TGIF- Will they ever learn?

Good morning all. One of the crazier weeks in recent memory is almost over and the news just keeps on coming in the soccer world.

The Los Angeles Galaxy is set to introduce Dutch legend Ruud Gullit as its next head coach today and I can't help but think about the vast array of high-profile foreign coaches who have come to MLS and failed to work the magic most expected of them.

There is little denying that Gullit is a charasmatic figure who should serve as a great spokesman for the Galaxy, and he is someone who should be able to handle the glare of the Beckham media circus, but will he get the job done on the sidelines? For all his exploits as a player, his coaching career has been filled with as many disappointments as successes.

What do you think? Do you see Gullit's hire as a genius move or another dumb attempt by Alexi Lalas to turn the Galaxy into some sort of glamour club?

Share your thoughts below.

Comments

[Jamie]

Sure, lot's of imported coaches haven't worked their magic, but in most recent memory, seems Osorio DID.

[Keenan]

Dumb,dumb move! If AEG doesn't get rid of the A$$clown Lalas soon they will never achieve their goals on the pitch. What a freaking circus! Name me one foreign coach that has had a winning record that has not played in MLS? I just can't wait to see "SEXY FOOTBALL"...Lol!!!

[Keenan]

Osorio was also a successful coach BEFORE came to MLS...

[Peter]

Osorio wasn't a big-name hire from Europe with no MLS coaching experience. He was a former Metrostars assistant whose only head coaching experience was in Colombia. Big difference.

[Brad]

As the talent level increases and more European stars come over to not only play, but teach, I think these European coaches might become a bit more successful.

Ives, how would you feel if you were Ruud Gullit and played for AC Milan and was one of the top players in the world? You come over here to coach a team you think has potential but you actually got stuck with Alan Gordon, Carlos Pavon, and Ty Harden?

I would imagine the frustration level would shoot through the roof and it would be tough to focus. That's just my personal opinion. You can't correct the 2,000,000 mistakes that other US coaches have created through the lifetime of these players. You can't teach a whole lot of touch and technical skills to 30-year old players. So, isn't it kind of obvious why some of these European coaches haven't translated to success?

This all leads back to what Mike said in the last post from the Running Commentary last night. The MLS's technical skill (passing and soccer awareness) is so far behind other countries and I think it's a product of coaching through the ranks. The more European coaches that come over to try and teach attractive soccer, the better.

[uniteo]

Judging by the pictures on the site, he just wanted to hire someone that looks like Ives. Perhaps you'll get confused and forget to ask the tough questions.

[Braden]

I don't think Ives means just any foreign coach. Nicol, Yallop and Morrow are foreign coaches (notice how I didn't make Canada the 51st state).

He means that the big-name foreign coaches are the ones that end up flopping. Maybe it's because they're really managers rather than coaches, and in MLS wheeler n' dealer types don't succeed because of the salary cap. Osorio is defintely a coach, rather than a manager.

[alex]

Agreed with whoever said Lalas must go. He's already proven himself to be a fool. AEG (if they were smart) would get him out of the way and let the coach do his work.

[SteveJW]

I have no problem with it because we have seen many US coaches that were knee deep in US Soccer and they were awful as MLS coaches.

[Tom]

Lalas = fool

RG = failed Euro coach who -

By many peoples standards here in the US it means RG will succeed no problem. Dutch, great player, coached big clubs in Europe. His failures still mean he is more brilliant than anyone here.

Sigh. Can't wait for this circus to start.

[Douglas]

on the bright side atleast the galaxy is keeping up the hype for the league. the crazier things they do the more media time the league gets.

i'm rooting for gullit to succeed, because i believe we need to increase the calibur of coach as the talent increases. i want to weed out the sigi schmidts and clavijos, and replace them with guys like osorio, preki, and hopefully gullit.

we need great coaches as much as we need beckhams and angels. i'm not saying that gullit is going to be successful in our league (that is yet to be determined) but i like the trend, i like the ambition, and i like that the galaxy believes in looking at the top shelf of world soccer for players and coaches.

[sublicon]

I'll give Gullit the benefit of the doubt. We know what history dictates, and we know that there are new constraints on MLS coaches, as opposed to coaches abroad with teams that have endless bankrolls. This will be a different situation, and we'll see how he'll do.

I'm more concerned with what the other assclown (DeGrandpre) has planned.

[Matt]

He managed Chelsea to a very respectable finish and won an FA Cup in 1997. For all the criticism of his tenure at Newcastle, he got them to an FA Cup final and finished sixth. Do you think Newcastle fans would be happy with results like that now? You bet they would. Then he made the mistake of falling out with an over-the-hill Shearer (Captain Infallible) and got bounced out. I think he's a better manager than he's often given credit for. Not to mention the fact that he won't be blinded by the media spotlight in LA.

It's not a genius move, but it's a solid hire. These people throwing names like Capello and Mourinho around need to get a grip. A manager of that caliber is not coming to manage in MLS - at least not now.

[kpugs]

I agree with Matt. Anyone who thinks Gullitt is some kind of great coach is kidding themselves. His brief coaching career has been average, maybe decent if I'm being kind.

Having said that, he's a big name and I can't see any true top notch foreign coaches coming here anyway, not yet. So at the end of the day it could be worse too.

And I'm not ragging on Osorio here, but I don't know much about his prior career and so did not include him in my consideration.

[Ives]

Guys, Osorio played college soccer in the USA and lived almost half his life here. He also coached in MLS before going to England, so there is way more of a background with American soccer. Osorio isn't example you want to use to say Gullit will be a success.

[Joamiq]

Yeah, I was under the impression that he did pretty well at Chelsea. And 6th with Newcastle and 4th with Feyenoord are not exactly embarrassing.

Foreign coaches have not done that well at MLS, but I'm not sure that it makes sense to then say that foreign coaches can't do well at MLS. It's not as if we have a huge sample size of failed foreign coaches. Ultimately, it's really hard to predict whether or not Gullit is going to have success. He doesn't have a long coaching history and he doesn't have experience in MLS. But maybe his tactics or his personality will jive with LA. Ultimately, I think it's just going to come down to the players on the field.

[lee]

This mess won't be fixed until LL is gone. No coach will get it done under the current situation.

[Mickey]

Who knows how RG will do? The big question is whether he will have the support to help him (a) navigate the byzantine rules, customs and practices of MLS, and (b) assemble a solid (not superstar) roster. Foreign or domestic - a lot of managers have been undone in MLS due to the quirks of the system (remember the dingbat moves made by the RSL office this past season?) The consistently successful programs in MLS (NE and DC for example) have stable, competent technical support to help the coaches/managers assemble the team on the field. I don't think LA Galaxy has someone in that role right now - correct?

[Lloyd Heilbrunn]

Because Arena,Yallop,and Clavigo did so well this season with their "MLS backround"......

[Felix]

It's a interesting move that will get people talking about the LA Galaxy, that's for sure. But that seems like that's all Lalas is good for; hype. Whether Gullitt will succeed? I doubt it. The American system here with drafts, scouting the college game, salary caps, etc. is difficult for a foreign coach to understand straightaway. The only legitimate shot he has is if he's surrounded with some good coaches who are intimate with MLS and the unique circumstances here. But if he brings in all his own people and tries to make things work like it does in Europe, he won't last long and won't do well.

[Hincha Tim]

This pick really depends what LA's motives and plans are. IF they are willing to go long term and have brought Gullit in to build an integrated system from youth ranks up through the top team, AND Gullit brings some quality assistants that could help develop a great youth academy styled after Ajax or some of the other Dutch teams, long term it could be golden. Somehow, though unfortunately, I don't think that's what's up.

[John]

1. Osorio isn't "foreign" in the sense that he:
--coached an A-league team
--was an MLS assistant for 2 years
--has obviously followed MLS and was the #2 candidate at DC United (when Nowak was eventually hired).
And while his experience isn't at the highest levels (ie: not a NT coach), it's rare to find someone who has been a coach in the Premiership and South America.

2. Nicol, well, let's see...
--player coach with the A-league Boston Bulldogs
--interim coach with the NE Rev (after Zenga quit)
--assistant coach with the Revs
--interviewed with DC United for a coaching position.
Again, a guy who has experience working with Americans, has some awareness of the kinks and quirks of the game here Stateside.

If you look at the list of guys with good reps who came to MLS with no ties to America and no experience with the game here who have succeed, it's an incredibly small list (Quieroz with a .500 record is the best of the bunch and even he had ties to USSF). But the list of guys (Stapleton, Parerra, Houghton, Westerhof among others) who came here to conquer and left with their tails between their legs is a long one.

Osorio should have been hired a while a go b/c he was a unique beast--a guy with knowledge of MLS and the US game but a foreign pedigree and knowledge base. Nicol also. Even guys like Rongen or Hudson played in NASL and coached in college (NOVA college in Florida) before becoming MLS coaches. Parachuting directly into MLS as a coach is mostly a prescription for disaster.

[dc1819]

I don't think Gullit can succeed as a pure head coach. But if he serves in more of a true manager role, and hires an experienced assistant coach that is responsible on the practice field and drilling players, Gullit could focus more on motivation, tactics, professionalism and attitude. He could succed in that type of role. I don't think a former player of his stature would have the patience or tollerance for the daily grind of coaching less talented players.

[Tony M]

It is just possible that MLS is maturing as a league and can absorb a European coach now. But all in all, I think it's an interesting move. My instinct is that it is going to be successful.

I do wonder how many people calling for a foreign (or even Dutch) Nats coach are now predicting failure for the Galaxy?

[Tim]

I don't think everybody should be so quick about what a dumb hire this is. Gullit did win an FA Cup w/ Chelsea, and has had other success. The fact is that had L.A. had a healthy Beckham to work with, Yallop would probably still be the coach, because they would have been a better team with him on the field. Yallop was the scapegoat here.

All the "experts" on this board thought Mourinho and Capello were choices. That's laughable.