MLS Home Stretch

It's all down to the Managers.
We're down to the final third of the MLS season and fans are seeing the results you want to see in any sports season. The 'sprinters' are falling back and the long-runners are rising to the top. In other words, now is when you see the results of management skills.

There are two polar coaching paradigms: Those who get the best results from the resources at hand and those who get the best results from reconstruction and team building.

Of course there generally has to be a mix of the two, a coach who cant motivate a rag-bag team wont get to see long term results unless he blows up that existing team and/or builds one from scratch. Otherwise, he'll get short term results but, inevitably, the bloom wears off and he wont have the time needed to build the team he needs.

And, of course, there's the example of a coach brought in to take over a superior club, he is measured on the results of keeping that team motivated and getting results from a collection he may not had much to do with.

Let's look at a few examples:
Kansas City and NY. Who knew Curt Onalfo would be dumped before the Red Bulls executed Osorio!
Of course, Osorio is lucky his team got so far back so fast, now they are just playing for the regional honors, so something might be gained if they do well in CCL. Osorio may survive to remake NY.. but I wouldnt bet on it.
And KC still has some hope of getting in the playoffs.

Seattle: Their fast start is catching up with them. Sigi, as he did in Columbus, put together a team of solid journeymen with a few star prospects and did absolutely great out of the blocks. Now the veneer is wearing thin but two more years at the helm for the best coach/manager in MLS will see a dynasty built. I'm sure Sounders management will have the patience, but will Sigi? Think six years away from home with a long commute.

New England: A consensus dynasty of just a few years ago is old, creaky and breaking down. Nicol/Mariner should have blown up the team when Dempsey left and Twellman leveled out at his peak. Steve Ralston cannot carry that team. Neither can a certain playmaker young'un who really cant wait to get out of there. Talkin' 'bout YOU, Shalrie!

Chivas: dropping back in the backstretch. Will Preki get 'em motivated for the home stretch? He's still learning the ropes. Maybe he's the most like Chris Coleman of any of the former players, now manager examples?

Which brings up RSL and Kreis. They have that certain ability to break hearts, in the manner of the Rapids throughout Rapids history. What a natural rivalry! While Kreis is learning, the team will improve, but it requirtes patience.

Chicago: Solid club. Peaked early.. or late, if you count last season. Coaching is solid and lack a few prime-time players and it's only the loss of McBride that will see them fade. Though they might put on a playoff spurt like NY did last year.

Dallas: I only put them in here as an example of the sprint paradigm. With their West opponents fading they are starting to get results but they are far from contenders for anything.

That brings us to the two MLS stretch runners. They're both proving head and shoulders above the rest.

Columbus
-and-
LA

In both cases there was doubt about the ability of management to get them on the fast track, but for very different reasons.

LA: This is a team that thrives on drama. Well, they ARE in LA. But the real story is that Bruce Arena has finally got a chance to build his own team, while making up for poor judgement in player selection. NY, his picking up Reyna to build a team around was a collosal gamble and he lost it. In LA he also picked up a few has-beens {Tony Sanneh} but he isnt putting them in the focus.

Watching the last two Gals games, there is no question that Beckham came back to play. Whether or not he would rather be full time in Europe, he's gonna let it all hang out while he's with the Galaxy.
The 'captaincy' may no longer be an issue. In other industry you dont make a part-timer foreman or shift supervisor and in sport you dont make a loan player captain. And that is essentially what Beckham is.
But, now, it really doesnt matter if he's wearing the band or not, Landon Donovan is the TEAM LEADER. And I submit that the storm about Beckham was more a smog-clearing shower. The results are starting to show and if all else stays on track the MLS Cup final is Crew v Galaxy.

Which brings us to the Crew. There were LOTS of questions when Sigi left on whether they were REALLY that great a team. Fortunately Crew only lost one starting caliber player over the off season. That made evaluation of Bobby Warzycha much easier. Of course the Crew stumbled coming out of the pre-season - right at the bottom next to NYRB- and doubts grew. But the solidity of Sigi's creation, especially in the Lockerroom prevailed and Bobby's strengths as a players' manager got a chance to prove out.

That the Crew look great and get results with GBS out is the REAL ICING on the cake.
But the Crew is near peak right now, save GBS and Frankie being out. And LA is still getting stronger, key being Beckham.

I suggest watching the rest of the MLS season. It's getting very ionteresting and there's some good footy being played.

 

where they don't get humped by European teams.

 

-sigh-
Flashback: MLS Allstar week, 2005. Not only did the AllStars make Fulham look bad, but so did the Crew.
What did it all mean.. esp since the Crew SUCKED.. NOTHING!

 

I'm glad Don said it, I wanted to {witness motherwell}.. it's Damn-spanking TRUE!

SPL SUX and Celts are Cosmos redux! Rangers=Rowdies Or is it v-v?

 

And how about some props to MLS for addressing your FORMER gripe: that they were pretenders to equity.

Go to MLSnet.com and tell me what you see on the home page.

Huh... huh?

 

Well, since you guys want to change the subject, you have little idea what my view of the relative power of the Scottish Premier League and/or Celtic are. But I am a much bigger fan of Celtic than I am of the SPL, except for the Old Firm rivalry.

Rather than you two hypothesizing based on your obviously brilliant knowledge of the Middle School League, let's just wait and see how Celtic manage their tie against last season's Champions League semi-finalist. And how MSL does in the remainder of their international competitions.

There, that's a little closer back to on topic. And we can all keep tabs right here. May the best footy win.

 

Uh.. no. you seem to be confused.

This is MY thread on what to expect from the rest of the MLS season, and why.

It's not YOUR thread on YET something ELSE the MSL is doing wrong.

 

We are talkng about the rest of the season (i.e.; the "home stretch"), right? Or does that not include international competitions?

Exhibit A.

 

Until last week, you meant, of course.

This will be a fun thread to return to, one way or another.

Or,...