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December 19, 2007
SSVCF launched plus more details on Kinnear
The big news of the day is over here, at the site for the new SSV Community Foundation. The SSVCF is intended as a means to allow the soccer community to benefit itself through charitable means and we're pretty excited about it.
The loudest applause for this effort goes to Don Gagliardi, who came up with this idea last summer and introduced the rest of SSV's board to his vision. Some of the needs the SSVCF hopes to fulfill are well known in the soccer community, such as the necessity of financial assistance for some young players who would otherwise miss out on the chance to play on the best club teams. The talent wasted because some families can't afford this participation is an ongoing tragedy, and we hope to end it. Other areas are more "wants" than "needs," like the idea of a traveling Earthquakes museum exhibit with memorabilia from the 30-plus years of professional soccer in the Bay Area. How cool would it be to have something like that in the stadium club when opening day 2011 rolls around? In any case, SSVCF intends on being around for a long time, and with the support and enthusiasm of Earthquakes fans, we think it can accomplish great things.
As for the rest of the news, we have a couple items today. First off, we've received some additional details about this weekend's combine from the Earthquakes, and the big news is that a) they are at De Anza College and b) they are not open to the public. We'll see if we can get some reports from the front office next week but we're not expecting much — it doesn't benefit the Quakes at all to comment publicly about the best players at the combine with the MLS SuperDraft coming up in a couple months. At the bare minimum, though, we should be able to find out how the weather was during the tryouts.
Our second item is about two MLS coaches, Juan Carlos Osorio of Chicago New York and Dominic Kinnear of Houston. A story in the Houston Chronicle about Kinnear's new contract with the Dynamo notes that, prior to last month's MLS Cup, Quakes GM John Doyle "asked for permission to talk with Kinnear, but (Houston GM Oliver) Luck denied the request."
While this could be seen as a case of former Quake being held in Texas against his will, we also saw this article from the Chicago Tribune. Apparently, the first time Red Bull New York came calling on Fire GM John Guppy to get permission to talk to Osorio, Guppy turned them down.
The story continues:
Two days after the Fire rejected the Red Bulls' initial request to interview him, Osorio asked Guppy to reconsider.
The rest you know — Osorio is the new coach of Red Bull New York.
While we're jumping to a conclusion here, we think we're not jumping very far to say that if Kinnear had wanted to return to San Jose, he at least would have wanted to hear what the Quakes were offering. As far as we know, however, he didn't ask Luck to reconsider and let him talk to Doyle.
So, as a new day dawns for Northern California soccer with the birth of SSVCF, we're going to suggest that we all turn the page, at least as far as Kinnear is concerned. He's got a great team in Houston that consists largely of players he has hand-picked, he's presumably well paid, and everything is lined up so that he'll be one of the top candidates for the U.S. job after the 2010 World Cup, which is also when his contract will be up. We wish him the best of luck — except, of course, when Houston plays the Earthquakes.
Posted by Jay at December 19, 2007 02:58 PM
Comments
It's not really an apples to apples comparison: Osario's situation was quite a bit different than that of Kinnear. Chicago's season was over when he talked to New York. In Kinnear's case, though, it would have been poor form to talk to another team during the playoffs. (If Doyle had called Houston AFTER the MLS Cup, it may have been a different story, but Yallop had already been hired, weeks before.)
Posted by: CB at December 19, 2007 11:38 PM
Well, we've seen a coach negotiate a contract during the playoffs here in San Jose — Frank Yallop left for Canada immediately after the 2003 MLS Cup, and that departure was negotiated before the final.
I think that Kinnear would have said something if he had really wanted to come back. From what I've seen on the sidelines, he doesn't seem like the type of guy who would take 'no' for an answer.
In any case, we have Yallop back, so we can all be thankful for that.
Posted by: Jay Hipps, SSV at December 20, 2007 06:51 AM
I am very greatful that we have Yallop back. I always like the way that he coached a little (besides his love for Lagos)more tha Kinnear. Frank set the standard for Dom, he won 2 cups , dom won none for SJ, so yah, Frank was the right man. Love this SSV blog, check it everyday. I WANT MORE RUMOURS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Posted by: Dennis at December 20, 2007 08:54 AM
Regarding Yallop leaving the Quakes immediately after the 2003 MLS Cup: it's quite a different story to leave for a national team job. Most of the better MLS coaches have clauses in their contracts allowing them to leave if offered a national team position. (Yallop was reported to have such a clause when he took the LA job, as did Bob Bradley when he was hired by Chivas USA. In all liklihood, Kinnear does too.)
Leaving for another MLS opponent is a different story. When Mo Johnston was coaching New York in 2006, he expressed interest in the Toronto job (and was promptly fired by New York, just for considering another job). It's never a good idea for your current employer to find out that you have been looking around (same goes for most of us!).
Regardless, Yallop was the architect of the San Jose/Houston dynasty, and now he had a chance to do it again. It was an excellent move by the Quakes.
Posted by: CB at December 20, 2007 07:00 PM
You make a good point re: the difference between leaving MLS for a national team job.
I'm glad to have Yallop back, too.
Posted by: Jay Hipps, SSV at December 21, 2007 07:44 AM