Lilley Out

[johnnybluenose]

Heard on the TEAM1040 that Lilley's contract is not being re-upped. So it is not like he is being fired, he is just not being brought back

Anyways, thank god. This team won the title in SPITE of him last season.

Now that the Nazi is gone and a new potential coach coming in might see the league and team for what they truly are (A Semi-Pro Team) will we see a return to evening practices so that other than the few guys that make enough on the team the rest of them can have normal jobs again?

Will a return to non-weekday work-time practices see another influx of VMSL guys?

This was a disaster of a season, and for a club that runs itself quite professionally at least off the field- from what I have heard the whole Tony Caig thing was a joke by the club, the way they handled that situation was shamefull at best (of course I'm getting info second hand as I neither know Caig or the Duz personally)

thoughts?

Whitecaps fire coach Bob Lilley

I guess after reading this it looks like they may have terminated his contract early...

 

[johnnybluenose]

Please keep in mind my above comment that the Caps are just 'semi-pro' is not meant to be disparaging in any way, it is just that they are not top flight pro footy and only a handfull of the guys can live on their pay packet from the club alone...

 

[reedie]

I really like this move a lot by the Whitecaps. Although Lilley certainly made the team more professional in the way they functioned, you have to question his style of play (championship or not, I was never entertained) and his propensity to bring in American players. We need a local professional team that is stacked with the best available local players like the days of old. If he's taken the team to new heights in terms of how they conduct themselves and how they are treated (read financially), then there should be less issues in drawing some of our top B.C. born players back to the team. I can think of at least 3-4 players in the Metro league that could be starting with the Whitecaps (and I'm out of the loop!).

Cheers,
Reedie

 

[johnnybluenose]

Guys like Sulentic and Xausa were standouts just prior to Lilley comin to town.
All of a sudden locals like them were ousted for likes of Gjertsens and Alberts and so on and so forth.

Prior to Lilley Tony Fonseca had the team playing blindingly entertaining football, sure they didn't win as much... But that may have had more to do with depth and ownerships willingness to spend than the playing style or coach.

I, as a season tick holder, would much more prefer to watch entertaining footy than watching the caps win every game, but play horrible defensive soccer while Kevin Hector, kjohnsob, Wolfgang, and I just sit there and enjoy our own beers and conversation only turning to look at the field when the crowd goes ooh or aaah or cheers....

Anyone have any ideas as to next coach?

Is there any chance Yallop , more likely sacking is a when not an if, would be the guy if the MLS and stadium looks to push forward a little more?

 

[reedie]

A good candidate to coach the team would be Bruce Twamley. He's been out of the local scene for a while, watching and I'm sure giggling to himself as the CSA self-destructs to new lows we thought never possible. Bruce would meet the criteria in terms of making use of the top local players, playing attacking + entertaining futbal, and maintaining the new professionalism with the club. By the way, he'd also be a great fit with the CSA for any of their 16 unfilled positions but it will never happen. The only question would be if he was interested in the Whitecap position...+ I say probably not.

 

[Regs]

I don't think Yallop would be a good choice even if he entertained the thought (which he wouldn't) - an expansion team would snap him up in a heartbeat... isn't San Jose coming back to MLS next year?

 

[Regs]

Maybe they will hire Reedie - he leaves star players in too long but that would be a refreshing change from Lilley's 10 subs in the last 10 minutes

 

[reedie]

Regs, I will tell you this much...my star player would have easily been a starter for the Whitecaps this year...and he's local...go figure. Xuasa, Sulentic, Crouch, Thompson, Skinner, Gomes, King, Heald...these are all potential Caps that should still be in the mix.

 

[johnnybluenose]

Yes they are.

But if you look at what Mr Kerfoot (who I have a ton of respect for) is doing with the Caps as a club and with the stadium and all that, coupled with his deep pockets, I wouldn't look over anything.

that being said...
in the meantime between the stadium being built and a then inevitable move to the MLS the club has to keep in the top as far as quality on and off the pitch. They should be looking to develop and sign as many of the top kids from UBC, SFU, TWU etc while adding to their foreign recruits with some top VMSL and other local guys...Having a guy like Stef Leslie rot on the bench and getting 8 minutes in garbage time over 6 games all season and not making a lot of the trips with the team is inexcusable imho...

 

[knvb]

I would think when Collin Millar and the rest of Darby staff get the sack at the season he would make an excellent choice.

 

[5bigtoes]

thoughts on Lilley.....
I agree with JOHNNYbigNOSE, the Caps are better of without Lilley. He was a poor choice from the start.
Reedie has a great point... load the team up with local players and fcuk the American talent (no offence but let them find teams in the US of A to play with...) are Canadian Boys, if they can't go oversea (due to passport, work-visa issues...ect) and the MLS won't let them play as non-imports we need to have them play locally and develop the talent we already have here in Canada and locally and believe me there are some excellence players coming up through the ranks locally provincially, and nationally...

let SirM have a run at it...

 

[Dude]

In the theme of recommending local TTPers, I hear LFC, LFC2, and LFC3 are all interested.

If they bring in local coaching and talent, I sure hope they don't turn back to nickel and diming those local guys. That was embarrassing, to say the least.