Photo by Ron Chenoy/USA TODAY Sports
By SBI SOCCER
Pablo Mastroeni will reportedly resume his role as Colorado Rapids head coach in 2016, albeit with some structural changes.
The Denver Post reported Thursday that Mastroeni is expected to return to the Rapids next season, a campaign that would be his third in charge of the club. However, Mastroeni is expected to be paired with a veteran, attack-minded assistant coach as the Rapids look to improve in the final third.
The Rapids currently sit last in the Western Conference with only 26 goals, which is the fewest this season. However, with Mastroeni at the helm, the Rapids have emerged as one of the league’s premier defensive clubs, allowing just 30 goals.
A defensive-minded midfielder during his 11-year career, Mastroeni was named head coach of the Rapids in March 2014. Overall, the club is 16-28-18 in 62 games in but has yet to reach the postseason during Mastroeni’s tenure.
What do you think about Mastroeni reportedly coming back for a third season? Is the decision a mistake or a good one? What coach would make sense to bring on as an assistant?
Share your thoughts below.
i like the way he talks. last year he said he’s trying to “build something sustainable”. i thought that sounded very mature. and wise. i’m betting this guy is gonna figure it out. give him time.
Weird report. Who are these coaches going to be? What veteran coach would want to work under a guy who is unqualified to manage a team?
I have watched every Rapids game this year. Although we haven’t give up a lot of goals, it is usually because we play 6 or 7 defensive outfield players. We get smoked when we come up against real attacking talent (see Seattle and Columbus matches at DSGP). With the personnel on this team I feel like we should be better. Why is the front office so stuck on Pablo being the coach?
I think when they hired him with no prior coaching experience, they would have to give him some leeway for at least two seasons for him to grow and learn as a coach. The fact that he came up with a great defense record in a offensively minded league deserve some kudos. If you can build some offensive capabilities by getting some good attacking players and have an assistant with experience in building an offensive attack on a defensively minded team, you might get a opportunity to make the playoffs next year in a very, very, good conference.
+1
While Pablo hasn’t made some of the blatantly bad coaching choices that he did last year (benching Irwin for example), he still constantly rotates in a league that only has a few mid-week games, let go important players (Deshorn Brown, Chris Klute and Shane O’Neill) for middling MLS journeyman, and has a roster devoid of pace. Figueroa looks good and Kevin Doyle might come good at some point, but he’s not worth almost $1.2 mil. I don’t see much vision from the front office from a player personnel standpoint, and as a season ticket holder, I don’t see a comprehensive strategy to get people to games. This year is the same as last; we get a 75% full crowd to start, and as the team continues to stink, it dwindles to less than 50% full around mid-season to the end.
The Rapids are signing a new offensive coordinator.
Glad they are taking “Ben Olson path”…now for some better players!
Kind of reminds me of when they brought in Gary Smith as an assistant…