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After two disappointing road results, including a 7-0 loss to Atlanta United, many New England Revolution fans are calling for Jay Heaps to be fired. On Saturday, the movement gained a new voice in the form of ESPN commentator Hercules Gomez.
Gomez, who retired in 2017 after playing for 12 clubs in the U.S. and Mexico, questioned how Heaps has avoided being sacked, saying that it’s a poor look for the Revs’ owners.
ATL 7 @NERevolution 0: People talking about ATL having mercy on NE, & not who's to blame. How does Jay Heaps still have a job.. NE Rev fans?
— herculez gomez (@herculezg) September 16, 2017
It's not just this game. I've yet to see NE play to the level of their players; Kei, Fagundez, Rowe, Lee N, Agudelo, Nemeth.. how much more
— herculez gomez (@herculezg) September 16, 2017
You want your domestic league to grow? That means having team ownerships care. Long gone are the absentee owners, a new wave is in.
— herculez gomez (@herculezg) September 16, 2017
Gomez’s take on Heaps isn’t surprising as many feel his time in New England will soon be up. More interesting, however, is his statement about how owners like the Krafts are stunting the growth of the league. Of course, the Krafts were the target of a 2014 article in Boston Magazine, which called them the worst owners in MLS.
The Krafts were there to launch the league in 1996 and helped keep it afloat during hard times. They’re also the owners of the New England Patriots, the team that Gillette Stadium with the Revs.
In 2011, the Krafts hired Heaps to lead their soccer franchise. The former player has been there ever since, leading the Revs to an MLS Cup Final in 2014 and a U.S. Open Cup Final in 2016.