Sunday, November 9, 2008

Rapids to Announce Head Coach This Week

That may be a bit speculative but I have it on very good authority that the Colorado Rapids will be announcing the hiring of a permanent head coach in the very near future. Given that it appears that the Rochester Rhinos may have jumped the gun a little with their announcement last week that Steve Guppy, a longtime friend of Rapids' interim head coach, Gary Smith, was to leave his post at Rochester to take up a position as assistant coach at the Rapids, the Rapids may feel forced to clarify the situation a little earlier than they perhaps wanted to. Clearly, something has got lost in translation. Rochester have publicly said that Guppy was moving to the Rapids (see link below) but very well placed sources at the Rapids have described the announcement as premature. That doesn't mean it is not true and, clearly, if it is the case, Gary Smith will be the head coach next season. Guppy would not be appointed if Smith wasn't in charge given their longstanding relationship and the fact that he would not have been hired if a new coach would be coming in. After all, any new head coach would decide who his backup staff would be. If it isn't true that Guppy has been hired, it leaves us no clearer as to who will be the head coach. That is why I think the Rapids will make the announcement this week to make it clear and get on with the very real issues of working out who will make up the squad next season.
http://www.rhinossoccer.com/news/article.php?id=899

1 comment:

Anonymous said...

Nick:

I like Gary Smith - he seems to have technical accumen and a way with the players that gets the best out of them. I think, with the right squad of "his" players we could contend. My question to you, is, given the oddities of the MLS system of rules and regulations regarding player aquisitions and contracts, what's your take on Smith at the helm?