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Goal.commentary: MLS Hot Seat Report
Life in MLS wouldn't be the same without speculation over some coaches' futures. For these four in particular, better results are required to alleviate some of their concerns.
Jun 16, 2009 4:16:04 PM
By Seth Vertelney
Spring has given way to summer and in MLS, that means it's high time for speculation over some coaches' jobs to run rampant.
As some underachieving teams start to show that their slow starts
weren't aberrations, calls for some coaches heads will grow louder and louder as the weeks go by. The fairness and effectiveness of sacking coaches mid-season can be debated, but there's still a chance some heads will roll before the season's up. At the very least, there will be a changing of the guard in some MLS cities before the 2010 season gets underway. Here's a look at four coaches who might need to buy season tickets to see their clubs in action next year, ranked, naturally, by how hot their respective seats are:
Still chilled...for now:
Denis Hamlett, Chicago Fire
Hamlett's not in any real trouble yet, but if he can't find a way to
curtail his squad's maddening inconsistency, tensions will rise in a
hurry. The Fire currently reside in second place in the Eastern
Conference, a position which belies just how frustrating 2009 has
been.
After snatching draws from the jaws of victory countless times to start the season, the club finally put together a three game
winning streak, only to back that up with their current three-game
losing streak. Their puzzling inability to win at home has become a
staple of Hamlett's now year-and-a-half in charge- just one home win in six matches this season to bring his total mark to 8-7-6. All in all, Hamlett's tenure hasn't been a total disaster by any means, but
one really has to wonder if a side with this much talent shouldn't be
rolling over the league, rather than struggling to establish itself
amongst its elite sides.
Following a fairly indifferent 2008 (13-10-7), it really is time the Fire started playing like the elite team most believe it should be. If not, Hamlett might eventually have to fall on the sword in Chicago.
Lukewarm:
Chris Cummins, Toronto FC
The life of an interim coach is precarious and fascinating- success
could mean a permanent promotion, but unconvincing results will usher in a new regime and probably, a pink slip. It truly is the proverbial sink-or-swim situation.
So far, Cummins is veering dangerously towards the former, posting a 2-3-2 record in league play. His side also stands on the brink of elimination from the Nutrilite Canadian Championship, which would preclude them from the CONCACAF Champions League this season.
Despite the fact Cummins has only been in charge six weeks, patience is razor-thin north of the border, and his interim status means his job security is minimal compared to that of a full-fledged head coach. This was supposed to be the year TFC finally made their mark on the league, with native son Dwayne De Rosario front-and-center in a lineup of new acquisitions.
Currently though, the Reds sit fifth out of seven teams in the East, with only New York and a New England side who've played two fewer matches below them. The schedule gods smiled on Cummins just as the pressure started to mount though- TFC gets two straight home matches against the Red Bulls, the first of which was a 2-1 win on Saturday.
Heating up:
Frank Yallop, San Jose
Yallop deservedly developed a reputation as one of the finest coaches in North America after leading the Earthquakes (now the Dynamo) to MLS Cups in two of his first three seasons as a head coach (2001 and 2003). In 2004, Yallop resigned to take over Canada's national team.
After three years in charge, he left to return to MLS, adding his name to the long list of managers who've failed to lead our neighbors to the north to any real soccer success. In June 2006, he took over the L.A. Galaxy and in just under two seasons, the last of which was highlighted by the David Beckham circus coming to town, he posted an uninspiring 18-21-12 mark, missing the playoffs in both the 2006 and 2007 seasons. Yallop returned to San Jose in 2008 to coach the expansion Earthquakes, who struggled in their inaugural season to the tune of a league-worst 33 points.
For Yallop, year two has brought about two adverse developments: First, in Seattle, Sigi Schmid has cast aside any doubt that an expansion team could have immediate success. Second, and more critically, his Earthquakes side seems to have regressed, as new signings like Bobby Convey and the now-traded Cam Weaver have struggled to make an impact.
After an ugly offseason contract squabble, influential midfielder Ronnie O'Brien departed, and it seems Yallop's club haven't figured out how to fill his void yet.
Once again, the 'Quakes find themselves propping up the league and
quite possibly, if they continue down the road they are on, a new
coach will be filling Yallop's void come 2010.
Hades in August:
Juan Carlos Osorio, New York Red Bulls
When a team is floundering as badly as the Red Bulls are now, there
are always both tangible and intangible reasons used to explain the
futility. Tangibly, the Red Bulls have gone a league-record 20 road
matches without a win, including an 0-7-1 mark this season. They are dead last in the league in goals scored, goal differential and points.
Intangibly, Osorio's constant lineup tinkering seems more the move of a desperate coach throwing starting elevens against a wall than an
expert tactician at work. More importantly, it seems like Osorio has
lost his troops, perhaps best demonstrated two weekends ago when the Red Bulls ostensibly mailed it in during the second half of their 4-0 loss at New England. They at least put in a better effort in last
weekend's loss at Toronto, but a loss it still was.
The club's Cinderella run to the MLS Cup final last season was a great story, but in evaluating Osorio, the club's undistinguished regular season should take precedence over three positive results in the playoffs. It now seems a matter of when, and not if, he will get the axe. Watch for him on the sideline this coming weekend, constantly jotting down notes as he is wont to do. This time though, he might just be updating his résumé.
Seth Vertelney is a regular contributor to Goal.com
For more on Major League Soccer, visit Goal.com's MLS page!
Spring has given way to summer and in MLS, that means it's high time for speculation over some coaches' jobs to run rampant.
As some underachieving teams start to show that their slow starts
weren't aberrations, calls for some coaches heads will grow louder and louder as the weeks go by. The fairness and effectiveness of sacking coaches mid-season can be debated, but there's still a chance some heads will roll before the season's up. At the very least, there will be a changing of the guard in some MLS cities before the 2010 season gets underway. Here's a look at four coaches who might need to buy season tickets to see their clubs in action next year, ranked, naturally, by how hot their respective seats are:
Still chilled...for now:
Denis Hamlett, Chicago Fire
Hamlett's not in any real trouble yet, but if he can't find a way to
curtail his squad's maddening inconsistency, tensions will rise in a
hurry. The Fire currently reside in second place in the Eastern
Conference, a position which belies just how frustrating 2009 has
been.
After snatching draws from the jaws of victory countless times to start the season, the club finally put together a three game
winning streak, only to back that up with their current three-game
losing streak. Their puzzling inability to win at home has become a
staple of Hamlett's now year-and-a-half in charge- just one home win in six matches this season to bring his total mark to 8-7-6. All in all, Hamlett's tenure hasn't been a total disaster by any means, but
one really has to wonder if a side with this much talent shouldn't be
rolling over the league, rather than struggling to establish itself
amongst its elite sides.
Following a fairly indifferent 2008 (13-10-7), it really is time the Fire started playing like the elite team most believe it should be. If not, Hamlett might eventually have to fall on the sword in Chicago.
Lukewarm:
Chris Cummins, Toronto FC
The life of an interim coach is precarious and fascinating- success
could mean a permanent promotion, but unconvincing results will usher in a new regime and probably, a pink slip. It truly is the proverbial sink-or-swim situation.
So far, Cummins is veering dangerously towards the former, posting a 2-3-2 record in league play. His side also stands on the brink of elimination from the Nutrilite Canadian Championship, which would preclude them from the CONCACAF Champions League this season.
Despite the fact Cummins has only been in charge six weeks, patience is razor-thin north of the border, and his interim status means his job security is minimal compared to that of a full-fledged head coach. This was supposed to be the year TFC finally made their mark on the league, with native son Dwayne De Rosario front-and-center in a lineup of new acquisitions.
Currently though, the Reds sit fifth out of seven teams in the East, with only New York and a New England side who've played two fewer matches below them. The schedule gods smiled on Cummins just as the pressure started to mount though- TFC gets two straight home matches against the Red Bulls, the first of which was a 2-1 win on Saturday.
Heating up:
Frank Yallop, San Jose
Yallop deservedly developed a reputation as one of the finest coaches in North America after leading the Earthquakes (now the Dynamo) to MLS Cups in two of his first three seasons as a head coach (2001 and 2003). In 2004, Yallop resigned to take over Canada's national team.
After three years in charge, he left to return to MLS, adding his name to the long list of managers who've failed to lead our neighbors to the north to any real soccer success. In June 2006, he took over the L.A. Galaxy and in just under two seasons, the last of which was highlighted by the David Beckham circus coming to town, he posted an uninspiring 18-21-12 mark, missing the playoffs in both the 2006 and 2007 seasons. Yallop returned to San Jose in 2008 to coach the expansion Earthquakes, who struggled in their inaugural season to the tune of a league-worst 33 points.
For Yallop, year two has brought about two adverse developments: First, in Seattle, Sigi Schmid has cast aside any doubt that an expansion team could have immediate success. Second, and more critically, his Earthquakes side seems to have regressed, as new signings like Bobby Convey and the now-traded Cam Weaver have struggled to make an impact.
After an ugly offseason contract squabble, influential midfielder Ronnie O'Brien departed, and it seems Yallop's club haven't figured out how to fill his void yet.
Once again, the 'Quakes find themselves propping up the league and
quite possibly, if they continue down the road they are on, a new
coach will be filling Yallop's void come 2010.
Hades in August:
Juan Carlos Osorio, New York Red Bulls
When a team is floundering as badly as the Red Bulls are now, there
are always both tangible and intangible reasons used to explain the
futility. Tangibly, the Red Bulls have gone a league-record 20 road
matches without a win, including an 0-7-1 mark this season. They are dead last in the league in goals scored, goal differential and points.
Intangibly, Osorio's constant lineup tinkering seems more the move of a desperate coach throwing starting elevens against a wall than an
expert tactician at work. More importantly, it seems like Osorio has
lost his troops, perhaps best demonstrated two weekends ago when the Red Bulls ostensibly mailed it in during the second half of their 4-0 loss at New England. They at least put in a better effort in last
weekend's loss at Toronto, but a loss it still was.
The club's Cinderella run to the MLS Cup final last season was a great story, but in evaluating Osorio, the club's undistinguished regular season should take precedence over three positive results in the playoffs. It now seems a matter of when, and not if, he will get the axe. Watch for him on the sideline this coming weekend, constantly jotting down notes as he is wont to do. This time though, he might just be updating his résumé.
Seth Vertelney is a regular contributor to Goal.com
For more on Major League Soccer, visit Goal.com's MLS page!
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