Dear Sunil Gulati please keep your hands off Jason Kreis for the USMNT
by denz on Jul 28, 2011 1:20 PM MDT
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PrintSo while I was at lunch today, this hit my inbox:
From the U.S. Soccer Communications Center:
BOB BRADLEY's TENURE AS HEAD COACH OF U.S. MEN'S NATIONAL TEAM ENDS
CHICAGO (July 28, 2011) - U.S. Soccer President Sunil Gulati announced today that Bob Bradley has been relieved of his duties as the head coach of the U.S. Men's National Team.
"We want to thank Bob Bradley for his service and dedication to U.S. Soccer during the past five years," said Gulati. "During his time as the head coach of our Men's National Team he led the team to a number of accomplishments, but we felt now was the right time for us to make a change. It is always hard to make these decisions, especially when it involves someone we respect as much as Bob. We wish him the best in his future endeavors."
This announcement comes after a meeting at The Home Depot Center in Carson, Calif., between Gulati, Bradley and U.S. Soccer CEO Dan Flynn.
Bradley was named the head coach of the U.S. MNT in January of 2007 and during his five-year tenure compiled a 43-25-12 record. He led the team to a number of accomplishments, including winning the 2007 CONCACAF Gold Cup, finishing second in the 2009 FIFA Confederations Cup, winning their World Cup qualifying group and advancing to the Round of 16 of the 2010 FIFA World Cup in South Africa.
U.S. Soccer will have a further announcement on Friday.
While there are many people out there who have said that perhaps a fresh young coach like Jason Kreis might be just what the USMNT needs, even a few players have mumbled as much in recent weeks. I think Jason could handle the challenge, he would dive in and live the mottos that have made him successful with Real Salt Lake. He would embrace "Fortuna audaces iuvat" and he would make bold choices both in the players who represent the US but also in how the team plays. I also have little doubt that he would make it a point that everyone understands that "the team is the star", something I think is much needed at the international level.
I do think that a few more years of experience would make Jason a much more viable option, but people probably thought the same thing when he took over as head coach at Real Salt Lake. I can only hope that we the fans of RSL will have have him for a few more seasons.
OFF MY SOAPBOX
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Agree!
We (the RSL fans) all send an email to Gulati, saying that he can’t take Jason from us yet. I think that in the future, Jason will make a great USMNT coach… in the future!!
by Elizabeth Johnsen on Jul 28, 2011 1:23 PM MDT reply actions
Let me be clear
I think Jason could do the job, not sure he would take the job given all the politics involved, but with his drive and focus he can succeed at anything he wants to. I do believe and have said for a while that I think after either 2014 or 2018 would be better to allow him to gain more coaching knowledge.
I want to thank Bob Bradley for what he has done for the USMNT, and wish whoever takes over the best of luck.
Agreed. The day will come when we’ll lose Jason either way and if he goes to the MNT as their coach then great, he’s still there for me to cheer for. I also agree that his player selections might be a bit more in line with what the team needs to be more competitive on the international stage, but right now gaining more success with RSL is going to make him a better choice for that position later.
Were it offered to him though do you think he’d take it or stick to what he’s already dedicated himself to?
about time
I’m too tired to write a long post about what I think, but the TL;DR verion is this:
Bradley sucks at choosing players, Kreis would be perfect, and I really hope he doesn’t get the call up.
+1,000,000,000
I could not agree more. Bradley really, really leaves a lot to be desired in player choices. There is no excuse for that, there are too many athletes in this country to never find a quality striker. I could not root for the USMNT with Bradley at the helm.
Kreis really is the perfect man for the job but I hope they go with Jürgen Klinsmann and give him the controls. Let’s become a footballing nation already. We are close enough if things fell just right we could win a WC maybe even the next one. I think we need to obviously do a formation change we can’t compete in a 4-4-2, I think given how strong we are at holding mid, and mids in general so I would say 3-5-1-1 or 3-5-2 would best use our talents with the mids capable of defending like an outside back or maybe even like a center back.
I think too many people
assume to much, as I said I think Jason under the right circumstances could do the job, but I don’t believe that US Soccer is ready to give a very unproven coach that much power. What has made Jason a success here in Salt Lake it having a team on the same page, it starts at the very top with Dave Checketts, continues with President Bill Manning, rests on GM Garth Lagerway, and depends on Jason and his staff. Because on such structure exists at US Soccer, and likely will not exist with many of the leaders that hold position there today, I do not believe that Jason is even being considered at a top candidate for the position.
Yes he is a choice that stirs the imagination, we know that he likes to play an attacking, attractive style, we know he understands how to get guys to buy into the team concept, but we also know that he will make hard choices. Things like trading his friends, trading fan favorites, bringing in the enemy to become the team captain, things like that simply won’t fly with the politics that are US Soccer. Not at least today, I think before the powers that be will look to a wildcard like Jason that the organization must hit rock bottom, and my friends we are far from that.
A part of me wishes I was wrong, and that someone would give him control to change the USMNT and how US Soccer is run on the men’s side. I think he could be up to the challenge because like at RSL he would find people that would help him with his vision, but I just don’t think that those with all the power and money are willing to risk what they have under their thumb just yet.
I really question
Kries succeeding as coach under current US Soccer management. Our federation is two parts the competitive and the financial. How long would US Soccer put up with Kries benching an Altidore, Dempsey, or Landycakes because they’re not putting in the work he expects? It’s difficult enough to sell tix to friendlies at the prices US Soccer demands in certain cities without having to explain why [insert player name here] isn’t playing. Don’t get me wrong Kries is what the NATS need, more so than we know, I just doubt the business side would gel with his uncompromising nature. At RSL everyone down to the fans buy into what he’s selling, o the NATS I’m not too sure.
you are correct
I think the politics that exist at US Soccer would pose a challenge for him, but I think whoever takes the job will have to find a way to deal with it. The one thing that I think would be a point of Jason even considering the job would be the ability to make those types of decisions, who to call up, who to play and how to develop a team that plays together instead of a team of individuals.
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