The no-vacancy light has been shut off. Let the coaching search in Houston begin.
The Houston Dynamo grabbed plenty of attention on Wednesday night by announcing that they had parted ways with head coach Owen Coyle, whose desire to be closer to his family in England was cited as the primary reason for the split.
Regardless of whether that is truly the case or whether the Dynamo’s brass decided to go in another direction after seeing the club put together a paltry 3-7-2 record this season, a new manager must be appointed in the not-too-distant future. Whoever takes the job and becomes the third head coach in Dynamo history will not only be tasked with helping revive the team in the competitive Western Conference, but also bring it back into MLS’s upper echelon.
The Dynamo were competing for MLS Cups as recently as four years ago, but have slipped mightily since then. Long-time coach Dominic Kinnear departed to join the San Jose Earthquakes in late 2014, and Coyle struggled to ever find his footing in his season-and-some-change to become the latest cautionary tale in terms of foreign coaches in MLS.
The Dynamo know they have a big decision to make, and are surely going to take their time on it. The good news for them is that there are plenty of candidates with a range of experience available, even at this early juncture in the season.
Here is a look at some of the coaches that the Dynamo could consider for their vacant coaching position:
JASON KREIS
The first name that immediately popped into the minds of many observers following Wednesday’s announcement was Jason Kreis. The former head coach of Real Salt Lake and New York City FC, Kreis knows MLS probably just as well as anyone available and is held in high regard around the league. Questions persist, however, as to whether his recent failure with NYCFC showed his limitations or was just a one-time blemish.
WILMER CABRERA
The current coach of the Dynamo’s USL affiliate, Wilmer Cabrera has a familiarity with the MLS outfit that could benefit him. Cabrera also has some head-coaching experience after leading Chivas USA during the 2014 season, and knows MLS plenty after previously spending time as an assistant with the Colorado Rapids. He would certainly be a change from Coyle, but might not have enough of a proven resume at the pro level given that he led youth U.S. Men’s National Teams for much of his coaching career.
MIKE PETKE
If the Dynamo are looking for a coach who has had success in MLS and is young enough to help cultivate, Mike Petke might be their guy. Petke enjoyed success in his two seasons as a head coach of the New York Red Bulls despite being thrust into the position with short notice, and his dismissal was largely seen as unwarranted. Petke might not be the most tactically-savvy option available, but the Dynamo could do worse than having a fiery coach that players can get behind and fight for.
ROBIN FRASER
One of the more highly-touted assistant coaches in MLS, Robin Fraser is another candidate with a wealth of experience in the league. Fraser served as Petke’s right-hand man at the Red Bulls during the 2013 and 2014 seasons, and has since been at Toronto FC as Greg Vanney’s assistant. Fraser was also second-in-command under Kreis during part of Real Salt Lake’s best seasons. That said, his lone head-coaching stint with Chivas USA finished with an ugly 15-32-21 record after two years.
GIOVANNI SAVARESE
A coach previously linked with the Dynamo job, Giovanni Savarese has helped the New York Cosmos claim a good bit of hardware since he started his coaching career and a jump up to MLS could be the next move for him if he wants a bigger challenge. Saverese is no stranger to the league after suiting up for the New York/New Jersey MetroStars, New England Revolution, and San Jose Earthquakes during his playing days, but it is unclear how astute of a manager he might be in a league where there’s a salary cap and much more parity.
TAB RAMOS
Tab Ramos has never coached in MLS, but his name has made the rounds in recent years when positions in the league have opened up. Ramos has most recently been an assistant with the U.S. Men’s National Team and the leader of the Under-20 side, helping the 2015 group of prospects reach the quarterfinals of last year’s World Cup before losing to eventual champion Serbia. Ramos likes his teams to play a proactive style and knows MLS after spending several years in the league as a player. Still, his lack of experience might be too much to look past.