Post-match: Yer a Goalscorer, Abou Ali - Crew v Orlando - Match 7 - 4/12/26 7:00 PM

Again, that’s not what I said.

Bez was given the final two names on ISSA’S list and was asked his opinion on them. Feel free to criticize Rydström, but you can’t draw Bez into this.[/QUOTE]


Fair enough.

It's also fair to infer that Bez did not shoot down Rydstrom's candidacy when asked.


The real question is ... How did the Haslams and Edwards let this become so bad in less than 24 months?

Tall and Rydstrom both look way in over their heads.

Unless Rydstrom is believing he is getting 3 years to install his guys and his system.

In which case... shame on ownership. The empty seats tonight are sending a message.

 

I would take Rydström any day of the week over Russell Martin, those were the choices.
Issa faffed about for too long and Nicky Hayen was hired in the meantime.

Did I hear you correctly? Did you just ask for Jimmy to meddle ; ) ?

 

Haslam and the Edwards are well on their way to returning the Crew and the NWSL to being (very) niche things in Central Ohio like it was for 25 years.

They need to hire people who can undone the decline of the last 24 months. And stay out of the limelight.

My hope is that Bez announces the course of action on his first day. If it's backing Rydstrom, explain what the coach needs.

This is a rudderless team at the moment.

 

Jimmy has to hire a new basketball coach now

 

Really do not understand the hatred for Jimmy as an owner of the Crew. As an owner of the Browns or just a general human being, sure he's deserving of all the arrows. With this team, he's written big checks that brought trophies. As someone who can compartmentalize, that's all I want and expect my team's owner to do. He handled the Nancy transfer almost to perfection. He's bringing back and handing the keys over to arguably the best GM in MLS history. Ticket prices are a legitimate gripe but aside from that, his biggest sin as it pertains to the Crew is waiting too long to demote or fire Issa. There's fewer than 10 owners in this league I'd prefer over the Haslams. They aren't perfect but they could easily treat the Crew the same way Bob Kraft treats the Revs. They actually spend and don't undermine the team the way that Jerry Jones does in Dallas.

 

I should have stuck with my original pick of a Canadian win. But no... I believed you guys about how bad Orlando was...

 

For f*cks sake, we’ve won TWO MLS Cups, a Leagues Cup, and made it to the CCC finals in the few years that the current ownership has had the team. People have gotten spoiled by that and forgotten its rarity.

I’m not saying that the team and staff don’t need work, but let’s try to keep it in perspective. There are also no easy silver bullet fixes in MLS. You can’t just throw money at everything and expect a positive outcome (cue Atlanta, Chicago etc). I’d like Bez to fix the roster and scouting issues first and we go from there.

Yes, Jimmy is a greedy entitled dick, but he also doesn’t suck as a business man.

 

It's really crazy. There is no such thing as a people's billionaire. You don't get to that level without being a ruthless asshole. Even Mark Cuban was and is a egomaniacal douchebag. The fact that Jimmy has showed up to games at all and walked the concourse amongst fans is more than most MLS owners will ever do.

 

Arthur Blank is an effing saint that adores the game, but he’s the only billionaire owner I know that meets that criteria.

Also, there’s no denying that Jimmy’s a billionaire, but what people lose sight of is that the Crew isn’t currently putting money in Jimmy’s pocket. The team hasn’t turned a profit, that only happens when you sell.

To clarify, I’m not using that as an excuse for the Cleveland match. That not only screwed over the fans, but the team too. It was a foreseeable PR disaster as well. I’ll also say that had Whitney built the stadium the correct size to begin with, we wouldn’t have to be retrofitting seats which is always more expensive.

 

I forgot about the Cleveland fiasco somehow. Add that at #1 on the list of legitimate beefs about them as Crew owners.

 

Some of y'all really here are carrying water for Jimmy Haslam tonight.

Jesus.

Stockholm Syndrome has never been more alive than in America in 2026.

Thank you late-stage capitalism.

 

You point out things that legitimately poison a sports team in a market. Moving games with no recourse, Pricing ... Tickets deals that undercut STH (my add).

Especially a sports team that needs casuals to turn any kind of profit.

The Haslams and Edwards have been doing these things to Crew fans ... are doing these things ... and therefore it is plausible to project they will continue to do these things.


The Crew had a moment in this town.
Ownership has pissed it away.

I point out the facts why.
Which y'all agree with up above in this thread.

Why you can't accept the damage ownership is doing ... right before your eyes ...

Is beyond me.


They know what they are doing.
And don't care about losing casuals that I want to remain on board. And likely some STH as well.

 

Haslam has already jacked up the Bucks.

Browns are a national joke.

He won"t fund Tennessee football to even get to the SEC Championship. Or get out of the way.

How are the Crew trending?
He inherited a gold mine (staff, players, new stadium, fanbase)

 

Okay, so let's fast forward 2-3 months and discuss what I think is a realistic scenario.

Tim Bezbatchenko comes on board in May.

His first two moves are buying out Gazdag and putting Abou Ali on the season-ending injury list (if he's not already on there).

He goes to Jimmy and convinces him to drop $15-20 million, on top of the $4 million buyout of Gazdag, to fill the two DP spots he's just opened. We finally get real replacements for Morris and Cucho.

The Crew announces a price freeze through summer 2028 on STMs, along with some significant upgrades to the STM benefits list and high-quality exclusive renewal gifts. Renewals are for both the sprint season and 2027-28 season combined, a total of 25 matches, with an 18-month interest-free payment plan option.

What would your response be?

 

Now that you mention it, he did seem very isolated the entire time, with both injuries. Yikes if true.

 

Panic button has already been pushed. Bez is coming back. If things were going great, he wouldn't be.

 

RELATIONISM!!!

 

Yeah, I like Z, but he's not a captain. Problem is, who do you give it to? Moreira wore it on occasion before. I don't thing Rossi is a captain. So....

 

What?!?! Signing dudes from the Israeli and Azerbaijani leagues isn't working out? I'm shocked, another L for spreadsheet scouting.

At this point, yeah.

Herrera sucks and Arfsten is leaving, and Farsi... who knows, so need full backs (play Brown).

Need CMs. Pretty self-explanatory.

Need CBs. See above.

Need a striker that can stay fit and dudes (starters and bench) that can attack. Rossi needs to be used appropriately.

Schulte is ok.

Need a new coaching ataff.

Yeah, basically just blow it up. I really hope Bez can come in and convince whoever needs convincing that it will be better to sell quickly and lose money on fees so we can simply turn this thing around. Nothing worse than a slow fire sale. Just rip the bandaid and start over. This is MLS, rebuilds can happen quickly.

 

Love your optimism lol.

 

I mean, this is the exact meme MLS Reddit uses for Crew fans.

 

My wife literally bulldozed Dee Haslam trying to get into the Crew shop once haha. I've never been more mortified in my life, she had no idea who Dee was, of course.

 

I noticed at least two rows of the new upper level east premium seats (to the right of the center section as looking at the TV) completely empty the entire time. Makes me wonder if those new premium seats didn't sell as well as expected.

 

In all fairness, we didn't know what the correct size might be then. It's not like we were selling out HCS. Sat near a Sounders fan last night--cool guy. He really liked our stadium and the size of it. He noted that where the Sounders play is just too big for a proper atmosphere. Thought ours was just right.