What would you do if you were Yallop? [R]

[ted]

quote:Originally posted by Marc

Forget WC2006, let's get the foundations as solid as possible. I'd be up for hiring a tech director alongside Yallop if need be.

Let's not waste Yallop on a short-term 'get us into the World Cup with the players we have now' mindset.

Uhm , sorry but we did that with Holger. He was supposed to build the system blah, blah, and he did a decent job of that. Sure, bring in a new technical director to take care of that side but I am not interested in any coach being hired for any other goal but to qualify for Germany 2006. Development, pro leagues, whatever all come from supporting the goal of playing at the next World Cup.

"Forget WC2006" is the last thing we should do. We have a legitmate shot at making it and making excuses or rationalisations before qualifying has even begun is not the way I want to support our players and our new coach.

[Marc]

quote:Uhm , sorry but we did that with Holger. He was supposed to build the system blah, blah, and he did a decent job of that.

And you think that job is complete? Abandoning this now would simply be the biggest waste of Holger that we could possibly make. We need someone to build on this and oversee it to its completion.

quote: I am not interested in any coach being hired for any other goal but to qualify for Germany 2006. Development, pro leagues, whatever all come from supporting the goal of playing at the next World Cup.

The problem is that what fans want and what Canada needs are easily two different things.

Development, pro leagues and whatever all come from the point of getting us to the World Cup in the future, not the next one. We don't have much of these going on, and haven't had for some time. That's a good indication of why we haven't been at the World Cup yet, and probably won't until we do.

To expect making the World Cup to NOT be a culmination of that process would mean that our qualification was more on the side of a fluke.

quote: "Forget WC2006" is the last thing we should do. We have a legitmate shot at making it and making excuses or rationalisations before qualifying has even begun is not the way I want to support our players and our new coach.

Well, I will differ with you on the "legitimate shot" (I'll go for "outside chance of getting that 4th spot and losing to Australia in the playoff") yet sometimes the 'excuses' and 'rationalizations' are the best way of supporting a team - when they are truly realistic, resourceful, and forward thinking.

When I said "forget 2006" I meant forget it as the primary goal of the next hired coach. By all means, lets give qualifying its due and our best, but lets not make this the focus of our next manager.

Sure it may not be much fun for a fan to know you're out of it at the start. I'm not necessarily sayign that we are. I'm saying lets go for growth - fun is always more enjoyable when its prolonged/sustained rather than a quick immediate fix.

Let's go for growth AND our best shot at qualifying, and not just a manager who probably only fills one half of the equation.

[Guest Jeffery S.]

Good posts Marc.

I was all for Yallop in September, now I've changed. I certainly prefer him to anyone currently plying away for the CSA. He has done a lot with a lot of injury and other probs this year. He also seems to have good human relations, a plus with our national side.

But the Quakes have been essentially a team able to score goals, a team that outscores the opponent. And Canada cannot really be that, we need to get back to being a defensive power. At least until we have three guys like Radzinski and one of them an even better finisher. Can Yallop handle a team with less scoring power and remake it as a tough, hard to score on squad with the odd goal coming in its favour, so as to force the opponent to open up and hit again if you're lucky?

The problem is you could hire Yallop, and the dream that he is going to take us to Germany 06 could be dead within the year. A lot of pressure on him for about 11 months.

Maybe, what the hell, it is time to try for a South American, at least with decent English, an Argentine, just for the fun of it. Or someone from the ex-Yugoslavia, hard-minded, good tactical sense, rigorous.

[SeanKeay]

Personally, i think Frank should not take the job... He should hand it over to Ziggy, his total soccer views are just super and his is to good to not hire!

[Gordon]

Wow, interesting debate. Two months ago a no brainer and now some cold feet. Well, I have a few tidbits I'd like add that might show something of the character of Yallops coaching. First, as to the scoring bit, I have to disagree. San Jose was 4th in a 10 team league in scoring. One goal ahead of the 5th place team. They had 18 games this season in which they score 1 or fewer goals (and still managed to go 4w8t6l). And they had 10 1 goal wins as well. Take away 4 or 5 games in which they scored 3 or more, and you have a team that struggled to score all season. What they did do, however, was lead the league in fewest goals allowed and tied for the League lead in goal difference. This was a team that played, and won, a lot of tight games, not to mention finding the fortitude to come back when down 4-nil on agregate in the playoffs. And here is another one: San Jose, despite finishing 2nd overall, was a mere 6th overall in their home record. But they led the League in road wins and points by a long way. In fact, they earned more points on the road than at home. How many teams do that? And finally, for this post anyway, San Jose, over three years with Yallop at the helm, has never lost a game they led at the half.

This sums up to a coach who puts disciplined, character teams out on the field. Something we need in with Canada in my opinion. That he can manage people, and seems able to earn the gushing praise of his players only enhances his stature. Hey, he may only have a few years of experience, but he is also, clearly, a rising star and someone I think we should hitch our wagon to. If he'll have us.

[The Beaver]

quote:Originally posted by Gordon

Wow, interesting debate. Two months ago a no brainer and now some cold feet. Well, I have a few tidbits I'd like add that might show something of the character of Yallops coaching. First, as to the scoring bit, I have to disagree. San Jose was 4th in a 10 team league in scoring. One goal ahead of the 5th place team. They had 18 games this season in which they score 1 or fewer goals (and still managed to go 4w8t6l). And they had 10 1 goal wins as well. Take away 4 or 5 games in which they scored 3 or more, and you have a team that struggled to score all season. What they did do, however, was lead the league in fewest goals allowed and tied for the League lead in goal difference. This was a team that played, and won, a lot of tight games, not to mention finding the fortitude to come back when down 4-nil on agregate in the playoffs. And here is another one: San Jose, despite finishing 2nd overall, was a mere 6th overall in their home record. But they led the League in road wins and points by a long way. In fact, they earned more points on the road than at home. How many teams do that? And finally, for this post anyway, San Jose, over three years with Yallop at the helm, has never lost a game they led at the half.

This sums up to a coach who puts disciplined, character teams out on the field. Something we need in with Canada in my opinion. That he can manage people, and seems able to earn the gushing praise of his players only enhances his stature. Hey, he may only have a few years of experience, but he is also, clearly, a rising star and someone I think we should hitch our wagon to. If he'll have us.

Great post and good notes. I am all for Yallop, though I can't help but think I'd love to have Holger as head of player development, too. The problem with Holger was his player-management--I wish he was still helping the CSA develop excellent youth soccer programs and finding ways to assist the A-league teams develop their young players.

[Canuck Oranje]

Not much I can add. Player development system is important, especially from age 14 up.

I would be in favour of splitting the job between two people, Coach and Technical Director; but, I don't expect that to happen.

Bottomline, I hope the CSA hires the best Coach available, given the budget. I also hope that means that the best players available get selected to play based on merit. There is a lot of suspicion about the player selection process so a respected Coach with no biases would be preferred.

[Canuck Oranje]

Not much I can add. Player development system is important, especially from age 14 up.

I would be in favour of splitting the job between two people, Coach and Technical Director; but, I don't expect that to happen.

Bottomline, I hope the CSA hires the best Coach available, given the budget. I also hope that means that the best players available get selected to play based on merit. There is a lot of suspicion about the player selection process so a respected Coach with no biases would be preferred.

[Mimglow]

quote:Originally posted by Marc

And you think that job is complete? Abandoning this now would simply be the biggest waste of Holger that we could possibly make. We need someone to build on this and oversee it to its completion.[/

The problem is that what fans want and what Canada needs are easily two different things.

Development, pro leagues and whatever all come from the point of getting us to the World Cup in the future, not the next one. We don't have much of these going on, and haven't had for some time. That's a good indication of why we haven't been at the World Cup yet, and probably won't until we do.

To expect making the World Cup to NOT be a culmination of that process would mean that our qualification was more on the side of a fluke.

Well, I will differ with you on the "legitimate shot" (I'll go for "outside chance of getting that 4th spot and losing to Australia in the playoff") yet sometimes the 'excuses' and 'rationalizations' are the best way of supporting a team - when they are truly realistic, resourceful, and forward thinking.

When I said "forget 2006" I meant forget it as the primary goal of the next hired coach. By all means, lets give qualifying its due and our best, but lets not make this the focus of our next manager.

Sure it may not be much fun for a fan to know you're out of it at the start. I'm not necessarily sayign that we are. I'm saying lets go for growth - fun is always more enjoyable when its prolonged/sustained rather than a quick immediate fix.

Let's go for growth AND our best shot at qualifying, and not just a manager who probably only fills one half of the equation.

Seems to me like there's always people willing to forsake the short-term for the rose-colored-glasses of the long-term.

It's always "Forget the Gold Cup, qualifying for World Cup is what's important", and now all we're hearing is "Forget the World Cup, let's go for World Cup 2010.

Why is it so hard for these type of thinkers to believe that we can do both at once?

Hire Yallop to manage the MNT and a technical director for the long-term. Heck, why not even bring Holger back as Technical director. He seemed to be on the right track!

And suggesting that if we qualify for 2006 without having a develpment system in place would be a fluke is complete bullocks. If we qualify, it will be on the merit of the quality of player we do have and not under-achieving for once.

[Alberto]

I find it quite amazing that this forum relys on circumstances that none of us may know! But I think we need to step back and ask ourselves Why HoLger Quit. I think than you my find your answer to who the coach may be, If it money I'm sure its Miller time, if its vision than it Yallop time! But I doubt very much any quick fix is going to qualify Canada in 2006, unless of a miracle and that is if the venue changes to Canada wqhich we know that wont happen!

Personallly Canada must look beyond this and start to wake up and smell the roses. It was not till the US hosted a world cup that they realized how much money is in this sport and it could generate. I believe that unless Canada put up the Doe we never will be contenders in WC. I say Hire the Best there is forget about the yallops and miller time, I say go beyond that, to the top and look for one that has WC experiences and let him run the show! It will pay off not only on the short term but as well as long term two fold. There are over 30 coaches right now that have higher qualfications then both of these mentioned but i believe that must be other factors that we may not be aware of besides money, this is why we must ask WHY </u>did HOlger QUit!

CAN ANyone Tell me! But I think it was simple they did not see it eye to eye and Canada was not prepared to adopted these changes that my gut feeling. Tell me I am wrong i sure would like to know if anyone knows WHY other then this!

[Gordon]

quote:Originally posted by Alberto

I find it quite amazing that this forum relys on circumstances that none of us may know! But I think we need to step back and ask ourselves Why HoLger Quit. I think than you my find your answer to who the coach may be, If it money I'm sure its Miller time, if its vision than it Yallop time! But I doubt very much any quick fix is going to qualify Canada in 2006, unless of a miracle and that is if the venue changes to Canada wqhich we know that wont happen!

Personallly Canada must look beyond this and start to wake up and smell the roses. It was not till the US hosted a world cup that they realized how much money is in this sport and it could generate. I believe that unless Canada put up the Doe we never will be contenders in WC. I say Hire the Best there is forget about the yallops and miller time, I say go beyond that, to the top and look for one that has WC experiences and let him run the show! It will pay off not only on the short term but as well as long term two fold. There are over 30 coaches right now that have higher qualfications then both of these mentioned but i believe that must be other factors that we may not be aware of besides money, this is why we must ask WHY </u>did HOlger QUit!

CAN ANyone Tell me! But I think it was simple they did not see it eye to eye and Canada was not prepared to adopted these changes that my gut feeling. Tell me I am wrong i sure would like to know if anyone knows WHY other then this!

Seriously, those of you who are denying the 2006 possibilities need to take a hard look at the rosters of the other top CONCACAF Nations. We are not in COMNEBOL or UEFA.

[Mimglow]

quote:Originally posted by Alberto

I say Hire the Best there is forget about the yallops and miller time, I say go beyond that, to the top and look for one that has WC experiences and let him run the show!

Must have World Cup experience. Hmmmmm. I wonder what the coach of that Zaire team in the 70's is doing these days. Yes, the one with the comb-over. []

[The Ref]

I am reprinting here what Tony Waiters said when he was asked his opinion on the men's game given his past history with the National Team.

Reprinted from the Newsoccer Magazine of the National Soccer Coaches Assoc. of Canada. part of the article "Goalkeeping" reporting on the November 1st weekend at the Vaughan Soccer Center.

Answer:

Tony indicated that the new coach was going to have a tough time of it until the player pool was expanded locally. He pointed out that a player such as Radzinski at Everton to have to travel back and forth 18 times a year and jeopardize his living at Everton would be perpetual problem with any of the high level players. No one wants to leave practice, leave their team, give someone else a chance to take over their position on their professional team despite the pull of the National Team.

He pointe out his long-standing, well-emphasized stand that we should have a high-level national league in Canada. Whether or not that consists of 8 A-League teams, he would still like to see the revival of the CSL. Opportunities have to be present in Canada for the players to play at their highest level. He did not feel that a single MLS team in Canada would serve that purpose.