New World Cup Men's Coach?

[patdymond]

I see that the coach from Australia has now moved onto coach Russia. Does anyone on this site have any ideas or heard any rumours on who our new head coach maybe. I know that TSN reported some former Dutch head coach as a possibility. Name escapes me...how about Catlif?

[Derosario23]

Not sure but according to Morgan Quarry the announcement will be coming within the next 10 days so get ready. All I hope is that the new head coach has gotten a team to the world cup before like trinidad and tobagos coach

The details around the game are now with our event management people. I

believe they are looking to get tickets on sale very soon.

We hope to have something sorted with our head coach position in the

next 10 days.

Morgan

Morgan Quarry

Manager, Men's National Team

Canadian Soccer Association

237 Metcalfe Street, Ottawa, ON K2P 1R2

Tel: 613-237-4580 ext: 230

Fax: 613-237-1516

www.canadasoccer.com

quote:Originally posted by patdymond

I see that the coach from Australia has now moved onto coach Russia. Does anyone on this site have any ideas or heard any rumours on who our new head coach maybe. I know that TSN reported some former Dutch head coach as a possibility. Name escapes me...how about Catlif?

[Daniel]

That doesn't mean they'll announce it within 10 days...

[Derosario23]

But it will be soon because our next friendly is coming up and at least one training camp must be held

quote:Originally posted by Daniel

That doesn't mean they'll announce it within 10 days...

[Daniel]

quote:Originally posted by Derosario23

But it will be soon because our next friendly is coming up and at least one training camp must be held

See: Ireland and Czech Republic 2003

[Winnipeg Fury]

That's pretty quick, which leads me to believe that DM will get the job.

[G-Man]

I'm hoping for Mo Johnson. He'd be a great leap forward from Franky and he'd fit in perfectly within the CSA/MLSE braintrust. AND more importantly to the CSA, he's scottish, looking for work and is CHEAP.

[sj]

The biggest problem is not the coach

with the system in place we need a magician that completely change 20+ yrs of incompetency by the CSA brass into a miracle.

unless they follow Holger's blue print and act on it

the best coach in the world wont save our team from sinking further.

what we need frist is accountability and responsibility for the lack of vision in the last 20+ yrs.

[Grizzly]

quote:Originally posted by Winnipeg Fury

That's pretty quick, which leads me to believe that DM will get the job.

Except that Dale Mitchell said in an interview a few days ago that he has not been contacted about the job. If he is telling the truth that would seem to rule him out. Could mean Bate (who I am not sure has enough experience to make me comfortable although his resume is stronger than Yallop's) or someone connected to Bate or other high ranking CSA members. If they hire a prominent coach this quickly it might lend credence to speculation that Yallop was pushed out.

[loyola]

quote:Originally posted by sj

The biggest problem is not the coach

with the system in place we need a magician that completely change 20+ yrs of incompetency by the CSA brass into a miracle.

unless they follow Holger's blue print and act on it

the best coach in the world wont save our team from sinking further.

what we need frist is accountability and responsibility for the lack of vision in the last 20+ yrs.

With the improvement of our youth teams and a larger pool of players to choose from I would hope we can build something solid around it for 2010 (at least getting to the Hex) and 2014 (we have to qualify for this one) with a competent coach.

[The Beaver]

Mitchell says he's not been contacted, but this does not mean he himself did not apply for the job or at least voice interest in the job. I'd assume the next time he is contacted by the CSA in this regard, it will be to announce that he either has the job or that it has been given to somebody else. My gut tells me that Mitchell's got the job, but perhaps there is a surprise in the works.

And I'll echo what many of you say: Our real problems are systemic. We need a national soccer program with top level widespread training for coaches, and we need somewhere for more of our young players to go to develop into top-notch players (MLS, domestic league, something), and we need people in power to have real vision, to take smart risks and get things moving in the right direction. [Okay, things are sort of moving in the right direction, but certainly much more can and should be done.]

[Grizzly]

I agree we have systemic problems and if we were producing a quarter of the talent that Brazil is it wouldn't matter who our coach was. However, we had the talent to qualify in the last WCQ and will also have it in the next WCQ. It is Bate's job to fix the systemic problems in producing players. What we need is a competent coach who can get along with most of the players, picks the team honestly without playing his buddies and is willing to demand that the CSA give him the means to prepare properly. What we have had in the 20 years since Waiters is a succession of incompetent coaches and one competent coach whose personality problems limited his effectiveness. In other words we need a coach who can get our current team into the World Cup now regardless of all the excuses of systemic problems.

[An Observer]

If Mitchell has not been contacted, that would rule him out. If they hire him without putting him through a series of interviews, we have bigger problems at the CSA than I thought.

I agree that our issues our systemic and Bates on the technical side is the person that is tasked with developing and implementing a plan over the next 5 to 10 years to produce high quality players who are very skilled and motivated. He seems to have taken (or at least played a part) in improving the skills of England players dramatically so I am hoping he can do that for us.

Nevertheless, the other piece to the puzzle is not a technical one but a structural one. We need places for the players to play and a pyramid structure to allow that. I have said it before and will say it again. The CSA needs to focus on getting more teams in the MLS (hopefully 3 in the next 5 years) AND make sure there are 6 to 8 sides in the USL Division 1 (which currently there are 3 all of which are MLS candidate cities). This to me is developing a business plan where the CSA identifies various cities (Victoria, Edmonton, Calgary, Winnipeg, Ottawa, Hamilton, Quebec and Halifax for a start) and works to identify potential owners in those cities for USL Division 1 sides. They also need to work with the local city/region governments (and local soccer groups) to encourage them to upgrade/build new facilities. Therefore, unlike most other football nations, not only do we need a technical director but we need a structural director who takes care of the professional/business side of the game (which is at least a full-time job for someone) As we do not have a league, the CSA has to do that themselves.

As for the coach, a well known foreign coach (who perhaps could split the duties with Toronto FC job) could organise the talent we have to qualify for 2010 which (along with Toronto FC and perhaps the Whitecaps joining hte MLS in 2010) would raise the profile of the game in Canada tremendously. There are no serious Canadian candidates now that Yallop is out as Mitchel has no serious professional experience and there is simply no one else as we don't have a domestic league. De Santis in Montreal would be the only other candidate but expecting a USL Div 1 coach to step in and make our team competitive against the likes of even Belgium or Scotland is a very tall order as the level he is coming from is so much lower.

[Grizzly]

Interesting point I hadn't thought of. If they are going to introduce a new coach quickly maybe there is something worked out with Toronto MLS to bring in a prominent coach. As an Impact fan the thought of DeSantis graduating to the national team gives me the absolute jitters. Very average USl coach with above average talent to work with. Not the worst coach the Impact could have (I am thankful we have him and not Lilley) but nothing special even at the USL level. A lot of questionable decisions by DeSantis, one of the most obvious being why Hainault was never a starter even though whenever he played he was our best defender with the exception of Braz. Throws his talent judgement skills into question and I could list a number of other poor decisions. Saw part of a practice he was running on tv once and it seemed very amateuristic. I doubt he is a candidate and if he is, as I said with Sampson, if he is chosen I will personally go to Yallop and ask him to return and everyone knows what I think of Yallop.

[harding]

Bert van Marwijk.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bert_van_Marwijk

It makes me sick to think that our National team coach could also be an MLS coach. I could live with a coach coaching in one the top 20 leagues on the planet, having to beat quality teams week in week out and not the likes of Red Bull New York or The Wizards of Kansas City.

If you're going to go MLS, a USL coach (Desantis)isn't that far a stretch and neither would a PDL coach for that matter.

Someone like Bert van Marwijk at Dortmund, would see our Canadian boys in Europe in action and he'd be coaching in one of the top 5 leagues in the World. I think this is very important for Canada to start winning and getting to South Africa. It does start with the coach. (A top South American club coach would also be a good fit)

It would also allow for more camps in Europe during the winter and hopefully with his connections, more games.

Which is what we need the most.

As for Mitchell, he's coached how many games in his coaching career? 20? He needs to coach at high professional level for a few years before you can even seriously consider him for a National team job. This is not to say he's not a good coach.

Experience at the helm is what we need. And-- he better have some experience at winning.

Or we're no father ahead than we were with Yallops. Which wasn't even getting to the Hex.

[redhat]

Okay. So who do you think it'll be? Since I'm taking a break

from work and there's a lull in the WC, here are the suggestions

from this board:

Leading Possible Candidates:

Dale Mitchell (CAN)

John Van't Schip (NED)

Bruce Arena (USA)

Steve Sampson (USA)

Colin Miller (CAN)

Richard Bate (ENG)

Long-shot Possiblilities:

Martin O'Neill

Mo Johnson (SCO)

Craig Brown (SCO)

Bert Van Marwijk (NED)

Craig Forrest (CAN)

Stephen Constantine (ENG)

Erwin Koeman (NED)

J. Troussier (FRA)

V. Luxemborgo (BRA)

Zico (BRA)

Nick DeSantis (CAN)

Bora Milutinovic (SCG)

La Volpe (ARG/MEX)

Terry Venables (UK)

Gordon Strachan (UK)

Howard Wilkinson (UK)

Paulo Autori (BRA)

Your guess is as good as mine. I prefer Van't Schip, but I doubt

it'll happen. Care to offer a guess?

(edited to update list above)

[David C.]

quote:Originally posted by redhat

Okay. So who do you think it'll be? Care to offer a guess?

Wishful thinking:

John Van't Schip (NED)

Leading Possible Candidates:

Someone hand-picked by Richard Bate (but not himself)

Dale Mitchell (CAN)

Colin Miller (CAN)

Not my preference:

Craig Forrest (CAN)

No way -- never:

Bruce Arena (USA)

Steve Sampson (USA)

[BrennanFan]

This is who we need: Paulo Autori- Winner of the Brazilian League and Libertadores Cup, as well as having had success in the Portuguese league. Also has international experience in Conmebol. Wouldnt be that expensive either.

[youllneverwalkalone]

Prime Bate associate:

Howard Wilkinson - Leeds, Wednesday, FA TD, England U21

Together at Leeds and Notts County. Might be a decent caretaker if the ultimate plan is to hire Mitchell. Then again, might be an unlikely case of the student hiring the master.

Unlikely assoicate:

Gordon Strachan - Leeds, Celtic

[Juby]

La Volpe's probably free, he'd probably need a bit of money but he's one of the best and is probably alot more likely to coach canada then anyone outside of north american...or scotland for some odd reason.

[Desigol]

I still say Vennables.

[Chet]

Success at the professional level is only slightly relevant to coaching the Canadian MNT. A club coach is with his players every day. There is lots of time to get to know the player's idiosycracies. Lots of time to teach skills, strategy, formations and set plays.

Most importantly, there is time for the players to become familiar with each other. A club coach has the luxury of allowing the team's style to evolve around the players' individual skills.

A Canadian MNT coach will only see his players three to six times a year, with hopefully a two to four day training camp each time. Our best players may only be available twice a year and will often have to miss the training camps. That's the reality. And I don't think there's anything the CSA can do about it.

That difference is why Yallop quit, and why I think any professional team coach who has never coached a national team is likely to find the job frustrating.

A national team coach has to be someone who will implement a clearly defined system, who will emphasize tactics over individual skill. He will have to command enough respect to get players to follow instructions. He will have be a strict disciplinarian. That may piss off a few players, but with so little time to get to know each other, you simply can't have any player acting unpredictably on the field. You need a system in which, if a regular starter is missing due to injury or yellow/red cards, their replacement can be put on the field without having to adjust the style of play.

Secondly, it has to be someone who is fluent in English (with French a definite asset). A national team coach not only has to be able to communicate cleary with the players, he also has to handle the media. We would not want anyone whose English is any worse than Holger's was. Sadly, that rules out many talented foreign coaches.

Finally, I think whoever the CSA chooses has to be signed to a long-term contract. At least four years - the full World Cup cycle. The debacle caused by Osieck's departure on the eve of the last WCQ can not be repeated. The CSA has to stand by their coach for the full term, no matter what any player, fan or journalist may have to say about it. The coach, likewise, should not be allowed to quit in midstream without some financial penalty.

[Chet]

Two reasons I don't think it will be Mitchell:

1. With Canada hosting the WYC next summer, it is important that the U-20 team do well. Switching coaches at this point would be disruptive to the team's preparation.

2. It would be a bad career move for Mitchell. As coach of the host team, Mitchell will be much more prominent in the media over the next year than he would be if he was coach of the senior team. Also, the chances of success on the field will be better for the U-20s than it will be for the senior men. If the team has even moderate success in the tournament, it will reflect well on Mitchell.

Let's face it, the soccer world takes a bit more interest in the WYC than they do in the Gold Cup or any friendlies the MNT might be involved in over the next couple of years.

Staying with the U-20s, at least for now, would be the smarter career move. Mitchell would be available to take a professional coaching job, if one is offered, sooner than he would if he took the MNT position right away. And a little coaching experience in Europe or even in MLS would enhance his resume if he wanted to pursue the Canadian MNT job in 4-8 years.

[The Beaver]

chet, but what if Mitchell was charged with coaching BOTH teams through till the end of the 2007 WYC, at which point he'd drop the U20s and focus solely on WCQ for 2010?

[The Beaver]

chet, but what if Mitchell was charged with coaching BOTH teams through till the end of the 2007 WYC, at which point he'd drop the U20s and focus solely on WCQ for 2010?