We need to talk about Vermes with poll

Not surprising. Ownership is the issue. They're OK with an awful product on the field and oblivious to the many issues outside the first team.

All that's left is for fans to stop attending games.

 

Again, Ownership.

"The club has navigated three straight transfer windows — two years — without paying a transfer fee to add a starter"

They also pay PV one salary to do like 4 jobs.

They are unwilling/unable to spend. They said as much when they took over from Hunt, which is why the academy was their big focus early.

Sadly the club issues are much bigger than PV.

 

Reading the article it's very much a "living in the past" mentality about Vermes. "Oh he's done it before he can do it again." The league is miles different than it was the last time PV did it, you're not going to make over the roster the same way now. As Sam pointed out you're not going to make your MLS funny money by selling your Dwyer's and Opara's (not that KC have any of those) in the league for those kind of prices any more.

 

Honestly the situation feels like a small buisness Owner who has his friend manage the shop. It's his friend that's in charge of the shop and he doesn't want to fire his friend.

You can feel the personal relationships when you read Illig's "who better to rebuild than Peter, he's done it before" nonsense.

PV rebuild a 2009 era MLS club with smart college draft choices, a deep understanding of MLS rules, and clever trades within MLS.

He's never been good at scouting internationals, especially S. America, and his biggest responsibility, the Academy, is an unmitigated fiasco.

The gap between this roster and MLS average is much wider than what he rebuilt in 2009. We're the only roster without an international call-up. He's not fixing thus by drafting Zusi, Espinoza, Besler, Teal, CJ, etc.

 

I don’t think they are stupid enough to be oblivious. However I do think they can be arrogant by not admitting they made bad decisions regarding their choice of organizational leadership at all levels, including their development pathway. The worst decision was watching the organization slowly rot while thinking what worked 10 years ago should still work in a completely different competitive level today.
Obviously, since I don’t live in the area any more, I don’t buy tickets or merch. I have MLS season pass because I enjoy the league. But, I only watch about 1/2 of the SKC games live broadcast due to finding other things more interesting and watch the highlights afterward. Sad, because there was a time for many years when nothing interfered with me either being at a game or watching it on TV.

 

I suppose the incentive for the players is to look as good as possible individually, because if they are out of contract or have an option, they now know they are gone. It's interview season.

 

“He’s accountable for all results at the end of the day, and he knows it and he wears it,”

This is good to hear but what is being done to hold him accountable? If he is not being fired this year are there milestones that PV has to meet to stay on that 5 year contract?

 

Exactly. He's accountable but we're not going to be firing him. Oh...I guess you'll just make him drink his second choice brandy after the games then!?!?!

With the Wilkenson situation I just have so little faith in the organization to make a smart choice (maybe they should have Ilie consult) if they did replace PV that I'm starting to think I have Stockholm syndrome or something and maybe...just maybe it might be better to stick with the devil we know rather than whoever else they would choose? Nah...F that. Maybe it's time to find a new team/league to support.

 

This is an excellent point and the root of the problem. If you want to keep PV then get the players he needs. But that requires spending, which ownership won't.

 

Yep, and let me preface this by saying I'm not trying to let PV off the hook with this. But ownership holds as much if not more blame than PV does. For years PV has gamed the MLS system as best he can with trades and _AM acquisition to help offset salary costs (notice how rarely we've traded away _AM over the years) because ownership wasn't going to dish out more money for the higher talent level. The league has now caught up and passed that as a legitimate method of building a consistently competitive team.

Ownership is at a cross roads of whether they want to try to compete and in doing so spend more money on talent, or become also rans in the league like Montreal, and New England, and Colorado. Occasionally bringing in superior talent, occasionally making runs, but more often than not being fodder for the more "ambitious" teams.

 

It's becoming clearer that the issue isn't only PV but it's mostly Ownership.

The quote that I posted about not paying a transfer fee for the last two years is insightful. Transfer fees are standard when you are competing with the WORLD for players. You could play money ball 15 years ago when most of the players were American and certainly not on par with the top leagues. Now MLS is on par with some of the best leagues in the world and we're all competing for the elite players.

My guess is the Ownership group never expected to be in a league with Messi.

 

Nearly shot soda out of my nose. LOL

 

it's so sad to see what we've become. i could barely give two shits about this entire team right now, and that pains me. thanks, vermes. thanks, reid. thanks, illig.

stop giving this organization your money, people. this isn't a club. you are not a "member." this is a business, and they are selling an absolutely shitty product. i'm not telling you to abandon your loyalty. if you love someone and they're in a bad way, you don't show your love by continuing to give that person his/her vice.

fire vermes. fire bliss. fire reid. illig and patterson family... it's time for you to put the team up for sale.

if you're a season ticket holder and you renew before they've fired any of these people, you are actively harming the thing you love.

 

Another team with much the same record as SKC fire their head coach. Estevez out at FC Dallas.

 

No surprise that Doyle gives SKC an F for a midseason grade:
“
“They snapped a seven-game losing streak (part of a larger 10-game winless skid) on Saturday with a 2-1 win over the Sounders, but I’m not reading too much into that one. Peter Vermes the manager has questioned his team’s manhood and mentality, and my hunch is Peter Vermes the sporting director is going to be wheeling and dealing this summer.
Of course, it might not matter. Sporting have one win in 14 tries against playoff sides so far this year, and each of their next five are against – you guessed it – playoff sides. And those games will all be played before the summer window even opens.
The good ship 2024 might already be sunk.
Grade: F. Just no way around it.”

 

I mean I'd be surprised if they didn't get an F even with the inch deep coverage many teams get from MLS.

 

Opted out of renewing my season tickets. At least the Club had a form to fill out asking why I was not renewing so I was able to vent. Whether I eventually sign up before next year will depend on what progress I see between now and the start of next season in fixing the rot inside the Club.

 

Was the upcoming Wednesday’s Cauldron Town Hall with Vermes and Reid promoted at all? I just saw it in the Cauldron’s email about this week’s game. When I signed up for tickets I saw there were still 83 tickets left. If I get to ask a question I will be asking about the Wilkerson fiasco and Vermes’ rant after the St. Louis series.

 

Love him, hate him or something in between, he’s had a heck of a career.

2️⃣5️⃣0️⃣ Wins ⚽️

Last week's @OpenCup victory marked PV's 250th win in all competitions as manager! #SportingKC pic.twitter.com/QuzOnZpfLb

— Sporting Kansas City (@SportingKC) September 2, 2024