|
|
In this five-part series, RedNation Online examines Paul Mariner’s successes, failures, and everything in between, focusing on key issues and providing fair and balanced analysis of the Toronto FC’s newest head coach.
When Paul Mariner was signed on as head coach of Toronto FC, the discourse amongst the media and the supporters was clearly divided. On one side stood Paul Mariner the returnee, burdened with the failures of the previous regime of which he was a key member: on the other side stood the premiering Paul Mariner, a brand new head coach with a brand new philosophy.
The questions soon arose: how much time is enough to judge Paul Mariner? Does he even deserve more time than Aron Winter? Isn’t Mariner accountable for the failures of Aron Winter, too?
All excellent points. We’ll start with the issue of time.
Mariner kicked off his helm as head of Toronto FC on June 7. Since then, he has won six games, lost 10 and drawn eight. He has not drastically improved on Aron Winter’s dismal record nor has he improved the level of play on the field. The argument can be made that the time is up for Paul Mariner, that he has proven he in incapable of running the club and that he has become the bane of the philosophy Toronto FC seemingly adopted when Aron Winter was appointed.
At the same time, the argument can be made that Paul Mariner has not been given a fair shot just yet. Certainly, any manager in Major League Soccer should be awarded the chance at an offseason makeover of their respective sides. The bulk of change that a team can go through happens in the offseason break. It is impossible to reformat a team with the summer transfer window alone, for a variety of reasons.
For one, transfers within MLS often involve the use of draft picks, allocation money, international spots, allocation order, and player-for-player deals. Many of these assets are redistributed and refreshed during the offseason. Allocation money/orders and draft picks, for example, are given to teams based on how they finished in the standings of the previous season.
In order to make deals that benefit the team, one must possess these assets. Paul Mariner did not possess many of these during the summer transfer window, and what he did have was traded away promptly for Eric Hassli and Quincey Amarikwa. With the salary cap already burdened with three Designated Players, Mariner’s options in the summer transfer window were severely limited.
The offseason, however, provides the newest head coach with a plethora of options that were once unavailable to him. This includes contract-ends, which frees up cap space without dealing the player away. Freeing up room in the salary cap will be key, especially if Danny Koevermans and Torsten Frings stay on with Toronto FC.
Wholesale changes should be expected during the offseason, and with Toronto FC holding the first overall draft pick, as well as the highest amount of allocation money and the first pick on the allocation order for returning players, Paul Mariner will have a lot of assets heading into a major squad overhaul.
So, what supporters are asking now is, does Paul Mariner even deserve the chance? His record has been unimpressive, and frustration is high at the moment. Critics of Mariner state that he has already been given the chance, when he was involved as the guy whose job it was to acquire players under Aron Winter! The sentiment is understood – it’s also a bit unfair.
There’s a huge difference between being in charge of the team and being in charge of picking up players. How much influence Paul Mariner actually had on player acquisitions is up for debate, but the fact remains that Mariner has not had his chance to mold the team to his liking just yet.
This is the best argument that can be made for preserving Paul Mariner. He has to be given a fair shot at making the team his own, and judged accordingly. To be given the hand he has been dealt and then held accountable for it is, perhaps, unfair, even if he had a limited influence in the current state of the team.
So, let’s not beat around the bush: does Paul Mariner’s time before he became head coach even count? Defenders of Mariner would say that, since he was not directly involved with the acquisition of players that he himself wanted, any influence on the squad itself is second-hand. Critics of Mariner would argue that Mariner’s mark was on the squad already, Reggie Lambe being one of Mariner’s own. The degree in which Paul Mariner has impacted Aron Winter’s Toronto FC is up for debate.
The fact is, we don’t know how important Mariner was for Winter. What we do know is that Paul Mariner was involved in some degree with assessing talent and deciding on pulling the trigger on player signings. Siding one way or the other on this issue would be premature – we simply can’t measure Mariner’s contributions, since Mariner himself was not head coach for the majority of these deals.
However, here’s where things get tricky – if Paul Mariner is indeed accountable for the failures of Aron Winter and his regime, what then is the alternative? Firing Mariner means appointing a new head coach, who will, in turn, use the offseason as a chance to rebuild the team the way he wants to, putting a personalized stamp on the outfit.
Seems fair, right? Fire Mariner, hire a new guy, and let him take control. What, then, are the criteria for finding a new manager? Well, for one, he should have experience in Major League Soccer, preferably with a championship winning team. For another, his reputation in the league should be positive. Finally, he should be able to come up with trades and deals that benefit the team.
Does that manager sound somehow familiar to anyone? Paul Mariner has many years of MLS experience under his belt. He is well regarded in New England and in the league, unlike Preki, who was celebrated upon his departure. He has already acquired Eric Hassli and Darren O’Dea.
In many ways, Paul Mariner is exactly the kind of manager Toronto FC should be looking for. He hasn’t worked out this season, yet, who can say they have at Toronto FC this year? Everyone has struggled, from Torsten Frings to Richard Eckersley to Danny Koevermans; this has been a year of turmoil for many players.
These failures do not discount the quality of the players, so should a head coach be held to the same standards? Mariner took over during a bad patch and could not steer the ship to clear waters using the summer transfer window alone. Logic dictates that if Paul Mariner had the right tools at his disposal, he theoretically could right the ship.
This is where patience must come in. Things will not change overnight, no matter how much the demand for it is echoed. What it comes down to is simply this: firing Mariner today means further changes tomorrow, and, as has been the cycle with Toronto FC, each new manager brings with him a rotation of players anyway. If faith in Mariner is at a low, the next manager, whomever that may be, will not operate differently – he, too, will make moves in the offseason. He, too, will make major changes.
So what then, is the point of replacing a man of whom we know too little to accurately make a judgment call on? This is not to say that Mariner is without flaws. We’ve seen things from Mariner this season that do not inspire confidence by the bucketful. At the same time, and I cannot stress this enough, it is not fair to judge the man on these minutes alone.
In every aspect, one prevailing message manages to makes its way to the forefront – Paul Mariner has not been given enough time to change. The time he has had at the helm of Toronto FC has coincided with the lowest periods of possible turnover or reform, period. To judge Mariner now when Aron Winter was given the emperors share of 2012’s reformation period is unjust to the unique skillset that Mariner could bring to Toronto FC.
It is why the virtue of patience is important now more than ever for Toronto FC supporters. The critics will say that he has been given enough time, and, if you count minutes on a clock, you may be right. Yet, time in football is divided in importance, and what Paul Mariner has clearly lacked is those valuable minutes of revolution.
The offseason gives him those precious moments for change, coupled with the arsenal of assets he lacks today. In short: patience is key.
What say you? We’ll end every segment with a question for readers! This week’s question: Do you personally feel Paul Mariner has been given enough time with Toronto FC? Have at it!
|
|