Revolution To Name Jay Heaps As New Head Coach?
by Steve Stoehr on Nov 14, 2011 7:13 PM EST
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UPDATE: Guys, this is real. No official confirmation from the team, but...look, you'll have to trust me. It's real.
By now I'm sure you've all read the big news. The Boston Globe reports that Jay Heaps is set to be named the next New England Revolution head coach. Apparently the team will make the announcement tomorrow, and a press conference will be held on Wednesday.
I haven't been able to get a comment from the team yet (which is why there's a question mark in the headline), but the Globe isn't in the business of rumor-mongering, so for the time being I'll accept this as fact. Thus, my initial reaction:
AAAAAAAAAARRRRRRRRGGGGHHHHHHH!!!!!!!!
Look, I'm not a Heaps hater by any stretch of the imagination. While his commentating skills are questionable at best, the man was a top-class defender who was underrated outside of New England and has great leadership skills. He's also a guy who knows what it feels like to win; four Finals losses notwithstanding, Jay remembers what it's like to have the Revs be the team to beat.
The problem is, even if he knows what it's like to win, and knows how to win, that only applies on the pitch. Heaps is being pulled out of the commentator's box and thrown in the dugout in his first head coaching gig. Which is also his first coaching gig. Jay has zero experience and I can't help but think bringing in a guy with no coaching resume whatsoever is a huge mistake.
Don't get me wrong, it's worked for other teams. Jason Kreis is an MLS Cup-winning coach, and he basically stepped off the field one day as a player, and stepped on it the next as the head coach. Ben Olsen was given the job almost out of nowhere, and while DC missed the playoffs again this season, they made a marked improvement over last year. So this isn't the end of the world; Jay could be that guy.
I just don't think he is. I think he needs time as an assistant to learn how to temper his own emotion and channel his considerable knowledge and ability into a method that is constructive for running a team and a roster. Heaps was never one to keep a cool head...ever. Passion is great, but a coach needs to know when and how to use it. I really don't think Jay is going to be too good at that early on, and let's face it, this team needs to get a lot better very quickly. I don't think this fan base is going to lightly tolerate more mediocre seasons just because of a coach's learning curve.
Of course, there's always the theory that no one else wanted the job. I suppose that's possible, if unlikely. The organization interviewed at least a dozen candidates - I have to imagine at least one other guy was interested after the interview. I know we give the Revs organization a lot of stick for a lot of legitimate reasons, but it's still a job, and some of the coaches interviewed are still out of work.
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Not too too worried
at least about the emotion thing. He had to learn to control it in the booth as well and yeah there were times he stepped over Brad Feldman, etc, but from what I remember, I never heard him swear or go nuts or anything like that. Also, it’s natural for coaches, I mean, Kreis himself is a nut, he and his unprofessional evil eyes (Revs at Salt Lake this year) and his supposed planning on walking out on the refs (same game). I said it before and I’ll say it again, don’t jump the gun and start complaining (not talking about you, specifically, just the majority of Revs fans) because I think Murphy’s Law tends to apply here on occasion (we all thought Zerka would suck for example…) and there’s a good chance we would complain about ANYONE getting the job, even Ralston. The negativity from the fans erks me (yeah, I know, I’m not always positive either) and I know it’s how we get change, but jeez it’s just sports!
Let's keep in mind
Heaps didn’t really have a horse in the race when he was in the booth. It’s a whole different proposition to tell a head coach, whose livelihood depends on success, to keep a lid on it.
Founder and Editor of The Bent Musket on SBNation.
Twitter: @Stoehrst or @TheBentMusket
by Steve Stoehr on Nov 14, 2011 8:20 PM EST up reply actions
Strange World
Something weird is happening here. I am usually the one who really reacts with negativity here but I have to admit that I did not go AAAAAARRRRRGGGHHHHHH when I read that Heaps was the new coach.
Here is why.
We (the real fans) always bash the FO for being stuck in 1996 in their approach. They have changed that by following the very recent trend of hiring players right of the pinch to make them coach. So at least, it is a positive development. They did not recycle a failure of a coach from another team which for me is good.
However, do I believe that Heaps will be able to make a huge difference? Well no.
He is still suck with what has to be the worst roster in the league in term of overall quality.
He will not move the team to a more inviting stadium and the morgue of Foxboro will be our field of dreams.
He will not suddenly make the Krafts care and spend $ on this team.
No coach can do that. No one. This is the price to pay to have our wonderful owners/operators.
However, let’s remember how low the bar is. 28 points. Any point result above that will be an improvement. So Heaps can learn the job on the job knowing that it will be hard (but possible) to screw up the assignment.
Anyway, Heaps is an honest good guy and may be having a fire will motivate some of the underachievers we have on the team.
So the future is not brighter now but at least it is not darker.
Strange world!
GASP
I can’t believe the positivity!
All kidding aside, you’re right about a lot of those things. While I think there’s no doubt in anyone’s mind that Jay was the cheapest option, and that weighed heavily on the Krafts’ minds, it also shows a predilection for forward thinking, and that is encouraging.
Founder and Editor of The Bent Musket on SBNation.
Twitter: @Stoehrst or @TheBentMusket
by Steve Stoehr on Nov 15, 2011 11:24 AM EST up reply actions
Coupla Questions...
The first one is a matter of opinion: Do you think Ralston had more of a shot if Houston lost to SKC in the Eastern Conference Final?
Also, how, if he has no coaching license, can Heaps immediately begin his duties as the club has said?
In order.
1.) Not sure. It’s an interesting question, to be sure, since having to deal with MLS cup puts extra time constraints on him to evaluate the squad and get out a protected list before the expansion draft, but frankly I don’t think that would be all that hard anyway. I’d say it might be a factor, but is not likely to have been one.
2.) Coaching licenses usually only refer to the ability to coach in certain competitions, and league competition is usually not among that group. It’s all very superfluous anyway, Avram Grant brought Chelsea the the UCL final without his UEFA badges, and those are supposed to be required to coach in the competition. I think as long as he promises to get them ASAP they just let it go.
Founder and Editor of The Bent Musket on SBNation.
Twitter: @Stoehrst or @TheBentMusket
by Steve Stoehr on Nov 15, 2011 5:31 PM EST up reply actions
Ben Olsen had at least a season as an assistant and interim coach
He at least had some experience and showed he could lead a squad when he took over near the end of 2010. Heaps is much less well known.
The SAH Links Guy
You're right
It wasn’t an entire season, but yes, he replaced Curt Onalfo after several months as the no. 2. Heaps is coming in with nothing but volunteer experience at the collegiate level.
Founder and Editor of The Bent Musket on SBNation.
Twitter: @Stoehrst or @TheBentMusket
by Steve Stoehr on Nov 18, 2011 7:08 PM EST up reply actions
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