Why Fire should give coach more time
It’s too soon and it’s too late.
Already the rumors are starting to swirl that Fire coach Carlos de los Cobos’ days are numbered. Those rumors are just catching up to the emails, which have called for the coach’s ouster for months now.
But what comes next might not be better.
De los Cobos reiterated after Saturday’s 0-0 draw against Vancouver that he believes in his possession system and will not give in to those who want him to go with the style more typical in MLS — a physical, long-ball style. He shouldn’t change. It’s too late.
After technical director Frank Klopas and director of player personnel Mike Jeffries turned over half the roster in the off-season, de los Cobos has a group of players more attuned to his style, and they’ve spent the past three months practicing it. Should Fire management bring in someone new, it would be tough to expect these players to turn on a dime and be successful with a new approach.
The Fire might have to spend another off-season turning over the roster for a new coach before fielding a team that could look more like last year’s roster did.
Diego Chaves and Gaston Puerari are much more attuned to de los Cobos-ball than Brian McBride and Collins John ever would have been. It just wasn’t their game.
And unlike last year’s imports Deris Umanzor and Julio Martinez, Chaves and Puerari have adapted to MLS. Hopefully, newly signed forward Cristian Nazarit will adapt quickly. A playmaking midfielder is needed too.
If the Fire does release de los Cobos now, it should bring in a new coach (Preki, Jesse Marsch and Thomas Rongen seem to be the likely candidates) almost immediately to give him a chance to evaluate the current players and develop a plan for the upcoming summer transfer window and the off-season. Hiring an interim coach now, then starting a search in November will set the club back further.
But it’s too soon. It was too soon to let Denis Hamlett go after just two full seasons to prove himself. It’s too soon to let de los Cobos go after less than two seasons, and this comes from someone who opposed his hiring in January 2010 on the grounds that international coaches just don’t succeed in MLS.
It’s difficult to be patient in professional sports. It’s more challenging when the fans are howling, or worse, staying home, and columnists are scathing and you’re looking for a shirt sponsor.
But few coaches can do what Bob Bradley did here 13 years ago. If you’re going to hire a coach, especially a coach who tells you up front that he’s going to make a radical change, he deserves some time to make that change and see if it will work.
It hasn’t worked yet, but it’s too soon to say it won’t and too late to fix it quickly.
This is the soccer, and it should be the soccer at least for a few more months.
Salary cap thoughts:The MLS Players Association released its list of player salaries again this week. Here are some numbers (based on 2011 guaranteed compensation) and some thoughts, but first an FYI #8212; some say these numbers are not fully accurate, especially for the international players:At $200,000 Marko Maric gets an awful lot of money for a guy who didn#146;t see the field until the fourth game of the season, entered as a sub, left minutes later and now is on the injured list. If playing time were based on paychecks, Bratislav Ristic ($152,497.14) would be on the field a lot more.At $116,250 defender Josip Mikulic is worth every penny. The defense is obviously better when he#146;s on the field.At $45,000 Diego Chaves is making almost $12,000 a goal. If that price per goal continues to drop, he#146;s a steal. A $50,000 for the season, Gaston Puerari#146;s salary per goal is $50,000 a goal. Puerari#146;s goal per dollar rate is much better than injured forward Gabriel Ferrari ($70,875), who has yet to play.Forward Cristian Nazarit signed last week for $42,000. The Fire prays he#146;s the bargain of the season.The update:Cory Gibbs (hamstring pull) will likely make his return to the field Saturday at Toronto (6 p.m., CSN). He#146;s likely to retake his spot at central defender from Yamith Cuesta.Otherwise coach Carlos de los Cobos expects no changes to the lineup.Patrick Nyarko and Michael Videira are trying to battle their way back from concussions. Sean Johnson did not practice Wednesday due to a quadriceps strain. Captain Logan Pause is running again as he recovers from a hamstring pull but did not scrimmage.De los Cobos said he will give newly signed striker Cristian Nazarit some time to regain his fitness and fit in with the squad.oschwarz@dailyherald.com