youllneverwalkalone Posted March 23, 2007 Share Posted March 23, 2007 John TV, if you're still alive you old bastard, I have a mission for you: find out if Johnny van't Schip applied. His was a name I was hoping would come up. Although I think going with an "American" is definitely the right decision, generally speaking. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Desigol Posted March 23, 2007 Share Posted March 23, 2007 http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Image:Deweytruman12.jpg Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sstackho Posted March 25, 2007 Share Posted March 25, 2007 Geez, just announce Simoes already. The Beautiful Game Sports Simoes fits Canadian criteria Richard Starnes The Ottawa Citizen 1226 words 24 March 2007 Ottawa Citizen Final C6 English Copyright © 2007 Ottawa Citizen Last June, Canadian soccer lost Frank Yallop. He abandoned ship as our men's team coach to guide the Los Angeles Galaxy and -- as it turned out -- David Beckham. Since then, everyone has been led on a mother and father of a dance over who would take over. And nine months of dancing can be extremely tiring. Trouble had been brewing since early last year. Technical director Dick Bate quit, probably over differences with chief operating officer Kevan Pipe. Then Yallop pulled out. Then Pipe was fired. Fast forward to this month and we still have nobody in any of these jobs. Canadian Soccer Association president Colin Linford assures us an exhaustive search has been going on for at least two of the positions. But he continues to dance around who's on either list. Very soon now, the CSA assures me, we will have two answers. The list of candidates for a new chief executive is down to two from a starting field of 140. And the new coach has been selected from a final four but cannot be announced until it is confirmed by the association search committee. That should come after a conference call next Saturday. No definitive answer of whether the new CEO will be revealed at the same time. So here we are, led on a merry jig over the coaching prospects. Linford says there are two Canadians and two foreigners in the running. He won't say who, but it is a safe bet to assume the Canadians are Dale Mitchell and Stephen Hart. One of the outsiders, according to so many rumours it must be true, is Rene Simoes, a 55-year-old Brazilian. The other is anyone's guess. I cannot believe it could be either Canadian. Mitchell is the most successful coach of the national under-20 team. He has good credentials and, if the timing had been better, he would have been a legitimate contender. But Canada hosts the Under-20 World Cup starting in three months from now and it is imperative -- for the good of our game -- that Canada puts on a good show. We are doing a great job of selling tickets across the country with the total well past 500,000 by now. We are guaranteed a huge worldwide cumulative TV audience of more than 600 million. But it would be promoting suicide to pull Mitchell out now and replace him with who-knows-who. So that means the poor man is too successful to be selected. Under-17 coach Stephen Hart has been holding the fort with the men for several months but cannot possibly be considered to have enough senior international experience to take on what Linford considers a pivotal position in Canadian soccer. I agree. Hart should be a non-starter. So does Simoes fit the criteria hinted at by Linford? Weeks ago, Linford told me his most acute focus was on getting our team to the World Cup in South Africa. That means picking up one of the three CONCACAF spots. He also was realistic enough to admit we would be very hardpressed to beat either the United States or Mexico. That means being better than all of the Caribbean teams and he is convinced that is an attainable goal with the right coach. So there's criterion No. 1. Right coach means someone with CONCACAF knowledge and top-flight international experience. Linford also believes that the idea of a European coach is old-fashioned because Canada's population is more diversified than that today. ''There's certainly a lot from South America which brings another sort of dimension to the game,'' is how he puts it. There's criterion No. 2. A South American would fit. He has also touched on salary limitations. He tells me the CSA is not in position to offer huge money and must find the best in its range. That's tricky because many major coaches are international mercenaries these days and command million-dollar salaries wherever they go. Besides, with our world ranking we are not exactly a ripe apple. That's criterion No.3. Using this information, I have to believe Simoes is the main man. He coached the Jamaican Reggae Boyz to the World Cup finals in France in 1998. He did it on a salary in the $200,000 range. He comes from Brazil with an international reputation. He did time with Trinidad and Tobago so he is willing to take on an outsider. Let's assume for a moment the Brazilian is it. What are we getting? The Simoes record: He was a hero in Jamaica. He was a flop with Trinidad and Tobago. He was a hero with the Brazilian women, whom he took to the Olympic final in 2004 -- they lost to the U.S. in extra time after hitting the woodwork twice near the end of regulation time. He was a disappointment with the Iranian under-23s, whom he left last year after they finished third in the Asian Games. The private Simoes: He's a religious man who values family life. Part of the reason he quit Iran was because that country's soccer federation was a mess. The other part was that his daughter was sick and he wanted to spend more time in the bosom of his family at home in Brazil. I understand his daughter is now better. He is a devout Christian and not afraid to trumpet it. He had "Jesus Saves" printed on the back of his official Jamaican shirt. Simoes the personality: Rick Figueiredo, tactical analyst under Simoes in Jamaica, loved his humour. When he asked how the coach would prepare for the Brazilians if he were to play them in two weeks, he was told: "For the first week I pray." Simoes the motivator: How did he prepare his Brazilian women to play the U.S. in the Olympic final? He brought in Brazilian Paulinho Villas-Boas -- part of the team that stunned the Americans in the 1987 Pan Am Games -- to tell his players that sometimes the underdog does win. The Simoes style: He's Brazilian so a little flamboyance and emphasis on attack run in his blood. The story goes when he first arrived in Jamaica he said his new players were like seals with balls, going round in circles. But that didn't stop him encouraging them to romance the ball as if it were their girlfriend. Simoes the talker: He will not be afraid to speak his mind. When a reporter asked him who was Jamaica's best player, he answered: "The best player on my team is called discipline." The man does not believe a team can win without it. From those I have consulted, I have to believe Simoes would be among the best we can afford. Maybe he can bring a few of those dazzling Brazilian dance steps with him. Richard Starnes' Beautiful Game column appears Saturdays. Send comments and suggestions to: rstarnes@thecitizen.canwest.com or: sportsletters@thecitizen.canwest.com . Find his blog at ottawacitizen.com . Photo: Bill Keay, The Vancouver Sun / It's believed that Brazilian Rene Simoes is one of the candidates for coach of the Canadian men's soccer team. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Daniel Posted March 25, 2007 Share Posted March 25, 2007 The 4th candidate is really the wildcard, IMO. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
KAS Posted March 25, 2007 Share Posted March 25, 2007 quote:Originally posted by Daniel The 4th candidate is really the wildcard, IMO. Well, it is a foreigner with international - particularly CONCACAF - experience. Rumoured to be an American, and obviously willing to take less money than his resume might normally command. I have no evidence, and it is a longshot, but a logical guess might be Bob Gansler. He is now TFC's assistant coach, so he is already familiar with some Canadian and other CONCACAF players and he is already in Canada and drawing a paycheck here so financially/logistically he is good. His time as the US MNT Coach at WC 1990 matches Simoes' 98WC/with Jamaica reasonably well, with his club experience giving him further knowledge of CONCACAF players. I have no idea if he applied, and if the talk last summer about the CSA not letting Yallop coach TFC while remaining MNT Coach are true, then the CSA don't want Gansler. But given the low pay and likely lack of options, I'm sure the CSA would grant him an interview and some consideration. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ryan Keay Posted March 25, 2007 Share Posted March 25, 2007 quote:Originally posted by KAS Well, it is a foreigner with international - particularly CONCACAF - experience. Rumoured to be an American, and obviously willing to take less money than his resume might normally command. I have no evidence, and it is a longshot, but a logical guess might be Bob Gansler. He is now TFC's assistant coach, so he is already familiar with some Canadian and other CONCACAF players and he is already in Canada and drawing a paycheck here so financially/logistically he is good. His time as the US MNT Coach at WC 1990 matches Simoes' 98WC/with Jamaica reasonably well, with his club experience giving him further knowledge of CONCACAF players. I have no idea if he applied, and if the talk last summer about the CSA not letting Yallop coach TFC while remaining MNT Coach are true, then the CSA don't want Gansler. But given the low pay and likely lack of options, I'm sure the CSA would grant him an interview and some consideration. If it is an American, I'd have to think it'd be Steve Sampson. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RS Posted March 25, 2007 Share Posted March 25, 2007 quote:Originally posted by Ryan Keay If it is an American, I'd have to think it'd be Steve Sampson. Oh good God, no! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Ref Posted March 26, 2007 Share Posted March 26, 2007 I think we are at a point where credentials and experience become secondary and what really count is how the committee liked each one as a person. What I found disgusting was Lenarduzi putting plugs for his buddies over an international link. How dare you piece of pooh! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Daniel Posted March 26, 2007 Share Posted March 26, 2007 The Duzzosaur. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Captain Spaulding Posted March 26, 2007 Share Posted March 26, 2007 I think by the end of the month they'll be able to get McClaren cheap. Maybe that's the holdup. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
wildguy27 Posted March 26, 2007 Share Posted March 26, 2007 Is there any possability whatsoever that the reason determining the new MNT coach is seemingly being dragged out is they are waiting for the U-20 World Cup to finish, as they do not want to take Mitchell away from his duties there, yet have already decided he is the man for the job and will fill that once the U-20 World Cup ends? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Ref Posted March 26, 2007 Share Posted March 26, 2007 Or maybe he is not the man and the CSA doesn't want to give him the bad news until after the U20 WC so the guy keeps doing his best. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Ref Posted March 26, 2007 Share Posted March 26, 2007 Or maybe he is not the man and the CSA doesn't want to give him the bad news until after the U20 WC so the guy keeps doing his best. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
wildguy27 Posted March 26, 2007 Share Posted March 26, 2007 quote:Originally posted by The Ref Or maybe he is not the man and the CSA doesn't want to give him the bad news until after the U20 WC so the guy keeps doing his best. That perhaps too. Allowing him to perhaps feel extra incentive to do as a great a job as possible with the U-20 team leading into and of course at the U-20 World Cup may be something they dont want to prevent. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
wildguy27 Posted March 26, 2007 Share Posted March 26, 2007 quote:Originally posted by The Ref Or maybe he is not the man and the CSA doesn't want to give him the bad news until after the U20 WC so the guy keeps doing his best. That perhaps too. Allowing him to perhaps feel extra incentive to do as a great a job as possible with the U-20 team leading into and of course at the U-20 World Cup may be something they dont want to prevent. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Canuck Oranje Posted March 26, 2007 Share Posted March 26, 2007 Some of the comments attributed to Linford in the Starnes article suggests that he had his eye on a Coach from South America. Add to that, the widely cited comments that CONCACAF experience was a key criteria. That limits the number of possible options substantially. Two come to mind for me and that is Simoes and Lavolpe. I suspect Lavolpe is too expensive and I don't know if he speaks English. That leaves Simoes. I agree if the fourth was an American, I agree that it might be Steve Sampson. I also agree that he would be a mistake. I don't see Gansler as the fourth although it could be. I agree, as does Starnes, that Mitchell is the only viable Canadian candidate. However, if the CSA is serious about making a fresh start in a new direction, I would have a hard time seeing the selection of Mitchell as anything different from what was done in the past. Maintaining the status quo when you have a triple digit ranking seems a little naive. Having said all that, I expect that there may still be some CSA Board politics that needs to be overcome. I guess we will soon find out how much power Linford has on the Board. As mentioned somewhere, there is a faction that feels the Coach should be Canadian. It is my view that the Coach needs to be the best that we can afford, whoever that is. I also agree with Linford that the new Coach also needs to signal that the CSA is serious about success and qualifying for the 2010 WC. I do like the idea of Simoes as Coach. Not mentioned often is that Simoes also took the 1989 Brazil U-20 team to the Semi-Finals of the World U-20 Tournament where they lost to the eventual winner, Portugal. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bettermirror Posted March 26, 2007 Share Posted March 26, 2007 I mentioned to an "insider" that apparently Simoes is rumoured to get the job. This man was surprised and said he had heard it was "a German fellow - Beenhakker" (sic)...Apparently some Canadian Old Boys expect Mitchell to get it. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Canuck Oranje Posted March 26, 2007 Share Posted March 26, 2007 Beenhakker is Dutch and unless, he lost his job recently is the Polish National Team Coach. Don't see it. Again, I think Linford has exposed his preference by what he has leaked to the press in his comments. And the comment "Old Boys" explains exactly why Mitchell's appointment would signal that we are happy with the status quo even given our current ranking. In many respects, getting branded as the status quo candidate would be unfair to Mitchell but I don't see how it can be avoided. quote:Originally posted by bettermirror I mentioned to an "insider" that apparently Simoes is rumoured to get the job. This man was surprised and said he had heard it was "a German fellow - Beenhakker" (sic)...Apparently some Canadian Old Boys expect Mitchell to get it. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
youllneverwalkalone Posted March 26, 2007 Share Posted March 26, 2007 Not that we should bother to sort out the difference between Dutch and German- *again*. Ungrateful lot, trying to steal De Guzman from us. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
youllneverwalkalone Posted March 26, 2007 Share Posted March 26, 2007 Does anybody else remember the soccer central where that German guy managing Kaizer Chiefs seemingly through his hat in the ring? Maybe that's the German guy and our fourth candidate. His name escapes me. Middendorp perhaps? Edit: I note he's returned to the Bundesliga, so I guess not... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Ref Posted March 26, 2007 Share Posted March 26, 2007 quote:Originally posted by Sigma Isn't Beenhakker the current Polish coach? Our first opponent Chile, just beat Poland 2-0 in Korea. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Grizzly Posted March 26, 2007 Author Share Posted March 26, 2007 quote:Originally posted by The Ref Our first opponent Chile, just beat Poland 2-0 in Korea. What does a loss in an U-20 friendly have to do with Beenhakker? Poland is doing quite well under Beenhakker and currently lead their fairly tough Euro group having beaten Portugal and Belgium among others so far in qualifying. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Can. in UK Posted March 26, 2007 Share Posted March 26, 2007 For what it's worth, Beenhakker was in the running for the Australia job (according to Sky Sports) - so perhaps he is available. http://home.skysports.com/list.aspx?hlid=453491&CPID=219&clid=575&lid=19&title=Klinsmann+set+for+Roos+job Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Grizzly Posted March 26, 2007 Author Share Posted March 26, 2007 I think the CSA needs to both send a message and be bold and take a risk with the selection of the new coach. I like Mitchell a lot as a coach but think that choosing him at the moment would send the wrong signal to the players, fans and the soccer community in Canada. We need to pick someone who is going to show that we are serious in qualifying for the World Cup and someone who can bring something different to Canadian soccer not just the same old. As Canada diversifies we are also starting to produce players with more technical ability and flair than the traditionally stodgy English way that we usually play and we need someone who can help develop this potential. I think that given the budget restraints, Simoes would be a good choice. He is not without risk but you have to take some risks if you want to attain the highest level. Mitchell will probably be national team coach at some point but I would like to see him get a bit more experience preferably at a club level. It would be good if he would apply for the next openings as MLS head coach. I like several others hope the other candidate is not Sampson. He would be an even worse choice than Hart. Why hire someone we already know is a bad coach. At least Hart might learn on the job and eventually become a good coach. Neither Hart nor Sampson should be among the finalists in the search for this position. Gansler I could imagine as one of the final candidates though I couldn't imagine him winning the job. I do like this and other articles by Starnes. He seems to know his stuff about Canadian soccer, has some insider info and is also not afraid to tell it like it is even if he ruffles some feathers (Yallop abandoned ship, Hart should be a non-starter). Finally we have another journalist in addition to Davidson who we can add to the list of good Canadian soccer reporters. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Jeffery S. Posted March 26, 2007 Share Posted March 26, 2007 quote:Originally posted by Grizzly I do like this and other articles by Starnes. He seems to know his stuff about Canadian soccer, has some insider info and is also not afraid to tell it like it is even if he ruffles some feathers (Yallop abandoned ship, Hart should be a non-starter). Finally we have another journalist in addition to Davidson who we can add to the list of good Canadian soccer reporters. Agreed about this writer, who I did not know, very solid stuff, sure of himself too. Think I am going to write him to say so. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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