Stephen Hart - Report Card/Judgement Day

[Grizzly]

I have had my misgivings about Hart's ability to be an international level coach in the past but there have been some positive signs so I was willing to give him some time. However, the Gold Cup is our last competitive tournament before WCQ and he needs to be judged in this tournament. So far he is failing miserably in my opinion.

The bad coaching decisions in this tournament are numerous. However, the decision to start Borjan against Ecuador and Lars against USA is an enormous amateur level coaching error. How can you not give your starting keeper at least a half in the warm up game to a major tournament especially when the first game is against the best team and you know the keeper is going to need to be sharp? And when we are trailing early and not putting any offensive pressure on the other side whatsoever you still wait to the 60th minute to bring on our best goal scoring threat?

We have seen failures to adjust properly in match, a rigid adherence to a system that does not suit our player's abilities, a lack of understanding of what our player's abilities are, tactical naivete and above all a lack of any passion in the team. The list could go on.

We have the players to match any team in CONCACAF other than Mexico and USA. If people think otherwise it is only because we have never seen our team outside a few individuals play to the maximum of their ability with passion and in a tactical formation that suits them and is effective against the respective opposition. With many of our competitors we are constantly seeing this, for example, in the last WCQ Honduras had a coach who got 100% of what his players were capable of while Mitchell and his successor Hart seem to be getting 60-70% performances. Since Ossieck was fired we have had a string of poor to mediocre coaches. We need to have at least a good to excellent coach to qualify for the World Cup and so far Hart seems at best mediocre. Obviously we can not afford a famous top level coach but I think there are many excellent up and coming coaches who are affordable and could provide us with a much higher level of coaching than we have been getting. Our CONCACAF rivals seem perfectly able to find coaches like this.

If we do not have a complete turnaround against Panama, I think

1 HART SHOULD DO THE HONOURABLE THING AND RESIGN

2 IF HE DOES NOT RESIGN HE SHOULD BE FIRED AND THE CSA NEEDS TO BE WILLING TO PAY FOR SOMEONE BETTER

[CanadasBest]

A little harsh no? I too am concerned with our recent form. We've looked bad in the last couple of games and i'm not sure why. Personally I thought we played just as bad against the US as we did against Guadeloupe. And that's what really bothers me. There's no reason we couldn't have beaten the US if we were on form.

Didn't Lars take a knock prior to Ecuador and was not able to play? I agree Borjan should be our starting keeper going forward and should have played against the US.

My biggest concern is why all of a sudden we have gone from one of the most powerful midfields in CONCACAF to being invisible the last few games. Hart has always preached a quick passing playing the ball on the ground sort of game which we have had good success with, but now all of a sudden we seem to have massive gaps in the middle of the field. Maybe part of that is the current forms of our central midfielders. deGuzman is really out of form and not playing well, Dunfield played well against Ecuador but hasn't looked great in these Gold Cup games. So is it a question of tactics? Or is it that the players are not following through? If we're playing a short ground passing game then why is Legerwood smacking the ball deep when there's no pressure?

[gator]

I tend to agree with Griz here and I like Hart, this competition is important and he should be judged on it accordingly! I'm starting to think he is too rigid with his formation and I'm starting to second guess player selection! I hope we can get things right Tuesday but if we go crashing out of the Gold Cup and can't even be in the top 8, questions have to be asked!

[Canada1]

I just want Hart to give the players a chance to fight for the match instead of restricting them as he has done the past three matches. The lack of intensity is evident and it can only be instructed by himself probably due to the hot weather conditions.

I am actually hoping that Canada does not get an easy access to the next round so Hart has to get the team to play with more intensity in a do or die situation.

[canucklefan]

I don't think Hart deserves all the blame. I agree the CSA should find a true coach because I think too that Hart is not competent for the job, but on the other hand, there are lots of players on the Gold Cup that had little playing time during the season with their clubs and even if we played with a 4-4-2 formation, the team would still be weak in some positions.

In the end, not only we lack a competent coach but we lack also some talent in the squad.

[jonovision]

I don't think Hart deserves all the blame. I agree the CSA should find a true coach because I think too that Hart is not competent for the job, but on the other hand, there are lots of players on the Gold Cup that had little playing time during the season with their clubs and even if we played with a 4-4-2 formation, the team would still be weak in some positions.

In the end, not only we lack a competent coach but we lack also some talent in the squad.

Who are these players, exactly? The only one I can think of from the starting XIs of the first two matches is McKenna, and he spent much of the season injured. He has arguably also been one of the better players over the two matches. The guys that didn't play much with their clubs over the last year (Ricketts, Peters, for example) haven't seen the pitch much, if at all.

[canucklefan]

Who are these players, exactly? The only one I can think of from the starting XIs of the first two matches is McKenna, and he spent much of the season injured. He has arguably also been one of the better players over the two matches. The guys that didn't play much with their clubs over the last year (Ricketts, Peters, for example) haven't seen the pitch much, if at all.

There's also Klukowski, Jackson at some point, Pacheco, Friend....

[jonovision]

My point is that the players who have been the most obvious underperformers have being getting regular minutes with their clubs.

[JimmyJames]

I don't think we can blame Hart however we have lacked creativity up front...but we always have...it seems to be in the CMNT's DNA not to go for it...I would like to do well in the GC but I would be willing to sacrifice advancement to the next round if we put a line up there who's first instinct is to push forward and attack the goal...but again what would that line up be? Peters for Legerwood...Dero, Johnson, De Guzman and Hutch in the middle...Simpson and Jackson in the mix up front....???

[Marc]

I have had my misgivings about Hart's ability to be an international level coach in the past but there have been some positive signs so I was willing to give him some time. However, the Gold Cup is our last competitive tournament before WCQ and he needs to be judged in this tournament. So far he is failing miserably in my opinion.

I don't disagree but I don't know it is that simple.

I'm not a huge fan of coaching merry-go-rounds and I think manager continuity could prove beneficial, particularly considering most of guys play in disparate countries and leagues and can't be expected to gel together in an instant before a game or a tournament.

We play so few games that I don't know if it is fair or even smart to fire a coach because the players stink the joint a couple of times, like vs. Guadeloupe (and what may transpire vs Panama.)

That means that there are only two opportunities for accountability - qualifying for the World Cup, and doing well at the Gold Cup.

The former is usually out of the question, so if the team bombs the latter then theoretically someone should be held accountable.

But we've had some really crap Gold Cup performances before where we've still advanced. So should Hart really get the boot because Panama happened to surprise the US?

And sure the CSA should be willing to pay more for someone better, but who? Who will we be able to attract as his repalcement, considering our resources, record and stature? Is it worth it? I dunno.

Either way, that's part of our problem - we play so few games that our situation results in a cycle of either constant mediocrity or constant instability.

And what calibre of coach wants in for mediocre wages in a situation like this?

[youllneverwalkalone]

I agree with some of what Grizzly says, and have been a skeptic of our recent managers, inckuding the current one. However, 4 years ago Hart stated that he wanted the MNT to play a possession style of football that would better suit the CONCACAF regional style of play. There were many bumps in the road, but thus far I have to admit I have seen a huge transformation in the way we play. And, for the most part, it's positive.

Not only are we doing better with the ball, our entire attitude has changed in terms of how we conduct ourselves on the pitch. I know we're still struggling in the final third, and people think we should smash Guadeloupe 5-0, but I felt this recent match was a great example of how teams win in CONCACAF: possess the ball (no matter how unthreatening it seems), make a meal of a hard challenge to get a player sent off, and win a dodgy penalty. How many times have we been on the other side of this type of result?

On Saturday, I also heard Dale Mitchell comment on the Whitecaps match. This is a guy who is universally accepted to be a complete epic fail by Voyageurs. And you know what? He had a lot of spot on, excellent analysis of the match that really made me wonder why he didn't do better with the MNT. The only answer I have is that he doesn't have to personality to be the head man in charge. This is not something that concerns me with Hart. I agree about the keeper criticism as a one off, but I can't say that he lacks the personality to take charge of the team. And more to the point. maybe some of us so called experts who have played/coached at the combined level of Sunday league at absolute best (and at worst, are slovenly, overweight bastards who if they happened upon a football wouldn't know whether to kick it or hump it) should consider that guys like Hart do know something about the game that we don't. Just sayin'.

[scoots]

I understand Grizzlys' frustration. I think its fair to say the team has not played to its full potential in the first 2 games. Why is that? I'm not privy to enough inside information about the coach and the team to know the answer and I'm not sure how many people on this board really have the access required to offer a qualified opinion on the inner workings. We can really only judge based on what we see on the field. With the benfit of hidsight its pretty easy to criticize a few player selection and formantion decisions, but that's not unique to this team. Don't supporters of every side ask those same questions after every game?

Hart, as an interim coach in previous Gold Cups, 2007 in particular, really seemed to do a good job of getting the most out his players with very limited time to prepare. Now that he's a full year in as the permanent coach he seems to be getting comparatively less out of the players in this Gold Cup. Why is that? Seriously does anyone know why he seems less effective as the permanent coach? Perhaps he's more focused on WCQ than on Gold Cup now that he has the job full time?

I wonder how hard it is to be the full time coach of this program? Limited resouces, little history of success, and well known political/bureacratic mess with the CSA.

My bet is that taking the job full time got him buried in alot of CSA bureacracy and politics that distracts from the primary task running the team. Ask just about anyone who has coached a national program in any non-hockey sport in Canada and they will tell you that they spend more time navigating the bureacracy and playing politcs to get resources than they do on coaching... its a dysfunction that is common in how we manage national sport programs. So perhaps this is dragging him down. Morace is an interesting example - she's isolated her team and program from the association, the culture of that whole woman's program is based on an anti-CSA 'siege' mentallity that runs through the coachses and players.

My opinion is that Hart is probably a good coach, I think he's shown that in the past. But I think this program might need more than a good coach to lead it down a path to success. This program probably needs a trascendent figure who can not only coach and lead the players, but who can also act as a change agent at the CSA. Somebody with the personality, crediblity and leadership ability to secure the additional resources, raise the profile of the team, and take control away from the bureaucrats. Somebody who's got the credibility to take some risks, have some failures and still keep the job for 6-8 years to really build this thing.

[JamesW]

The more I think about the Guadeloupe game, the more I think Hart is an absolute genius. Resting two of your key players, playing at a low tempo, then sitting back and watching your next oppenets go all out in an emotional victory.

I might well be eating these words tomorow, but, well, we will see what we will see on Tuesday.

[jpg75]

My opinion is that Hart is probably a good coach, I think he's shown that in the past. But I think this program might need more than a good coach to lead it down a path to success. This program probably needs a trascendent figure who can not only coach and lead the players, but who can also act as a change agent at the CSA. Somebody with the personality, crediblity and leadership ability to secure the additional resources, raise the profile of the team, and take control away from the bureaucrats. Somebody who's got the credibility to take some risks, have some failures and still keep the job for 6-8 years to really build this thing.

So many good points in this thread, but I would like to highlight this one.

Stephen Hart is a nice guy and has overachieved relative to expectations dictated by his limited experience. The players like him, he has the team playing smarter and holding possession better than before. But there's still something missing and I think it's a lack of confidence. This team needs a coach that is greater than them, that has all the right answers and makes them feel and play stronger than they even though they were capable. Holger Osieck used to be that coach, we need someone that has the same ability.

Not to turn this thread into the coach search thread, but there are 2 phenomenal candidates (soon to be) available if the CSA had the money. Leo Beenhakker is about to have his contract run out at Feyenoord, this is the man who coached T&T to the WC in 2006 so if he's willing to coach them why not us? And Marcelo Bielsa is still without a job, he was costing Chile $1M a year so maybe that's a pipe dream. I'd like to think one day with the whole CSA reform stuff going on that we'll actually have the financial wherewithal to hire individuals such as these and not use the MNT as a vehicle for developing domestic coaches, a task that should fall to the clubs.

[buckley17]

I hope you are right.

The more I think about the Guadeloupe game, the more I think Hart is an absolute genius. Resting two of your key players, playing at a low tempo, then sitting back and watching your next oppenets go all out in an emotional victory.

I might well be eating these words tomorow, but, well, we will see what we will see on Tuesday.

[killgod]

The more I think about the Guadeloupe game, the more I think Hart is an absolute genius. Resting two of your key players, playing at a low tempo, then sitting back and watching your next oppenets go all out in an emotional victory.

I might well be eating these words tomorow, but, well, we will see what we will see on Tuesday.

This could very well be true. I don't take him for an unintelligent guy, I may not agree with his use (or use of) players but he knows what he wants to do and the boys are doing that. Lets hope it works.

But first, lets hope Guatemala fails so we can breathe easier.

[scoots]

Like I posted earlier, I think this program will need really transcendant change agent to lead it to the next level. Having said that I don' think the CSA and program are ready for that person just yet. I actually think Hart is a good coaching selection for this cycle. I see this cycle a building opportunity, prior Hart the program has been regressing for 7-8 years. I think Hart can reverse that trend and quietly build some momentum with the players and th CSA. Realistically speaking we're an underdog to qualify this cycle. I hope it happens, I'm cheering for us, I'll be at every game played in T.O, but its not the most likely outcome. Its essential that Hart play and develop the young guys that will be around for the next cycle (Jackson, Johnson, Ledgerwood, Peters, Hainault, Jakovic...)

[TFCRegina]

The more I think about the Guadeloupe game, the more I think Hart is an absolute genius. Resting two of your key players, playing at a low tempo, then sitting back and watching your next oppenets go all out in an emotional victory.

I might well be eating these words tomorow, but, well, we will see what we will see on Tuesday.

Glad somebody does.

Not pleased with Hart's tactics but it's too early to write him off.

[gator]

Like I posted earlier, I think this program will need really transcendant change agent to lead it to the next level. Having said that I don' think the CSA and program are ready for that person just yet. I actually think Hart is a good coaching selection for this cycle. I see this cycle a building opportunity, prior Hart the program has been regressing for 7-8 years. I think Hart can reverse that trend and quietly build some momentum with the players and th CSA. Realistically speaking we're an underdog to qualify this cycle. I hope it happens, I'm cheering for us, I'll be at every game played in T.O, but its not the most likely outcome. Its essential that Hart play and develop the young guys that will be around for the next cycle (Jackson, Johnson, Ledgerwood, Peters, Hainault, Jakovic...)

You make some good points but my concern is we are possibly underachieving with Hart at the helm! Maybe Jamit is correct when he says that he has a player management plan and it would make sense considering the heat we played in in Tampa! Hart knows CONCACAF and the condition of our players better than any of us on this board! I'm just wondering if maybe there aren't real limitations with tactics and player selection with him and a loss Tomorrow should bring about some serious questions!

[killgod]

Since temperature is being discussed...tomorrow's weather is calling for 30 degrees, feels like FORTY-THREE.

Yikes. Even for Panama, that's going to be hot as balls.

[Ruud]

I didn't like the Lars decision either - unless he had a knock, in which case, why would you start him in your first big game.

Look, the team has been playing well in Euro-matches and stuff, but CONCACAF is another beast, and now that I saw the TICOS lose big to Mexico...

Panama got a one-off, which by the way, we could have had ourselves, had gerbas strikes gone in.

Actually, I only saw the USA game after the fact, and we weren't as bad as this board (or Big soccer) suggested. In fact, for most of the game, the USA supporters thought that USA were about to do something really stupid, and get the draw instead of the win. They are like us...we of little confidence. In their eyes, Howard bailed them out.

Tactics have been defensive, but then again, we played a really solid game v. Ecuador. I think we are all waiting for that A-game again...

[whatever]

Wow, so much criticism of the coach. Has anyone not seen the players that he has at his disposal? Not exactly the cream of the crop. I am willing to bet Hart himself could step onto the field and play better then most of them right now.

The coach has no control of players who can't make simple 10 yard passes on a consistent basis, players who can't control a simple pass to them on the ground without it bouncing 10 feet in front of them, goalkeepers who give up soft goals, players who miss EASY scoring chances, players who can't make a decent cross into the box, etc.

Gaudeloupe might have been down to 10 men after 4 minutes, but we basically start every game short handed if you are talking about total talent level. I would say we start two players short every game. Friend, Ledgerwood, Dunfield, De Jong, Hainault, Johnson, Peters, Hirshfeld, Borjan? These guys are not really of international quality by most standards. They struggle at club level. Give them some credit, they have answered the call and it is not for lack of effort.

I think the coach at least has them playing within their ability level and not trying to do too much. For the most part they are not hurting the team much, they are just not helping much either.

If you look at the things the coach can control, I think coach Hart has excelled. We are organized. Despite a lack of talent, we keep possession of the ball for long stretches of the games. The players never seem to give up in a game even when they are down by a goal or two and often fight back at the end rather then just trying to hold on. The attitude of the players is positive and if not, at least they hide it well by keeping it in house. He has been accomodating with the media. He has travelled the country and helped with seminars, development, etc. The training has been well received. We have a larger pool of players to draw from, and competition at every position. He has given the youth players valuable experience and a chance to develop. He has navigated the club systems with care and consideration which should pay dividends when WC qualification rolls around. He has been honest. He has publicly said he only wants players who want to play for Canada.

He has given us a chance to win every game we have played in regardless of the quality of the opponent. Consistency.

If you look at any of the failures of the team, point the finger at the players and referees. Hirschfelds weak goal against the US and Straith's poor clearance against Greece are perfect examples, not to mention the referee fiasco's against Honduras and USA last time around (no doubt about it, Concacaf is corrupt).

How about the dozens of easy goals we have thrown away? I also think it is safe to say that we have created more quality chances under Hart then we ever have under any other coach. I think back to some of the goals we actually have scored, highlight reel material. When is the last time Canada scored a goal where they actually broke a team down with intelligent play and possession? Never until Hart came along.

The fact that people are complaining about tactics and formations is a good thing. Up until now, "Canada", "Tactics" and "Formations" didn't even belong in the same sentence. That alone is a huge accomplishment!

The man has done more then enough, and if you think that any of these "BIG" names you are throwing around could do any better then you are fools. They would be here today and then gone tomorrow taking our money with them (Sven Goran anyone?).

Stephen Hart has changed our soccer mentality and our soccer culture. Something no other coach has done for us. By staying this course we not only hope for immediate success (which may happen yet!), but also the success of our youth players and coaches that follow behind. The foundation is being layed, we just need to embrace it.

That can and should be Stephen Hart's legacy.

He is part of the solution, not part of the problem. Not just the MNT, but to soccer in Canada at every level.

If anything CSA should be giving him a big raise, before someone else from another country who actually knows what they are talking about steals him away from us. Think about what he could do with good players?

Grade A - I would give an A+, but he does lack experience, not his fault. He has more then made up for it with intelligence, style, personality, character, dedication and consideration. Just think what he will accomplish when he does gain that valuable experience. Stephen Hart is only going to get better, let's hope the players can to.

If we fail to qualify for the WC it will not be Stephen Hart's coaching, it will be because of players who are not World Cup quality.

[Marc]

I would say we start two players short every game. Friend, Ledgerwood, Dunfield, De Jong, Hainault, Johnson, Peters, Hirshfeld, Borjan? These guys are not really of international quality by most standards. They struggle at club level. Give them some credit, they have answered the call and it is not for lack of effort.

New to Canadian soccer maybe? Half those guys are regular starters that definitely do not struggle at the club level.

If we fail to qualify for the WC it will not be Stephen Hart's coaching, it will be because of players who are not World Cup quality.

Well, not necessarily. To qualify for the World Cup you don't need players of World Cup quality.

You need players that can eeke out better results than Honduras, Jamaica, Tnt, Guatemala, Costa Rica and El Salvador.

That's where the coaching comes in. Style, personality, character, consideration and all that jazz don't mean squat if you can't get coach our guys to better results than those teams. You can have all the possession in the world but if you can't best that group's results it is useless.

Just think what he will accomplish when he does gain that valuable experience. Stephen Hart is only going to get better.

On this, we agree.

[Free kick]

Not to turn this thread into the coach search thread, but there are 2 phenomenal candidates (soon to be) available if the CSA had the money. Leo Beenhakker is about to have his contract run out at Feyenoord, this is the man who coached T&T to the WC in 2006 so if he's willing to coach them why not us? And Marcelo Bielsa is still without a job, he was costing Chile $1M a year so maybe that's a pipe dream. I'd like to think one day with the whole CSA reform stuff going on that we'll actually have the financial wherewithal to hire individuals such as these and not use the MNT as a vehicle for developing domestic coaches, a task that should fall to the clubs.

But how would those coaches make a difference in this:

" with a man up due to a red card, there was a situation last saturday night whereby we had player with ball at the lower edge of the box, there were two defender between him and another partially marked Canadian forward. the player in possession crosses the ball but it sails three feet over the head of the forward". Was this an easy play? no it wasn't. but was it an impossible play to convert into a goal? well if you watch any number of games on the tube on any given weekend involving professional clubs of a reason able high caliber or even any international matches, you will see these kind of plays result in a quality of ball that is converted to goal. Not routinely mind you, but it happens often.

How many times over the past twenty five years have we seen a similar situation involving Canada in world cup or regional play? And how many times have we seen (when we play a top 25 side in the world)instances where by ou players look like they constantly under pressure becasue when in possession becasue the quality of the first touches is not there? for me its far too often and it has happened under any number of coaches or regardless of who is sitting at the CSA offices in Ottawa.

[scoots]

Wow, so much criticism of the coach. Has anyone not seen the players that he has at his disposal? Not exactly the cream of the crop. I am willing to bet Hart himself could step onto the field and play better then most of them right now.

I think its ok to quesiton and criticize a coaches decisions re: player selections, formations and tactics. That's was fans around the world do, and its just kinda fun.

I think its' probably unfair and unrealistic to demand that a coach be dismissed 2 matches into his first tournament as the full time head coach.

To be successful Hart needs be given the time and the latitude to take some risks, and try some new things, which will mean he will make some mistakes. We're only going to get better if we try to do a few things differently than we have in the past. In hindsight its easy to criticize Hart for experimenting with Jackson at striker for two games, but I think that's a good example of taking a risk and trying something new. Jackson's got the talent to be a key player for us for the next two qualifying cycles, Hart needs a role that maximizes his contributions for this side. Its clear that Hart is still trying to figure out how to fit all the pieces together in the midfield and attacking roles to get the most out of the available players.