Since Richetti arrived from Argentina he hasn't really been as effective as many of us had hoped he would be. I still remember Buzz's effusive praise upon first viewing of Richetti in training. I believe the term "silky smooth" was used, as well as many other superlatives, leading us to believe he would be the answer to our central midfield woos of the time. And while he immediately improved our midfield's quality.....he never seemed to be a consistent factor. Yeah, yeah....I know....a lot of what he does goes unnoticed...bla bla bla. Still, he didn't seem like a "difference maker". Through multiple successive formation and line up changes, Morrow was never able to maximize Richetti's natural ability to control the game from the deep midfield. Schellas has unlocked this talent in a whopping 6 weeks. To me, this is the biggest indictment of Morrow's inability to manage the team that we have so far....and a damning one at that. Just thought I'd throw this out there to see if everyone else has noticed the same.
No, your points are excellent. This is the way I thought about it. Morrow took a 4-4-2 team that was struggling to score goals and that seemed to flounder in the course of a game and re-made them into a 3-5-2 because he obviously believed changing would create more offense. Or at least, he told us it would create more offense. The failure of the team to adjust to the 3-5-2 would have gotten him fired had Hitch not pulled the trigger. Then, enter Hyndman, who takes a squad hand-built for the 3-5-2 and switches them over to a 4-4-2 over the course of 6 weeks or so. In the mean time, players once thought to be essential to the starting line-up either go away to the Olympics, or injured, or sold. And yet, for the first time in 2 years, he's got them looking coherent- with reserves and spare parts. In my opinion, this team has drank the Hyndman kool-aid where they never even bothered to chance a sip of whatever it was Morrow was offering. Now, I hardly think this team is MLS Cup calibur, but they are improved and look to be on the same page. And, you know, I think Hyndman has a little bit of everything to do with it.
I agree, Zippy, that there appears to be more of a "buy in" with regards to the system. I also think that comes with Schellas' ability to exhibit leadership and demand respect from his players. I don't think the veterans ever felt that Clarke or Morrow were deserving of their respect. Despite all the questions regarding NCAA coaches, Schellas' has won that respect in a very short period of time. Seems like Morrow always had some excuse as to why his teams couldn't play flowing, attractive soccer....why they couldn't create width in the attack.....why certain players didn't live up to billings. I don't hear those excuses out of Schellas......I just see results and progress.
Well, nothing except, perhaps, the visual you just gave us there. Thanks for that. Gonna be tough to get past that one, Zip.
I don't really hear any excuses. When they played terrible, he called them on it and didn't make it sound nice. He referred Morrow's last game as coach as "an embarassment". I think Schellas is going to lay it all out and anyone who doesn't like what he's saying or doesn't want to play it his way, will be promptly shown the door. I agree that Schellas has shown them that he deserves the respect that he's demanding of them and I think that whatever he's doing is starting to pay off on the field.
Just a quick question... Where are all the yokels who were demanding "change" from Hyndman now? Why aren't they calling him out?
They are the same people demanding that Hitch be fired, even though he got rid of Morrow and hired Schellas.
Just so y'all are clear where I stand...even though I'm liking the Schellas hiring so far, I still think we should fire Hitchcock. He might've fired Morrow, but he doesn't really get any bonus points for hiring Schellas. From what I understand, that was a Hunt decision and Hitch had to just suck it up.
No one has any proof that Hitch was AGAINST the Schellas hire....and it certainly appears to have been Hitch that actively wanted Morrow gone. Seeing as how they look like a new team these days, you gotta give the man credit for making at least one good decision when a lot of people were slamming him for overreacting or just grasping at straws to save his job. Hitch hasn't done a damn thing to warrant being fired. Not a thing.
I didn't say Hitch was against hiring Schellas. I said it was a Hunt decision to hire Schellas and since they own the team, he pretty much had to go with that decision. As far as Hitch getting credit for firing Morrow? He's the one who really pushed for him to be hired in the first place. That's like giving Hitch a medal for putting out a fire that he started to begin with.
Back when Schellas was at SMU he would let one lucky summer camper kick him in the balls as hard as possible.(10th degree black belt and all blah blah) I think he let all of the players have a go! This must have instilled the team with a sense of respect for Schellas and they have really bought into the system! haha
Simply put, you don't know any of that for a fact. It's just speculation. As far as "having to go with the decision", he could have protested, he could have quit, he could have come done lots of things. For all we know the Hunts presented Schellas as a candidate and Hitch agreed. So now we know for a fact that Hitch didn't really want Schellas, but he was forced upon him and that Hitch really pushed for Morrow. In reality, we don't know any of this. Admitting a mistake and taking care of said mistake is good leadership.
No offense, but I think Buzz has his finger slightly more on the pulse of this organisation than you do.
You do realize that the first link you provided is from a thread that I started calling for Morrow's early termination, right? And that's a post from Buzz explaining why it won't happen, right? I mean if that's your evidence that Buzz has more of an understanding of this team then I do (which he probably does), I gotta say, your evidence ain't all that great. I particularly like this little tidbit from Buzz, stemming from early June. Does anyone really think this is the case anymore? Does anyone really believe that Hitch is a lameduck GM and that he's just waiting out the season to be fired? Here's the thing, I don't believe anything that Buzz posted in those links were verified facts. They were his reading of the situation at the time, based on his best sources, which have proven to be, on occassion, not exactly 100% perfect. So, yes, there certainly is room to BELIEVE that's what went down, but I still stand by my point from before....that no one (other than Hitch and the Hunts) really KNOW for sure what went down regarding Morrow and Schellas.
I guess the only way you'll believe it is if Hitch is gone at the end of the season. If Buzz is incorrect, I'll be the first (or there about) to admit that I was wrong, but in the meantime, I'll go on with the opinion that Hitch should be canned.
I do. Hitch had little to do with Hyndman's hire, it was all Hunts all the way - and the reason Hitch is now lameduck has far more to do with sales and front office stuff than anything in the locker room.
Alright...we'll see. I'm of the belief that if FCD makes the playoffs and progresses past the first round and they secure a major company for a shirt sponsor (something that is STILL a very real possibility before the end of the season) that there is no way HSG will fire Hitch. I'd like to hear from Buzz if he still thinks Hitch is lameduck.
Really? Allow me to list a few things that I would say stack up against him. Failed opening of the stadium. (Not recent, but I am still amazed at how this was handled) Failure to deliver sell outs without the presence of Beckham, as he so clearly provided. In the bottom tier of season tickets, and I believe season ticket sales went down this yr (not 100% sure). Regardless, attendance is pathetic. No jersey sponsor for additional income. Failure to get out of the first round the entire time he has been in charge. No clear marketing presence. These are just off the top of my head. To be fair, I think he has done a good job on the following: Landed PH for naming rights; CAP, Tigres and possibly River Plate partnership; got all games on english language tv. But to say he hasn't done one thing to get fired is wrong. If you want just one reason, how about focusing on his promise to deliver sell outs, only to provide a grand total of 0 without Beckham being in town.
That wasn't Hitch. That was Elliot...and he was fired for it. This team was an abomination to watch, as even the die hard fans have found it hard to stay involved. You can't sell a crap product. I don't know if they have or haven't, but that would be one thing, so far, that you have on him and HARDLY a reason to fire him. From what I've heard major progress has been made on this front, if that's true then the Hunts surely know that and won't fire him. And he fired Morrow for that. There are also 8 other league GMs that have the same problem, they weren't fired either. There are 12 other MLS clubs that have that problem, their teams aren't firing their GMs. Sorry, but Hitch is far from subpar in MLS. He's probably right a par....and that's not a fireable offense.
Shaka, Denilson, and Davino. Jury's still out on that last one. And what about the contracts/failed promises to other players (Cooper, Richetti to name two)?
He might not have a reason to be fired (which is debateable), but I don't see any reason to re-hire him after his contract runs out this year.
Surprise I'm Here! I am guessing that I am one of the ones you are calling out. I never questioned the tactical or coaching ability of Hyndman, in fact, I recall saying that I thought he would be a good game day coach. My questions were regarding his ability to bring in quality players who did not attend kegers at the Hill Top. That question is still far from being answered. SH has done a marvelous job coaching kids and cast-offs that Morrow had not clue how to use, and I give him credit for that. The problem is that no matter how great of a Coach he is, this team will not win hardware without better talent on the roster. For the record the "Change" that I have called for (and continue to call for) is for this team to end the budget cuts and start spending money to improve this roster. In the last two weeks we have only seen them dump more money out of this roster. They have a quality coach in place now, and thats great, now spend some money and give him the tools to make this thing a winner.