Burning Sensation: Storming
September 5th, 2008 . By: Peter WelptonWhile the hoop-wearing fandom of FC Dallas are understandably upset about another loss at home, they can’t say that Schellas Hyndman didn’t warn them. Hyndman was very frank at the start of his tenure with the club. He talked in oddly honest terminology, predicting that the team would go thru phases and it would not be pretty:
It appears that FC Dallas is very much still only in the “storming phase” and that it is a distance from the “norming phase”. The “performing stage” is not even on the horizon. After this latest loss, what is apparent more than anything else, is that Hyndman is focused on establishing that he is the boss, and that you are either with him or against him. In Thursday’s embarrassment Cooper and Cunningham were the only two players in their starting positions. The rest were either out of position or bench players. Yes, some were hurt or unavailable - but Dax, Rocha and Avlia all sat for a game most considered a “must win”. The coach is determined that this team is going to play his system, the way he wants it done and is willing to sit anyone that will not buck up and just do it. And if a player dares talk to the press in any way that might sound like complaining - it is the bench, or worse. It is well within Hyndman’s right to do what he thinks he needs to do. The fans are just going to have to deal with the turmoil that comes with it - or they can choose not to. From the recent attendances (Beckham game excluded) it seems that is what most fans are doing - losing interest in FC Dallas. This is going to be a terribly painful time and it is going to get worse before it gets better. Hyndman has a roster of mostly square pegs that do not fit the round holes that make up his plan. The one peg he has that fits his system is Bruno Guarda, a player that he knows and trusts so faithfully he is willing to throw the kid into the fire and will leave him out there no matter how poorly he performs. For Hyndman it is not about winning and losing - it is about finding a squad that will play the game within his system, follow his command and not whine about it. As Dallas is stuck in phase #2, one thing is certain, where the team sits in the scheme of the league. If San Jose continue their resurrection this weekend, and LA grabs a win at home, FC Dallas will officially be the worst team in Major League Soccer. But no one needs standings to tell them what is obvious on the field. The ever growing realization for fans of FCD is Hunt Sports Group have turned the reigns over to a guy they trust without question. Hyndman is not going to lose this job any time soon. Dallas likely will miss the 2008 playoffs and 2009 is not a season to bet for playoff success. Hyndman’s system has some requirements that is going to make it tough to find 20+ round pegs because he has contracts, league rules and bothersome stuff like that in his way. What will become interesting to watch is how Hyndman deals with pro athletes versus the college kids he so well knows. See, if you recall back when he was coach at SMU his teams were known for two things: You could kick the coach in the nutsack without him flinching and seemingly quality teams that choked in the playoffs. You never read, in what little other media coverage the team received, that players were unhappy or complaining. Isn’t it interesting that in all of those seasons of disappointment and playoff failure you never, ever read anything negative? Not anymore. Ricardino, Rocha and Dax have all made remarks of various degree of criticism and all have seen bench time. Hyndman is going to learn very quickly that the professional athlete are adults with friends and family who are willing to pass on, “Well I’ve heard that…”. There is a front office and staff that all can talk outside of the office walls. There is a media scrutiny that will pick up on the trouble spots. He will struggle to keep a clamp on the things that he never really had to worry about in the college days. Hyndman accepted this job for reasons that only he knows. Was he on the outs at SMU, was he flashed more money than he could pass up, wanted to prove that he could coach at the pro level or simply got tired of the Hunt family calling him everyday and begging? The answer does not matter as this is the man that FC Dallas fans have to hope knows what in the hell he is doing. They are stuck with him - for the long haul - and if what we have seen so far is any indication whatever happens it will be squarely on the shoulders of Shellas Hyndman. MLS Cup Championship or losing season, be damned, it will be his way. 30 Comments Comments RSS TrackBack Identifier URI Leave a comment |
Well, that was inspiring. Off to kick the dog, then.
My problem with this theory of him saying this season is lost is, why then did he bring in Cunningham and Sikora? I mean it seems he is indecisive in what he wants to accomplish this season, much like the previous coach. Either go youth, or go for wins. Cut this macho “I am in charge” bullshit out, and treat these guys like professionals. It’s funny, you don’t hear of player unhappiness in places where the coaches don’t think they are better or bigger than the players. Houston, SJ, NE, DC. Where are there problems, Dallas, Colorado, LA. Interesting…
Go back and read the last 3rd degree article by Lorenzo de Medici, “Why, Schellas” (it’s still up there), tells you all you need to know.
Excellent analysis, Peter. It hurts, but you’re spot-on.
SH isn’t dealing with kids any more, our best palyers are men! So he plays the kids who will suck-up to him and go suck on the field.
He’s in way over his head but the Hunt’s are really to blame because they hired him. Hey Hunt’s sell this team PLEASE.
I have no issues with SH moving to a 4-4-2 and trying to get wing players (or at least trying to get wing play out of more central players) because those changes were sorely needed. And I don’t have a problem with a coach trying to get his players to buy into a system and play both ways.
What I don’t understand is the radical personnel decisions in the middle of a season. The team seemed to get going for a few games with Avi and Rocha in the midfield. Why Avi was benched I have no idea. Guarda is not playing better defense and he has supplanted Saragosa as the winner of the “Most Likely to Give the Ball Away” award. At least Saragosa destroys the other team’s offense too. Message to SH: Guarda is not ready yet, deal with it.
And benching Dax and Rocha in an important game for statements much tamer that what SH put in the press is just dumb. If SH is going to bash players in the press regularly, he needs to have thicker skin. The best pro coaches know how to bench a player to send a message or to call a team or a player out in the press to get maximum performance. That button, however, cannot be pressed frequently and cannot be pressed with all players. SH needs to come to grips with that.
It is clear that SH is not putting the best team on the field. FCD is losing games it could and should win. Of course SH should try to do what he can to mold the team the way he sees fit, but Rome wasn’t built in a day. Coming in the middle of a season is tough, but at this point, I think he is doing more damage than good. I think he should have waited until the off-season to really shake things up.
All that said, I hope SH is able to get the team playing to its capabilities through the end of the season.
maybe SH wants the #1 pick overall in the draft.
The way he’s going he’ll get it. Probably some SMU kid.
You can say we are stuck, but you are wrong. I pay for season tickets…this is a business. i am not stuck, i will spend my dough elsewhere. I can watch college teams suck for a lot less money.
So is Guarda the only player that can play consistantly poor and not face any consequences? What message is it SH wants to send the players again? 4 stages - the ok we can do it stage, the coach gets in pissing match with starting players stage, the coach brings in rookie at midsteason stage, and fcd falls out of playoff stage.
Your all right but its not fair to older guys what SH is doing. They are true to us we need to support them when they needs more than ever. SH is wanting to lose his best players he doing a great job. But not at embarrasing the team. Telling pres what he thinks is showing what kind of coach he really is. I hope Hunts understand they are losing money, I can not believe they would allow this to happen. Unless they want the club to fold. A few of these guys are my sons heros. A rec team could had played better in midfield. Oh Marco take over please.
Fayebalene: The Hunts are NOT losing money, they are making it hand over fist on their concerts. They couldn’t give a rats ass about FC Dallas. This is part of their master plan:Hire a college coach, get a bunch of college kids, pay them 25k a year each just to add a touch of legitimacy to their “SSS” and laugh all the way to the bank (although in their case the bank probably comes to them)
I don’t think the Hunts have given up on soccer. The Crew seem to be doing pretty well.
i gave credit to schellas at the beginning of his run when he ran the 3-5-2 despite not having the right personnel. i thought he was smart for utilizing what the team had. a couple of months later, i don’t see that characteristic in him. he clearly has better options on the bench that he’s using inappropriately. is he so driven that he’ll run all the good, young talent we have on this team just to prove a point? is he willing to make the fans suffer longer than we already have? it seems what he’s saying and what he’s doing just doesn’t coincide right now. once you cross that line w/ the players, it’s hard to get them back. unlike college, you don’t have 4 years and start all over again w/ new players.
*the right personnel for his favorite 4-4-2 i should say.
His 4-4-2 is the same as everyone else’s 4-4-2 and it’s not (despite what he may think) rocket science.
Ladies and Gentlemen. I talked to Mr Cooper after the game. We talked about systems and formations of play. Coops Sr said this is a game which is made complicated by coaches. It is 11 v 11. Shape, balance, width and depth. He talked about formations of play. 2/3/5. 3/5/2, 4/4/2, 4/2/4 and the christmas tree formation 5/3/2/. Most importantly he said this game is all about man management and motivation. He believes players have to want to play for the shirt. I asked about FC Dallas chances of making the play offs. Senior told me it is all about what is under the shirt what counts.
Big B… Very well said. And too bad that SH apparently cannot see the double standard with the media that he’s operating under.
pony2… Better for us to laugh than to cry, I suppose. Good stuff, even if painfully true.
Has “Stormin’ Norman” Schwarzkopf been referenced?
gahhhhh, i demand a new coach!
The four stages comment by the Bus Coach is quite possibly the dumbest thing I have heard from him yet; and Bus has said a lot of stupid things. FCD should have stayed with Steve Morrow, things were looking good at the beginning of the season. Heck even the temporary coach was doin’ better than Bus.
Hey, good news. I just got my annual season ticket package from FCD. Tickets going up 23%. Wow, cool. I mean they have done so much to earn it. Short of keying my car in the parking lot they have done everything they can to alienate the fan base…lucky for them that it was time for a price increase.
23% more. 99% fewer people purchase them = Hunt Business Logic.
Guess SMU never had to worry about selling ticket, keeping fans happy, making money…etc. Welcome to pro sports.
I actually don’t get the statement at all… the way I read it he is saying that he will totally screw with the team, everyone will go “what the????” but eventually things will be wonderful… Well… the only thing true about that is that we’re in the “What the???” phase.. but any chump can screw up a team. Ask Ellinger.. Rememer this?
http://www.ipetitions.com/petition/fireellinger/
SH would rather play a guys who sucks (Guarda) but sucks up than a guy who is clearly one of the best players (Dax) but makes one lousy comment. My message to SH: get over yourself and worry about winning instead of your ego.
For all of you who call yourself “fans” and didnt go to todays game….. Jeff didnt play due to his wife being in Toronto and apparentely giving birth to a child…. So SH started Oduro and also another chance was Shea,Avi and Dax on starting line-up…
I really liked what I saw from Shea and Avi however Avi sometimes tries to much… Nice game from Pablo and Sala(made some saves but still didnt come out for crosses) and I gotta say Guarda showed again some flashes and he gave a really nice assist and took a lot of beat in the game, I believe his is findind his pace. Dax just passed some balls around but again didnt show much at all. So I really think now more than ever we will have Guarda as our starter since Avi nor Dax played better than him today…
the reason hyndman took the job: $450k a year gteed over 5 years
why they will fail:
ask the players; they believe with good reason that hydnman is clueless and an idiot and ellinger a mute and a guy who coached 70 mls games 9approx) and won 15 (approx)-enough said
$450K over 5 years GUARANTEED?
That would make anyone succeed.
unless it’s canuck dollars…..
[...] seems to be the message all over the land these days. Sounds like change is going on around FCD as [...]
In all sincerity, I really feel for you guys…Hyndman is a clown.
$450k/yr guaranteed for 5 years.
Oh shit…man, this is going to get UGLY.