Stinson: Mitchell-Decision on coach due in 2007

[sstackho]

Mitchell awaits word on top job: Decision on national coach due by 2007

Dan Stinson

Vancouver Sun

646 words

11 August 2006

Vancouver Sun

Final

G5

English

Copyright © 2006 Vancouver Sun

Vancouver native Dale Mitchell is a candidate as head coach of Canada's senior national men's soccer team. But the Canadian Soccer Association isn't likely to hire a full-time head coach for the vacant position until late this year or early 2007, says CSA vice-president Victor Montagliani.

The CSA has been without a full-time head coach since Frank Yallop's resignation on June 7, when he accepted an offer to coach the Los Angeles Galaxy of Major League Soccer. Yallop was replaced on an interim basis by national under-17 men's coach Stephen Hart on July 12.

Mitchell has been head coach of Canada's under-20 men's team since 2001, and is expected to remain in the position through the 2007 FIFA under-20 World Cup tournament, scheduled for June 30 to July 22 in six Canadian cities.

Montagliani says the CSA will discuss the hiring of a new senior team head coach at an executive committee meeting during the Labour Day holiday weekend.

"I'd be lying if I said Dale Mitchell isn't a candidate for the job," says Montagliani, a Burnaby native and former president of the B.C. Soccer Association. "But whether he can do both jobs at the same time, I don't know. The schedule is pretty heavy for our under-20 team over the next year. Two jobs are probably too much for one individual to handle. But it's Dale's call. If he feels he can do both jobs, we'd see if something can be worked out."

Mitchell says he's interested in the senior team job, but adds he hasn't discussed it with the CSA.

"Yes, I'm interested," says the 48-year-old Mitchell, whose long association with Canadian soccer includes 55 caps and 19 goals as a forward with the senior national team from 1980 to 1993. "But in my talks with the CSA, I've been asked to concentrate on coaching the [under] 20s. The 2007 tournament is a big priority with the association. Can I handle both jobs at the same time? I really don't know what to say. It depends on what's scheduled in terms of games and the process of preparing the team. It's the CSA's call."

Canada has not qualified for a World Cup since its first, and only, appearance at the 1986 tournament in Mexico. Under Yallop, who was hired by the CSA in December 2003, Canada won a preliminary CONCACAF zone qualifying round against lightweight Belize in early 2004, but failed to progress beyond the semifinal round of zone qualifying for this year's World Cup tournament in Germany.

CONCACAF has 31/2 berths in World Cup tournaments. The United States, Mexico and Costa Rica were the top three zone qualifiers for the Germany World Cup, and Trinidad and Tobago won the zone's final berth in a wild-card playoff with Bahrain.

Bob Lenarduzzi, a former senior national team head coach, says the CSA should hire Mitchell immediately in order to give him adequate preparation time for qualifying games in the 2010 World Cup in South Africa.

"Frank Yallop was hired too late by the CSA," says Lenarduzzi. "He had to start from scratch in putting a team together, and the end result was that Canada failed to win a berth in Germany. The CSA shouldn't repeat that mistake. The nucleus of Canada's team is in place now. Give the job to Dale Mitchell and let him get on with it. If Trinidad and Tobago can qualify for the World Cup, there's no reason why Canada can't."

danstinson@shaw.ca

Photo: Dale Mitchell: Vancouver native focuses on under-20s.

[redhat]

quote:Originally posted by sstackho

"Frank Yallop was hired too late by the CSA," says Lenarduzzi. "He had to start from scratch in putting a team together, and the end result was that Canada failed to win a berth in Germany. The CSA shouldn't repeat that mistake. The nucleus of Canada's team is in place now. Give the job to Dale Mitchell and let him get on with it. If Trinidad and Tobago can qualify for the World Cup, there's no reason why Canada can't."

Hard to argue with Lenarduzzi on that one.

[puskas]

I disagree with Bobby. Let Dale concentrate on the u-20 tournament that will be extremely important for the future of Canadian soccer. Mitchell is still the assistant coach of the national team so I am sure he can do some preperation for the wc 2010 (but not be distracted thanks to Hart). If the CSA is pleased with Dale's coaching in the u-20, then he gets the job of the national team coach. Nice way to motivate Mitchell. If he fails, we still got time to bring in an international coach.

[Regs]

Motivate?

So instead of judging Dale on the past how many years he has done the U20 job, they are going to use 3-4 games next summer as the measuring stick?

Unfortunately, knowing the CSA, you are probably spot on.

[puskas]

Partly but above all they don't want Mitchell being named Canada's coach distract him from the also very important u-20 job. Lets say they named Mitchell the coach tomorrow, but Dale cannot properly prepare due to his u-20 obligation and Canada gets a poor result, the fans will right away get on him. I think having Hart out there for now and having Mitchell learn similar to have happened in England is what the CSA is going for.

[RJB]

I think it's pretty clear to everyone that the CSA is only interested in hiring Dale Mitchell. Why else would they wait?

So, when they fail to provide him with the resources, he'll resign. After that they'll appoint Carl Valentine. He'll be succeeded by Nick Dasovic, who will be succeeded by Paul Dolan.

Did I get all the boys in the club?

[puskas]

How about Catliff? Maybe Colin Miller. Perhaps Forrest or Onstad. Maybe Ivor Evans lol.