US Coaching: Bielsa Rumors

I didn't post yesterday, mostly because the triple digit temperatures in Philadelphia sapped the life out of me and partially melted my laptop, but I'm back today to talk about the coaching rumor mill that is picking up steam.

The big talking point yesterday for USMNT fans was this nugget that Max Zeger dropped on his blog:

"Fresh off a round of 16 exit in the World Cup at the helm of Chilé, a source with ties to Bielsa’s native Argentina has informed me that the USSF is pursuing Marcelo Bielsa to take over as manager of the U.S. National Team.  Bielsa has also received interest from other countries, including Japan, Mexico, and an extension offer from Chilé."

I take this with more than a few grains of salt, but I would not be surprised if Bielsa was in the conversation over at US Soccer HQ.

I don't think Bielsa is the main target, though, for a variety of reasons.  For starters, I still expect Jurgen Klinsmann to be Sunil Gulati's first choice, four years after courting the German legend but ultimately coming up short.  Until it becomes clear that Klinsmann is not interested in taking the US job or that he and US Soccer will be unable to come to some kind of agreement as to player management and development, I expect the brain trust in Chicago to continue to pursue the most glamorous (and very accomplished) candidate. 

But I think Gulati has learned from the past and understands the dangers of putting all of one's eggs in one  basket.  Though I do not believe that the selection of Bob Bradley was the product of some last-minute scrambling after the campaign for Klinsmann fell through, I think there may have been a little bit of tunnel vision last time around, and thus perhaps a more narrow coaching search than they would have liked.  Granted, the Bradley selection worked out very well, so they won't be losing too much sleep over it, but I think Gulati really wants to examine as many possibilities as possible before making such a big decision at this pivotal point in US Soccer history. 

And that's where Bielsa enters the mix.

Bielsa recently gained attention Stateside for his role as Chile's coach, with whom he applied an attacking style that helped the South Americans make it out of Group H and into the Round of 16.  For what it's worth, I think Bielsa's attacking prowess was a little overstated by the media.  A team that tried to play attacking soccer was a bit of a rarity in the early stages of the World Cup, as teams felt each other out and tried to avoid blinking first, and I think that the change of pace that Chile (and others) brought to the table made them instant darlings.  Don't get me wrong, Chile did play some attractive attacking soccer, but I think things were a little exaggerated in terms of its ability and effectiveness. 

With that being said, Bielsa is an offensive-minded coach and would represent a pretty significant change of pace from Bob Bradley's organized, defensive approach.  Though that may be appealing, particularly after the perceived offensive issues of the last cycle, it might be a little bit ahead of its time.  I just don't think the personnel is there to make Bielsa's 4-3-3 or 3-3-1-3 really work, particularly with the US' vulnerability at the back.  That, of course, implies that Bielsa would not cater his style to the talent at his disposal; the Argentine could always pull the reigns back a little bit and utilize a 4-2-3-1 to provide more cover in the midfield but still give the US plenty of options going forward. 

As for the track record of "El Loco", he has been impressive in qualification but hasn't exactly wowed in tournaments.  After losing in the quarterfinals of the 1999 Copa America, Bielsa led his native Argentina to a resounding first place finish atop the CONMEBOL qualification table, losing just once in 18 matches and finishing 12 points clear of second place.  In Korea/Japan, however, his team crashed out in the group stage, scoring just 2 goals in 3 matches.  He did manage to redeem himself somewhat, guiding Argentina to a second place finish at the 2004 Copa America before stepping down.  With Chile, meanwhile, Bielsa again did well in qualification, as La Roja finished just a point shy of first place Brazil.  Again, however, the World Cup was not very kind to the former Club America manager, as his team were eliminated in the Round of 16, scoring just 3 goals along the way. 

That resume is both attractive and worrying at the same time, and it will likely not be ignored by those in power.

But that's all besides the point, and most likely a huge waste of words.  The bottom line is that this is just the first name to surface out of what will likely be a handful of candidates for the US coaching job.  With the widespread resignations and firings that accompany every World Cup, Sunil and company will likely have plenty of options to examine going forward, and I think we'll hear more rumored contact with other coaches as the weeks move on.  I don't think Bielsa is a first choice, particularly with his disdain for interviews that might bring unwanted negativity from the press, but that doesn't preclude the possibility that he will be the last one standing when the dust is settled.  And that doesn't even factor in the likelihood that he chooses another job, with Chile, Japan, and Mexico also being rumored as potential destinations. It's all really a bunch of question marks at this point that probably won't be answered for some time.

For now, though, just sit back and enjoy the coaching candidate carousel.