the two bad ones, what about the other? See this is what bothers me the most about Ellinger, the excuses. Whatever happens has some sort of excuse. I remember learning in the Army that the effective range of an excuse was 0.0 meters.