Okay, the news is out: Chattanooga FC has not renewed its ‘contract’ with three season Head Coach Brian Crossman for the 2012 season. You can read the Times Free Press article here, but it seems a bit vague and innocuous… Who knows a bit more about the whole change up?
We here at the Chattahooligan suspect that the failure to win the conference (with three opportunities to do so), the three straight losses to end the season (our longest losing streak ever) and the departure of three good players during the season (Irvin Espinal, Mark Beattie and John Calderwood) may have been mitigating factors in the decision. Hey, those things all came in three’s, weird…
Questions:
Does this include the whole coaching staff or just the head coach (the only one mentioned in the articles)? Who are the other coaches “nationwide” that CFC will be considering? Who should they be considering (since Jurgen Klinsmen is now engaged)?
What do you think about the change readers? Is it good or bad to let Crossman go? He did have a winning record every season, and he did take us to the National Championship last year.
Should CFC have kept Coach Crossman?
Hopefully this will inspire others with more insite to comment. I’d say having THREE starters leave during the season had to have something to do with it. Some players who seemed to have a real fire to make an impact but only getting in games sometime during 2nd halves while others almost always running hot and (mostly) cold starting most if not the whole season. There were more than likely behind the scene issues as well but what happened on field definitely didn’t help.
I for one am glad to see the change. I thought the team has played too much of a boot-and-run style over the past 3 seasons. I think the type of players we have had were/are capable of a better midfield-passing-and-possession kind of game. My guess is that it is hard to change coaches when you’re winning, but when you start losing, it’s a different story.
I liked Coach Crossman and thought he did a great job in his three seasons, but I do understand the team’s need to change after not winning the conference this year… I just hope we get back to the national championship again next year.
I think it was an embarrassment that we couldn’t win just one game out of the last three regular season games and I think that the blame has to go on the coaching staff. I mean the team that won the national championship only scored one goal on us in two games, and that was our fault… We have the talent, we just need a good coach.
The collapse down the stretch was due to the loss in key personnel. Now, if those players quit because of coaching shortcomings, then the staff bears the responsibility. But if instead, those guys left because of playing time, or other interests, then the blame for CFC’s finish falls squarely on the deserters’ sholders. I understand players want to maximize their summer season and develop their game as much as possible, but to chose your own advancement over the goals of the team is dishonest.
Should Brian have been released? Well, right or wrong, it’s customary for a club that takes its soccer seriously to remove the coach after such a finish. In that regard, it’s a sign that CFC is serious about this whole soccer-in-Chattanooga experiment that they won’t let a great personal relationship stand in the way of the club’s progress.
As for the new coach, I hope he’s someone with national experience (i.e. been on an MLS staff or a GOOD college team that regularly makes playoffs), and who is known/ admired for his ability to teach & improve players… a willingness to slip my name onto the away game will-call lists would be a positive as well.
You know what, I’m very much inlncied to agree.
It’s not uncommon for a team to make a change after 3 years. I (for one) thought Brian did a good job over the 3 seasons but as the events were unfolding at the end of the season… I guess I wasn’t surprised that a change was made.
As far as the whole coaching staff, I think the new head coach should make that decision. With a change at the top I wouldn’t be surprised if the assistant coaches explore other opportunities as well. Anyone thought of giving Bob Bradley a call?
Any news on the hire? I would say to get someone from an MLS staff or from a “highly competitve” college program would be hard. Are we talking summer soccer? Lastly, where does the club see itself going?
We here at the highly nosey hooligan have heard nary a peep.