Why Tab should go (factual):
I'll put this first because it's short, sweet, and to the point:
- He has the lowest PPG (1.08) of any coach in the history of the Dynamo. It's simple and upfront. Currently, he is the worst statistical coach in Dynamo history.
- The team has averaged 1.22 GPG (worst run of any in Dynamo History) and given up 1.61 GPG during (also worst in Dynamo History).
- Tab often has some curious substitution patterns or doesn't use his subs at all.
So, yes, from a results standpoint I can absolutely understand the point of letting him go. I'd understand if Ted Segal and the new owner would want to go a new direction this offseason. And if the only thing left that will get the fanbase back involved with this team is giving Tab the ax, then it needs to be done. But it's incredibly short-sighted.
Opinions on why Tab should be let go (with commentary)
- He's not a professional coach: Uh......actually.......he is currently a professional coach.
- You can't give Tab credit for what he did for USMNT-U20, because those players were given to him: That's basically what MLS Coaches do, coach players that are given to them.
- He hasn't developed anyone from the academy: It is unreasonable to expect anyone could overhaul a team's youth development in a year and a half. If he started last year, you won't see any fruits of this labor until 2024 at the earliest. You aren't going to transform 16-year-olds in one year. Sorry man.
- No one's gotten better under Tab: Griffen Dorsey (22), Sam Junqua (24) Mattias Vera (25), Marko Maric (25), Michael Nelson (26), and Derrick Jones (25) are younger-type guys that have gotten better under Tab. Fafa Picault (30) is arguably having his best MLS season. Tyler Pasher and Coco Carrasquilla still have time to grow and improve. Adam Lundkvist was playing the best LB I've seen him play before he got hurt. There's 1 player you can actually say regressed this year (Memo) that isn't over the age of 30.
- Tab just does the same thing over and over: we've used 5 different starting formations (4-3-3, 4-2-3-1, 4-1-4-1, 4-5-1, 3-4-1-2, 3-5-2). We've used 7 different guys at the #6 (sometimes as a double #6), he's used Memo as a #6, #8, #10, RW and LW. He's played 2 guys at LB, and started with Boniek Garcia at CB. Tab's played 5 guys at the #9 (Urruti, Baird, Fafa, Lassiter, Bajamich, and had used Christian Ramirez there before he was sold). He picked up Griffen Dorsey off the street and threw him in the starting 11, and put Carrasquilla in the lineup before he'd even practiced with the team. He's tried lots of things.
- Tab's constantly changing things: That's because he's trying to find something that actually wins games.
- This roster is has Tab's fingerprints all over it, and we are terrible: Really? You think, when given the option of attacking players to replace Elis and Manotas, Tab was like: "You know who's bringing the Cup back to Houston?? Maxi Urruti. Go get him." or "Fafa Picault and Zarek Valentine are the best players at their position in the league. They are must-haves." I don't, not for a second. I think Tab probably felt like I did when I was standing at the clearance rack of Old-Navy: Outlet shopping for school clothes. Well, this stuff is cheap, I only have $20 and I need clothes, so I'll take what I can get. I was excited when I found something that wasn't overly embarrassing to wear, which wasn't easy because I was 6'4" in the 9th grade (I asked my mom please and she still said no, you go to school to learn not for a fashion show!). I'm fairly certain there are a few guys (Hadebe, Parker, Jones maybe Carrasquilla) which he pushed Jordan to go after. The rest was just him trying to find something that worked in the bargain bin.
- (Finally) Tab's in over his head: That's because this roster isn't going to win anything, regardless of who the coach is.
Why Tab should stay (IMHO):
When Tab was first hired, I actually thought this could be a really good team. I actually thought with a little luck we could be a playoff team. I had questions about Keeper, but I thought up top this would be a completely explosive offense. It actually started off that way. For those with short memory, the team only lost 3 of Tab's first 12 games. We won back to back to back against Sporting KC (5:2 on 8/25/2020), Minnesota United (3:0 on 9/02) and Sporting KC again (2:0 on 9/5) before Elis was sold. Since Elis was sold, we haven't been able to replicate anywhere near that level. We all know the difference-maker Alberth was here, and it's inexcusable that the team sold him with no backup plan. Elis and Manotas had both made their intentions to leave public before the season started.
There are 14 players left from last year's 30 (Maric, Lundqvist, Vera, Quintero, Memo, Figueroa, Valentin, Ceren, Lassiter, Boniek, Fuenmayor, Junqua, Lemoin, and Nelson.) 4 of those have been full-time starters this year (Maric, Lundqvist, Vera, Valentin). In MLS, you can't just go out and buy 26 new guys. Truthfully, we could have tried to upgrade every single position other than Quintero, which is a nearly impossible task to do. The "We need to tear it down and start over" squad isn't paying attention. WE JUST DID THAT. WE ARE STILL DOING THAT. Tab may have been a win-now hire, but the "now" situation quickly changed right after he got here. Regardless, Tab is a guy that you build a culture with, Tab is a guy that you build systematic processes with, and Tab is a guy that can help lead organizational change. Those things take time. No coach, and I mean NO COACH on the planet was making the playoffs with this roster. Maxi Urruti hasn't registered a goal or assist in 3 months, and he's had plenty of opportunities. In fact, over that span, he's had 35 shot attempts, only 8 of which were on target. What's worse is that once Baird and Pasher went down, the only other options available were Lassiter and Mateo Bajamich. Lassiter scored a brace in his first game but has 1 goal and 1 assist in his last 41 appearances (covering 1,378 minutes). Bajamich looks decent at times but also looks completely lost at others.
There are 14 players left from last year's 30 (Maric, Lundqvist, Vera, Quintero, Memo, Figueroa, Valentin, Ceren, Lassiter, Boniek, Fuenmayor, Junqua, Lemoin, and Nelson.) 4 of those have been full-time starters this year (Maric, Lundqvist, Vera, Valentin). In MLS, you can't just go out and buy 26 new guys. Truthfully, we could have tried to upgrade every single position other than Quintero, which is a nearly impossible task to do. The "We need to tear it down and start over" squad isn't paying attention. WE JUST DID THAT. WE ARE STILL DOING THAT. Tab may have been a win-now hire, but the "now" situation quickly changed right after he got here. Regardless, Tab is a guy that you build a culture with, Tab is a guy that you build systematic processes with, and Tab is a guy that can help lead organizational change. Those things take time. No coach, and I mean NO COACH on the planet was making the playoffs with this roster. Maxi Urruti hasn't registered a goal or assist in 3 months, and he's had plenty of opportunities. In fact, over that span, he's had 35 shot attempts, only 8 of which were on target. What's worse is that once Baird and Pasher went down, the only other options available were Lassiter and Mateo Bajamich. Lassiter scored a brace in his first game but has 1 goal and 1 assist in his last 41 appearances (covering 1,378 minutes). Bajamich looks decent at times but also looks completely lost at others.
Tab has done some head-scratching things with substitutions at times but also has a head-scratching bench. He has two clones of each other (Corona and Ceren) in the midfield, and neither are going to win a game for you. Jones has the most upside of anyone there but also makes game-killing mistakes at times. You want to know why he waits until the 80th minute to sub sometimes? Because he doesn't trust his bench. You want to know why he only uses 2/5 subs? Because he doesn't trust his bench. And rightfully so. With Quintero in the starting 11 now, there's not a difference-maker over there unless Pasher is healthy. I can't find the stat, but I don't believe we've had a substitute come on and score a goal the entire year. I can't find one. We've scored 3 goals after the 60th minute the entire year, all of which have come from a person who started the game. Memo isn't a difference-maker, Jones, Corona, Ceren, Lassiter, Bajamich, Boniek, and the rest aren't winning games for you consistently, much less a game.
Instead of tearing down and rebuilding (again), what we need to do is build off this roster. There are pieces here you can win with. Hadebe, Parker, Lundqvist, Quintero, Dorsey, Fafa, Pasher, Vera can all be starters on a playoff-caliber team. Believe it or not, you can make the playoffs with Zarek Valentine starting on your backline, Portland managed to 3 times. The defense actually improved this year with Zarek starting and playing 2,000+ minutes. BTW, want to know why Zarek plays soo many minutes? Because the only other person on the roster capable of playing RB is currently starting at RW (Dorsey) because there are no legitimate outside options on the right side (especially when Lassiter is playing for Costa Rica or injured).
Lastly, I've read multiple times from a multitude of people: "We need to finish the job and fire Tab". That's not finishing the job. Finishing the job would be building a competitive roster. I would hope we do that before we decide Tab can't coach. It's been two awful years, it's also been two years of improving the roster from absolute garbage. 16 new players are in tow. We still need about 6-10 more. The new GM could easily upgrade RB, RW, LW, DM, GK, LB, Striker and 2-3 bench spots. Tab might not come back next year, but if the new regime decides to give him a chance, I hope they give him a real one. I love stories where a team grinds their way back to the top. I'm cautiously pulling for our beloved #ForeverOrange to do it, and I'm still pulling for Tab.
Instead of tearing down and rebuilding (again), what we need to do is build off this roster. There are pieces here you can win with. Hadebe, Parker, Lundqvist, Quintero, Dorsey, Fafa, Pasher, Vera can all be starters on a playoff-caliber team. Believe it or not, you can make the playoffs with Zarek Valentine starting on your backline, Portland managed to 3 times. The defense actually improved this year with Zarek starting and playing 2,000+ minutes. BTW, want to know why Zarek plays soo many minutes? Because the only other person on the roster capable of playing RB is currently starting at RW (Dorsey) because there are no legitimate outside options on the right side (especially when Lassiter is playing for Costa Rica or injured).
Lastly, I've read multiple times from a multitude of people: "We need to finish the job and fire Tab". That's not finishing the job. Finishing the job would be building a competitive roster. I would hope we do that before we decide Tab can't coach. It's been two awful years, it's also been two years of improving the roster from absolute garbage. 16 new players are in tow. We still need about 6-10 more. The new GM could easily upgrade RB, RW, LW, DM, GK, LB, Striker and 2-3 bench spots. Tab might not come back next year, but if the new regime decides to give him a chance, I hope they give him a real one. I love stories where a team grinds their way back to the top. I'm cautiously pulling for our beloved #ForeverOrange to do it, and I'm still pulling for Tab.
Thanks again for reading,
#HoldItDown and stay #ForeverOrange
Brian
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