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Early this week I had a chance to sit down and chat with FC Dallas Coach Steve Morrow to catch up with him and find out where the team is in the off season program. We learn a couple tidbits about Arturo Alvarez, the tactics for next year, and the progress on signing players. The real changes are just starting to happen.
How goes the player scouting?
Good. As soon as the season finished we were straight into it. I got quite a lot of good leads right away that I was able to follow up on in Europe and also quite a few targets in South America. Of all the targets we had I think I’ve got it down to about four or five guys that I’m looking at that we can realistically get in and try and fit on the roster as well; which is always difficult. We’re down to 4 or 5 player right now and I want to try and bring about 2 or 3 new faces in, so I’m very hopeful and excited about the ones we can hopefully bring in.
Buzz’s coach speak translator: I’m money, we’re money.
Any players out of the T&T trip?
There’s a couple players from T&T. I wouldn’t say that they’re on that top target list that I’m looking at, but there’s a couple that I’m planning to bring in in preseason to see how they fit into the style of play and everything here. So there’s a couple players form down there that are willing to come and train with us for a week in preseason so that’s good too.
Buzz’s coach speak translator: A few, not a lot.
Where are you on the decision of tactics?
At the moment, like I’ve said before, I don’t want to make wholesale changes. I don’t want to make to many changes if I can help it With the player that we’ve got in the midfield and forward positions… we’ve all except that Carols is going to move on so I still feel like I need to bring in a goal scorer, an extra forward is we can do it. There’s one or two player that I’m trying to bring in that could still dictate the way that we play, but with the players that I’ve got right now I know what I want to do in the midfield and forward positions, it just depends on what defenders I can bring in. But I’m still looking with the players that we’ve got right now, without making too many changes at playing three at the back. Like I said it will be dependent on the defenders I can bring in.
Buzz’s coach speak translator: Three at the back, baby! I shoulda listened to you a year ago.
So you liked the way the 3-5-2 went in T&T?
I don’t think it went tremendously well. I threw it out there and we didn’t work on it much with the player so it was a little bit of a surprise to them as well. I saw enough with the players down there that I know what I’m gonna have for next year in those positions. I saw enough out of those player in those particular spots to know it could be something very good for us.
Buzz’s coach speak translator: We stunk on so many levels, but it’ll get better.
How close are you to re-signing Arturo Alvarez?
We’re almost there. Again that’s been a process for the last month, talking with him and talking with his agent. Arturo wanted to go and have one or two trials, which I encouraged him to do. I think it’s important for young guys to go and experience that. You always hope that it’s something they’ll get out of their system and realize they’ve got something very good here. I think that’s been the case with Arturo. He’s very happy here, he’s very comfortable here, for the first time in his career in MLS he’s found a situation where he enjoys playing and he’s growing in confidence every month. I truly believe that he wants to be here. We’re very close to finalizing a contract with him, with just a couple very small bits to do. Hopefully it will get down in the next few days.
Buzz’s coach speak translator: AA’s gonna fly the friendly skies for FC Dallas.
Can you tell us about why Goodson was exposed?
At the time talking with Clarence and talking with his agent as well , he was very much in favor of going overseas and the agent was trying to push that very hard. The agent made me believe at the time, and Clarence did too, that that was their first option, to go overseas. With all the options we had, we felt that was a situation where we didn’t want to protect Clarence if he was going to go overseas anyway. At this moment I still think he will. And the other reason for me is that it’s still an area of our team that needs strengthening, it still needs to get better. Clarence had a good season, I don’t think it was great. Again, Clarence had a couple situations throughout the season when he wasn’t there for the team either. I want people within this team I can rely on. I think we need to add experience to the back line as well. Knowing that I wanted to add some defenders in the off season, it wasn’t too much of risk for me if we did lose him. Which happened. I know that was a possibility, but that was a decision I was comfortable with.
Buzz’s coach speak translator: I’m not fussed. And you won’t be either when we sign some people.
What was Oscar’s role in your staff and will you be replacing him?
Oscar’s role was to assist me and nothing more than that. Obviously all the decisions were mine as they will continue to be going forward. At the time I was sad to see Oscar move on, but everybody is replaceable in life and Oscar know that as well. He had a opportunity that he wanted to pursue. I understood that and that’s fine. There’s plenty of good candidate out there who want the job. There’s nothing specific at all where I feel it was a big loss or something we have to specifically replace. I don’t think that was the case at ll. Oscar was there on a day to day basis to assist me and he did a great job with that.
Buzz’s coach speak translator: I love me some Oscar, but we gotta move on.
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my question is playing 3 at the back. obviously, this was before the davino signing. will that change the idea of playing 3 at the back b/c of his supposed lack of speed? more ground to cover from someone that’s slow may mean trouble.
Morrow made it fairly clear afterward that Davio fit into his plan for 3 at the back.
What else can he say about Clarence and Oscar, they were too good to stay in Dallas. He couldn’t keep Goodson whether he protected him or not but to say he wasn’t there for the team when he played 27 games is a bit sour grapes. He would have given his right arm to keep him truth be told. Oscar clearly didn’t agree with Steve’s philosophy and moved on to bigger and better things just like Clarence. Best wishes to both of them.
I love the translator.
Goodson was there for 27 games but two he missed were pretty important. How sick would you have to be to miss a second game of a playoff series against your arch-rivals? I know some players would come off their death bed. We don’t know the real story and it could be completely legit but I remember thinking at the time ??? especially when they showed him on the bench during the game.
Buzz, you’ll be proud . . . the 11-yr-olds first questions when she gets up are usually, “Anythng new on the Blog or 3rd Degree?”
As for Goodson . . . i was explaining it to her (she was not happy when he got picked in the draft). While it might have been totally out of his control, FCD lost two key games — playoff game #2 and the LA/Beckham-less SuperLiga game, partly (maybe totally, in the case of LA) because Goodson was out at the last moment. The coach notices things like that and has to plan for the future accordingly.
Oscar was his assistant and nothing more?? What a jack-ass..He is so full of shite!!He should be so lucky to have kept him..Just shows you how different these two people are as men. Morrow has no class….
I agree with those that say ‘no big deal’ in losing Oscar and Badson. I loved Oscar’s stay here both as a player and a coach - his is the only autograph I own. But he was an MLS assistant. That’s not exactly coaching nirvana. I believe he took a promotion moving into the U.S. National Team arena.
As for Badson, let’s see…MLS all star how many times? NONE. He was good at times, but not great. Davio will do more for this team than Goodson ever would. He’s a true warrior and leader on the back line. That’s SMs type of player.
Buzz, Morrow’s comments do seem to minimize Oscar’s contributions to the team and don’t seem as magnanimous as most coaches’ statements after an assistant leaves. Knowing your opinion of Oscar’s value, how do you assess Steve’s comments?
Morrow quotes:
NOVEMBER 2007
We have a great core group of young talent that have made good progress - Clarence…had a big year.
JANUARY 2008
Clarence had a good season, I don’t think it was great.
Que naco, FC Dallas.
It must get so tiring for Morrow and Hitchcock to be covering their butts day in and day out.
Classless way to treat Oscar, too. Papi spent so much time cleaning up Morrow’s messes and making him look good, the U17 job must feel like a vacation
I don’t think he was knocking Oscar. I asked him about Oscar’s role in his staff, was he in charge of anything specific. He does say he was sad to see Oscar leave and that he did a great job.
Buzz, i’ve been out of the loop for a while, and Morrow’s comment about Ruiz is confusing me. Carlos is for sure leaving? And if so, where to?
Yeah, I don’t think the coach’s comments about Oscar came across they way they were spoken. Text just doesn’t do the spoken word justice. Go Steve! Go FCD!
Goodson forced the team to make last minute changes in two of the biggest games of the year. It is that simple. Much as people like that he recovered from 2006, that doesn’t change the fact that he wanted a raise, was looking overseas to raise his price, and that didn’t fit into the cap.
Compare that to Davino - an experienced guy who can organize at the back. Last time we had someone that experienced, it was Steve Morrow in 2002 and our defense was pretty good that year.
To me, this is a no-brainer. Sorry to see Clarence go, but he wanted more than what fit for the team relative to what he brings to the field. It happens.
I think we should all be honest about goodson: If he was our best defender last year (was given that award), then we have problems in the back line. He’s a solid defender, no doubt - but I’m really not sure he’ll be missed all that much.
“Oscar’s job was to assist me and nothing more than that” Sounds to me like he was knocking Oscar and letting everyone know that he is ,and was, in charge, completely….
Sad to see those words spoken about Papi. Very sad indeed.
I can promise you the feeling was mutual with Oscar. Papi has no love for Steve Morrow either.
Morrow sometimes needs to just shut-up. The more he talks the more obvious it is that he has no class whatsoever.
Inspiring comments from the Coach……
KD, you are only quoting HALF the story…
And besides, Pareja had NO control over who got signed, NO control over the way the team is setup on the pitch, and absolutely NO control over the mind of Steve Morrow. Why? Because those things were NOT part of his job. They all belong to Steve.
So what exactly does an assistant coach do? Assist, plain and simple. He can give advice and make as many recommendations as he wants, but when all is said and done, the final say belongs to Morrow.
Also, Buzz has said here on 3rdDegree AND on BS that he saw NO personal hatred or animosity whatsoever (probably not word-for-word, but you get the idea.) I will put my faith in Buzz on those comments and you really need to get a life, KD. Stop looking for conflict when there is none…
Anyone else notice this tidbit at the bottom of this article?
http://web.mlsnet.com/news/mls...&vkey=pr_mls&fext=.jsp
Looks like Morrow made a wise judgement to me.
As an assistant coach on a soccer team as well…I feel for Papi…but as a whole, Morrow’s comments are not as PC as one might like, but they are absolutely true. Good for Oscar that he got his break…I think FCD will be fine tho
Steve has done much worse in the regular season than CC and the same in the PO’s, CC got fired after 2 seasons and 2008 is season #2 for Steve. Perhaps Oscar will be back this time next year. Steve sounds like nothing is ever his fault but it is his job on the line this season.
For those who won’t miss Goodson I’m certain he won’t miss us either. Bob Bradley seems to think he’s pretty good and there’s a coach Europe paying big money to have his patrolling his backline. Good luck Clarence as you move on to bigger and better things, many of us will miss you we just don’t know how much yet.
I think a great many people here are misinterpreting what Steve said. I know Morrow has a great deal of respect for Oscar. I asked him what Oscar’s role was, if he did anything specific that no one else did. (like Ferruzzi coaching the reserves) Steve responded that he was just his assistant. He was there every day to help run the team and he did that very well. There was not one iota of animosity in Morrow’s tone when he spoke about Oscar.
Completely agreed w/ Jonathan & Buzz above. Morrow & Hitch were very high on Oscar, and didn’t like losing him. What were they supposed to do, stand in the way of him advancing his career??
Buzz, maybe readers are not misinterpreting anything - just noticing a coach who doesn’t show much concern about Goodson leaving, Ruiz exiting, and finally Oscar moving on. Who does he like on the team?
Well, FC Uptown, Buzz was there interviewing SM so I believe his interpetation of what SM said and think yours is a bunch of bunk.
If you really want to read between the lines, Goodson was not coming back to FCD next year even if we protected him. Yallop took a long shot on him and lost. Exposing Goodson was a smart move by the FO. We knew he was looking to go to Europe and we needed to improve our defense. Let SJ take him rather than someone that plans to play here next season..
What am I missing on these comments about Ruiz?
Also, Does Davino fit the “rangy” player that SM likes?
FCU: Toja, Ricchetti, Cooper, McCarty, Serioux, Moor…. etc etc. anyone he keeps.
TT, Morrow has said a couple times he’s looking to move Ruiz.
Davino doesn’t match the type of player Morrow likes. i asked him about that actually. He said Davino is a very smart soccer player, great reader of the game… and that he makes up for not being fast (not that he’s slow) by being in the right place.
Davino is not fast, but is a very smart player. He can’t cover a lot of ground, but 9 times out of 10 he is in the right spot and doesn’t need to be fast.
Easton. Thanks for the overused insult of “you need to get a life” What just because you dont like my comments, I don’t have a real life?? Like some highly intelegent soccer mind like you??You have no idea what went on in the FCD coaching staff.Not sure how you know exactly what his job was anyway..He dint have any control of Morrow and the like, but you think he had absoloutly no effect on how the team was run. And don’t forget he is the one who brought you Toja. NOT MORROW..Conflict??? No. Just a arsehole making a stupid statement that pissed me the hell off!!OK??Oh, and “go get a life” back at you….
Goodson just signed in Norway.
Gee, maybe Morrow & Hitch actually knew what they were doing not wasting a protection on him!
And btw, Badson…put on a few pounds, or you will freeze to death up there! I do wish him well on his career.
KD, you should know darn well know that whatever players that Papi had found ultimately had to go through Morrow for approval.
Yes, I fully acknowledge that Toja was a Pareja discovery, yet Morrow could have been an ass about it and said “Screw Toja.” And at the time we signed him, who would have said he was wrong.
KD, the point I’m trying to make (without using the phrase “get a life”) is that though Pareja was the best assistant coach we’ve ever had, he was still ONLY AN ASSISTANT, and his job is to assist.
I am not disagreeing with you on the fact that Pareja was damn good at what did for us.
I AM disagreeing with you on the fact that Morrow had absolutely NO respect for Papi and took all the credit himself, which is EXACTLY what you implied. I just don’t agree, KD. (And neither does Buzz…)
Now, did that give me the excuse to be hostile about it? No, and for that I apologize, KD. However, you calling Steve Morrow “jack-ass” and “no-class” are just ludicrous as far as I’m concerned.
You take it as you will, KD.
Thanks, I guess.I guess I can take back the “jack-ass” call. And as for the “no-class” maybe a bit of a knee jerk,BUT he could have used some tact when talking about a guy who has been here 10 years and is probably the most favorite Dallas Soccer player ever, including the great Kenny Cooper. So, excuse me for letting that get to me. But it did hit a nerve the way it was written..But I still take offense to saying he was “just” his assistant and nothing more..Stay hard..
and thanks for not telling me to get a life again!!
No worries, KD. Just remember that we are all FCD fans and love the team with a lot of passion. I’m just the kind of person that can’t stand the “glass-is-half-empty” attitude that some fans have recently been showing, lately.
Aside from that, I still believe Morrow to be a stand-up guy. He DID, after all, say that losing Papi was sad to hear and that he wished him luck on his new endeavor (once again, probably not word-for-word) and that is all I needed to know.
IMHO, what Morrow said afterwards was his way of summing up Papi without going into intense detail (he is the manager, he DOES have other things on his mind…) Though I can see where someone can very easily take his words out of context, I still trust Buzz when he says that he thinks there is no animosity between the two men…
Bottom line, I love this club, just like everyone else who visits 3rdDegree. Though we have a difference of opinion, we are all still in this for the same reason: Our beloved Hoops…
Cool
Just to make it crystal clear, Morrow and I were discussing the roles of assists, specific duties. I was asking him if there was some specific function Oscar did that Morrow had to keep in mind when trying to replace him… the answer was nothing specific other than just being my assistant and helping run the team day to day.
Morrow has a great deal of respect for Oscar and would never speak ill of him. I can guarantee you there was no ill-will in the comment. It just doesn’t come across well on paper.
No one that knew the man, worked with him, or played with him could ever have anything but the greatest respect for Pareja. He was pure class.
Could of explained that in the original article??
didn’t think I needed to as the question asks what his role was.
Nothing wrong with fans pushing back against the party line occassionally and throwing some online heat at the first year Coach.