San Jose's first ever Designated Player signing is already making a difference. Geovanni set up a goal and scored his maiden MLS tally in the Quakes 2-1 win over the Dynamo in Houston last night, showing a readiness to contribute sorely lacking in some of his mid-summer DP peers.

Word on the street is that Brian McBride will announce his retirement today after a legendary playing career that saw him excel in MLS with Columbus and Chicago, at Fulham as part of the Fulhamerica era, and with the US National Team over the course of three World Cup cycles.

Editor's Note: MFUSA is happy to present the first edition of a weekly column from Center Line Soccer's Robert Jonas.

by Robert Jonas

As MLS stocked up on a new batch of Designated Players in the summer signing window, it was clear that these big-money earners fell into three categories. The first was the big name, big pedigree players personified by Thierry Henry and Rafael Marquez, while the second was the returning World Cup contributors still playing at a high level — Blaise Nkufo and Alvaro Fernandez being chief among that group. And what was the third category you ask? Simply, they are the players that have plenty to prove — I’m looking at you Nery Castillo and Geovanni — to MLS supporters.


The Chicago Fire's signing of 26-year old Mexican International Castillo came as somewhat of a surprise. Not so much in that the Fire were looking to reconnect with a Mexican fan base that was drifting away with the departure of Cuauhtemoc Blanco, but that Chicago convinced a young player with high aspirations to come stateside. The loan away from Shakhtar Donetsk should help gain him playing time, but he misses out on potential Champions League experience for MLS.


Geovanni found himself out of a job after his previous club, Hull City, was relegated from the English Premier League after last season, and has been searching for a new home since early this summer. His arrival in San Jose is certainly a coup for the relatively small market Earthquakes, and would never have happened without the convincing arguments put forth by former Cruzeiro and current Quakes teammate Andre Luiz. Lured by the promise of a sunny and vibrant Bay Area, Geovanni welcomed the chance to move his young family out of England. He now has the opportunity to make San Jose relevant again in MLS.


Looking at the situation in Chicago, the ink on Castillo’s contract wasn’t even dry before the rumors of a second DP signing were already flying around the club. Instead of complementing the attacking player Castillo with a defensive midfielder, the Fire traded for similar attacking player in Freddie Ljungberg. Almost nonsensical, the young Mexican playing on a contract that pays him over $1.4 million a season would be fighting for space in the center of the Chicago attack with the ex-Seattle Swede.


I dare say that the timing of the two signings suggest that they were not made with each other in mind. We are already seeing that this is not working well for the Fire, as Castillo has been asked to play more as a winger, when he clearly is more comfortable as part of central midfield. In just his last game, where he featured for only 45 minutes against the Houston Dynamo, Castillo had no impact on the Fire’s attack. Chicago fans cannot be pleased with what they saw of his obviously disappointing performance down in Texas.


As for the other aspect of DP signings — the idea that they can provide “butts in seats” — Castillo is not paying any dividends in that regard. Chicago fans are clearly not embracing him in the same way they initially did Blanco. Filling Toyota Park will not be accomplished by just any signing from south of the border. That fact is even more evident on the road, where Castillo is simply not the draw that the charismatic and controversial Blanco was during his 2+ seasons in MLS.


So where does that leave Castillo? His mark in MLS will be measured by how much he can help in leading Chicago to the MLS Cup playoffs. Even in that regard, Ljungberg is likely to get most of the credit. But Castillo can comport himself well by excelling on the wing and creating scoring opportunities up top for Brian McBride, Ljungberg, and the other Fire strikers. Throw in a half-dozen goals over Chicago’s remaining 12 games, and Castillo makes his mark. Playing for just half a game, then being out played by your substitute — Calen Carr is certainly gaining my attention — will only qualify you as a disaster.


Over in San Jose, the signing of the 30-year old Geovanni was met was a resounding chorus of “hurrah!” from long suffering fans of the Quakes 2.0 version that has struggling to make a mark in the Bay Area. Where the Fire failed in meeting a need on their roster, the Earthquakes addressed a gapping hole in their line-up by signing the Brazilian striker. Since the injuries that pushed Darren Huckerby into retirement last summer, the Quakes have lacked for a creative force in their offense. Geovanni is no target forward — a position they are still lacking at — but he has proven in the past that he is very effective as an attacking midfielder or withdrawn striker.


And like the Castillo signing, Geovanni was not brought to San Jose to fill tiny Buck Shaw Stadium. That was never an issue for this team, as they have constantly approached sell-out crowds over the last 2+ seasons — not hard to do when your leased stadium barely holds over 10K supporters. Rather, Geovanni’s arrival in San Jose was all about winning games and qualifying for the playoffs. He clearly understands those expectations given his comments at his introductory press conference, and wants to contribute to the club as soon as possible.


The paperwork necessary to make him eligible to play was completed in record time, and Geovanni made his debut for San Jose as a late game substitute in their 1-0 win over the Los Angeles Galaxy. Geovanni was clearly lacking fitness, and made no impact in the match, but he did get a huge ovation from the Quakes faithful. It will take the Brazilian another couple of weeks to get up to speed, and at that point will definitely be inserted into the Starting XI for coach Frank Yallop’s side.


So what should Quakes fans expect from their first DP signing in franchise history? Nothing short of a dynamic force that plays the dual role of offensive instigator and goal scorer for a team that is in desperate need of a finisher. A goal + assist total over 10 for the remaining 11 games of the season seems a fair benchmark of success. With that level of production, the Earthquakes should comfortably qualify for the postseason.


The opportunities are there for both Castillo and Geovanni, but must be grasped and not just taken for granted. The expectations are high — rightly so — and the fans will not be forgiving if either team fails to make the playoffs. Deliver some November soccer for their respective clubs, and their signings should be considered a success. Anything less will be a failure.


Robert Jonas is a writer and podcaster at Center Line Soccer and a frequent contributor to CSRN’s Around The League MLS show. He can always be reached on his twitter @robertjonas.

How many DPs does it take to score a goal in Bridgeview? More than five apparently, since that was the number of high-priced players who graced the field at Toyota Park in the Fire's scoreless draw with the Red Bulls.


Henry, Angel, and Marquez all played and played well for New York, though Henry was forced to come off before the end of the first half with a groin injury. Even without their DP power in full force, New York looked like the better team; Mac Kandji missed several good chances, including a Kamara-esque whiff with the ball inches from the line, keeping the Red Bulls from winning a game that was there for the taking.


Chicago was less dangerous, but had their moments. Nery Castillo made his Fire debut in the second half, and though he was clearly rusty, his skill was evident. He'll eventually make a difference.


Though the game ultimately disappointed with the goalless scoreline, it was entertaining throughout; even with en explosion of DP signings this summer, a game like that won't happen often. One can only hope any MLS holdouts that tuned in found the value in the game despite the lack of balls in the net. The 21k+ on hand at Toyota Park were vibrant and engaged, the teams created chances, and the TV presentation was solid. It wouldn't be fair to view that game as a tipping point for MLS TV ratings or casual interest, but it wouldn't be wrong to think it helped on both fronts.


Despite the star power on display, the man getting most of the attention today is Chicago's unknown rookie keeper, Sean Johnson. Johnson played brilliantly, and saved a point for Chicago by keeping New York out of the net with great saves and quick thinking. One game hardly makes a star, but Johnson raised his stock dramatically in the minds of many; after slipping in the draft due to a poor combine performance, his play is even a bit of a surprise. We might have come for Henry, Angel, Marquez, Ljundberg, and Castillo, but some of us stayed for Sean Johnson.


Both the Red Bulls and Fire will need a bit of time to full integrate their new parts. Last night was just a peek at the immediate future for each; provided their stars stay healthy, both will be forces down the stretch. Marquez's quality is evident. Henry is Henry. Angel is the best pure scorer in the league. Ljundberg has enough juice left to make a difference for the Fire, and Castillo is a supremely talented player in need of game minutes to slough off the rust. Both teams will be fascinating to watch for the rest of the season.


Despite the scoreline, the league's first 5 DP game didn't disappoint. Of course, the casual fan is left to wonder why all that star power couldn't find a single goal.

by Brian Mechanick

When Justin Mapp was traded to Philadelphia Union for allocation money, rumors immediately started floating that the Chicago Fire were going to sign an additional Designated Player, to go with big signing Nery Castillo earlier this month. Speculation ranges from the Fire bringing in another Mexican player to try to draw Chicago’s coveted Hispanic fan base to bringing DaMarcus Beasley back to his former club.


Around the MLS-sphere, a few have wondered if USMNT mainstay Jay DeMerit might return to Chicago, where he played four years at the University of Illinois-Chicago and one with Chicago Fire Premier (the development side of the Fire). At age 30, DeMerit has said that he might return home to the league that didn’t draft him seven years ago and set him off on his unique soccer odyssey. Although fans would love to see Jay back in the USA, would it make sense for the Fire to make him a DP?


For those unfamiliar with the DP rule, there is a minimum salary of $335,000, which goes under the league salary cap; the rest of the player’s salary is paid by the individual team. No defender has ever earned the title, and the logic for why is very solid. Defenders are not as able to impact the game as much as attacking players, and thus are unable to draw fans or excitement to the team needed to offset a DP salary.


Currently the highest earning defender in MLS is Chad Marshall, who is earning $250,000 in base salary (plus another $70,000 in bonus compensation) this year. As a the MLS Defender of the Year two years in a row, its hard to argue that Marshall is nothing if not an elite MLS center back. Yet if DeMerit were to come back as the Fire’s DP, he would earn at least 40% more than Marshall. DeMerit is a better player than Marshall, as the last two years of the US National Team has proved, but it’s difficult to justify him getting at least 100 grand more than Chad to be a DP.


Even if DeMerit were worth a low-DP salary, the external benefits of signing him are few. DeMerit has never been a renowned name to the casual US soccer fan, so it’s hard to believe he will increase the Fire’s attendance. His tendency for rough and tumble defending will do nothing to turn the Fire into a more dynamic, exciting team. And perhaps most damaging financially, if DeMerit were to become a DP, he would cost Chicago their last “free” DP. Having to pay $250,000 to get a third DP has to be a prohibitive cost for any team signing their second DP, as it may be hard to stomach for any club not named the Galaxy or Red Bulls to pay such a fee just for the right to shell out at least half a million dollars on another designated player.


Going against this logic is New York Red Bulls near-official signing of defender Rafael Marquez, the famed Mexican of Barcelona FC. While Marquez can play the defensive midfield role and has skill going forward, his rumored two million dollar wage flys in the face of traditional “attacking players only” DP logic. But as perhaps the most famed Mexican player of his generation, nobody can doubt his ability to draw NYC-area’s large Mexican population into Red Bull Arena. And with the deep pockets of Red Bull able to lie out the cash for such a venture, you can’t condemn the Red Bulls for making a move that makes such sense on and off the field.


In the end, a Chicago Fire fan could be excited about DeMerit coming in as a low-salaried DP. Partnering him with Wilman Conde would give Chicago the league’s best center-half pairing, and give the Fire a legitimate shot at making a push for their first MLS Cup since 1998. With MLS salaries on the rise with a higher salary cap and more DP’s, the Fire might start a trend in giving center backs a push into DP territory. Still, the high-cost remains an issue. A referendum is coming on defenders in MLS: stay the course and look for value along the back, or take a risk to jump in on a higher-priced defender.

I have a problem with Nery Castillo. No, it's not because he's a Mexico National Teamer or because his unibrow appears as though it will leap off his face and attack small children at any moment; no, my problem with Nery Castillo is that Chicago has signed him as a Designated Player, and I'm not sure he should be one.


The word that most easily comes to mind to describe Castillo is "disappointment." Yes, he had some nice moments with El Tri, and he certainly cost a lot of money for Shakhtar Donetsk; but other than that, Castillo has almost always played short of his perceived talents. Chicago is essentially his last resort and MLS his last hope of proving he can play a little bit and perhaps get Shakhtar to give him a run out or sell him elsewhere.


Is this what the DP Rule is meant to do? Bring in a player with a scant resume but a big money transfer in his past? I realize Castillo is not being paid close to what Beckham and Henry are getting, but his DP status naturally has me questioning whether or not he deserves it.


Castillo is younger (26) than most of the DPs MLS typically brings in. This is the saving grace, the one thing that makes his marquee status palatable. Houston tried something similar with Luis Angel Landin, a player with even less of a resume than Castillo. I applauded the Dynamo's approach at the time, happy to see a club use the extra wiggle room that the DP slot gave them to bring in a promising player who cost just a little bit too much.


Castillo seems different to me, both because he's slightly older and because his recent history is so poor. Nery hasn't scored a goal for any club he's played for since 2007.


The marketing element of this is obvious, and I'd be a fool not to realize that Castillo is a smart signing for the Fire for reasons that have nothing to do with how he plays. Signing DPs, short of Thierry Henry, is about finding a balance; is the player worth the money both for what he can contribute to the team's play and to the club's bottom line?


In Landin's case, his DP status had little to do with how much he made directly. His salary ($120,000 this year per the MLSPU) was just part of the total he counted towards the salary budget because the Dynamo paid his Mexican club a fee for his services. The Dynamo were taking a chance on a young player in need of playing time and thought it worth the risk. If they had no intention of looking for a more traditional DP rule-worthy player, than signing Landin made some sense.


The fact that they got it wrong in the end doesn't change my certainty that their approach was commendable. If Chicago is doing the same, more power to them. I suppose the DP tag might be justified in that case. Maybe Castillo will only make $200,000/year.


But Castillo has had ample opportunity to score goals and realize his potential. The window on his chances to finally figure it out is rapidly closing, and it's hard to imagine that Chicago's return will match their Castillo-as-DP investment in terms of goals. Unless that's not the point.


Castillo might put more butts in the seats at Toyota Park. I suppose that's a good thing. But I can hardly picture him being much better than, just to use an example, Real Salt Lake's Alvaro Saborio. Saborio has certainly scored more goals than Castillo in the last three years.


For the record, Saborio makes $120,000/year.

by John Carlton

Though still only 25 years old, Chicago Fire midfielder Justin Mapp is already considered an MLS veteran. After joining DC United in 2002 at the age of 17, the fifth youngest player ever to sign with the league, Mapp was traded to Chicago before the 2003 season. Since then, Mapp, a native of Mississippi, has become an integral part of the Fire, ranking fourth all-time in assists (35) for the Chicago side.


This past weekend Chicago played an exhibition against FC Dallas in Ridgeland, Mississippi, not far from where Mapp grew up. This is the fifth consecutive year the Fire have made the long journey south to play in the Magnolia State. On Monday, I spoke with Mapp on a number of topics including youth soccer in Mississippi, his career with the U.S. Men’s National Team, his growth as a professional soccer player and his prospects for playing overseas one day.


MFUSA: Chicago Fire just returned from playing an exhibition match in Mississippi this weekend, and Mississippi is your home state. This is the fifth year the Fire have gone to Mississippi. What kind of reception do you personally get when you go back for these games?


Mapp: Personally, it’s a good reception. They take care of us. It’s always an exciting time. There’s no pro soccer here, so anytime the people here get to see a true professional game, at this level, I think they really enjoy it. For me personally, I get to see friends and family and everyone makes the team feel very welcome. We really enjoy the trip.


MFUSA: There’s a photo I saw of you signing autographs for the kids after the game. I wanted to ask you about youth soccer in Mississippi. First, could you talk a little bit about your own experience growing up and playing soccer in Mississippi?


Mapp: Yeah, I have a lot of fond memories growing up here. I played for youth football clubs growing up in the Jackson metropolitan area. There were a lot of tournaments and all of our parents made great sacrifices. It’s good to see a lot of kids coming out to the youth games. Even in a small state like Mississippi, you can tell soccer is growing. It shows the level of interest has grown even since when I was playing as a youth.


MFUSA: How did you get onto the youth national team radar? Compared to some other states, where soccer is more popular, Mississippi seems like a relative backwater.


Mapp: (laughs) Yeah, being a smaller state, and particularly since not a whole lot of players come from Mississippi, and given that the population of the state is small - but, I played US Youth Soccer in Region 3, Southeast Region, and from the regional team was selected by the Youth National Team and it grew from there. So, that was my route.


MFUSA: I saw in a recent article about you in the Jackson Clarion-Ledger that you might consider returning to Mississippi after your playing career and perhaps coaching. It’s a long way in the future, but what level do you think you would like to coach at if you had your choice?


Mapp: I’d be open to anything. I like working with younger kids, no specific age group, but college is also a possibility. I like working with younger kids here. The Chicago Fire has partnered with Mississippi Fire Juniors, so I don’t know what capacity it would be, but probably younger kids. That could be the best fit for me. But, like you said, it’s still a way off in the future.


MFUSA: You went to Northwest Rankin High School in Brandon, Mississippi. You’re such a good athlete, did any of the coaches from the other sports ever approach you and try to put you at wide receiver in football or in the outfield in baseball?


Mapp: Not really. I played one year of football in the seventh grade and baseball up until high school. It was all soccer from the eighth grade on. I always loved playing other sports, too, but I always loved soccer specifically. At a certain point, it was all soccer for me, so I really never got any problems from the other coaches.


MFUSA: At 25 years old, you’re very much a veteran in MLS. How do you think you’ve grown the most as a professional since coming into the league as a teenager?


Mapp: The league has changed a lot from my first couple of years. I have a whole different perspective how it is, eight years in. It goes by quick. I’ve been doing it for so long. I see it as a privilege and it could all be taken away at any moment. I really just try to enjoy it and soak in all the experiences. At the same time, it is a job, and you have to take care of yourself on and off the field, in terms of what you eat, rest, etc. I’ve learned along the way how to be a better pro. Hopefully, that will continue, and if I’m healthy that will continue for a number of years more.


MFUSA: You’ve played at almost every level of the United States National Team setup. Is there one moment that stands out for you as most memorable? I’m thinking myself of the mazy run you made against Denmark back in 2007.


Mapp: They’re all very special memories. I’d probably have to say the Copa America (2007), when I got to step on the field in the first game against Argentina. We were playing against players I had seen growing up. Playing against the top players in the world like Lionel Messi. Playing against Argentina really stands out, they’re one of the top teams in the world, and they had their best players out there for that game. But, like I said, they’re all special memories when you play for your country.


MFUSA: Did you swap jerseys after that Argentina match?


Mapp: I believe some of the guys did. I would have liked to, but it didn’t work out. I think some of the guys ended up doing it.


MFUSA: They may have all mobbed Messi for his jersey.


Mapp: (laughs) Yeah, it was probably a lost cause to have gone for him.


MFUSA: I can tell that you love playing in Chicago, and the fans really like you. But you’re still very young. If the right opportunity presented itself, would you consider playing in Europe?


Mapp: Yeah, it would have to be the right setup. You never know what’s going to happen, but I don’t ever close the door on any opportunity. If the right opportunity presented itself and it made sense for me, I would definitely be open to it. I’m happy in Chicago right now, for sure. I just want to stay healthy and enjoy my soccer. Wherever things take me, they take me. But I’d never want to rule anything out.


MFUSA: What personal goals have you set for yourself this season? Aside from staying healthy, do you set any special goals going into each season?


Mapp: Sure. I don’t really put a number on goals or assists. I want to try to help the team. I’m an attacking player, so I’m here to create goals, score goals and be dangerous. I want to be productive in any way I can. I want to be playing all the time. So, I don’t put a number on anything, but I want to be dangerous and help the team. That’s my main goal.

Another week, another Chicago Fire head coaching rumor. This time, the club is said to be talking to US legend and current Fox Football Fone-In host Eric Wynalda for its top position. I'm taking the rumor with a grain of salt, of course, but you'll have to excuse me if I'm a little excited about the possibility.


It's not because I'm a fan of the Fire. I'm sure there's more than a little concern in those ranks, considering that Wynalda has zero coaching experience; hiring a first-time head man to lead a veteran team, no matter the individual's playing pedigree, is a risky proposition. Pardon the pun, but there's a reasonable chance that Wynalda, if given the reigns of the Fire, would flame out spectacularly.


It's not just Wynalda's lack of experience that might lead to a crash and burn scenario, however. Wynalda's reputation for spouting off at the mouth, both in Facebook comments and in his various media appearances, is well established; under the pressure of trying to win in the parity-riddled MLS, could we really expect Wynalda to hold back and mute his tendency to make controversial statements? I know I wouldn't.


But that's exactly why I'm a provisionally excited at the prospect. It's no secret that MLS lacks for off-field intrigue, the type of press-driven sniping that makes the English Premier League so interesting for millions of fans around the world during the days between games. What would the last few English seasons have been without the silly back-and-forth between Rafa Benitez and Alex Ferguson? How boring would it be if no manager ever said anything ridiculous, controversial, or just plain dumb? How much could MLS, which lacks for high-level play on the field, use a little more grist for the conversational mill?


It's completely selfish of me to hope that the Fire hire a man I not sure can adequately lead them anywhere. 2009 ended in disappointment for a team built to win it all, and while there has been, and will be more, player turnover for 2010, expectations will again be high. The coaching search to this point hasn't been a smooth process, and frustration is building within the fan base. Candidate names, few of whom would get the fans buzzing with excitement, have come and gone. The club, like their Eastern rivals New York and DC, is on the verge of entering the new year still searching for a direction.


Perhaps the best choice for the Fire would be a man with head coaching experience and an appreciation of MLS and the American game. Greg Lalas suggests someone like Hugo Sanchez, the Mexican legend recently fired by Spanish side Almeria, would be an excellent fit. He even mentioned Chicago, saying that Sanchez could do for team what Blanco did; bring in the Mexican and Hispanic fan base. Sanchez, despite his own penchant for talking and a
swashbuckling style, might be a safer hire.


But who wants safe? Wynalda's played in MLS, knows the game even if he's a bit blustery at times, and he would give the Fire an nice profile bump with casual MLS and non-Fire fans around the country. The Fire could certainly do worse, and I would argue that taking a shot with Wynalda would be much better than bringing in an experienced coach that amounts to nothing more than an MLS retread.


There's no doubt Wynalda would be fun to watch and follow. Just thinking about the first time he takes a shot at an opposing manager in the press, or badmouths a player from another club, makes me slightly giddy.


C'mon Fire, hire Wynalda and give this league a little more flavor.

I can't remember a longer weekend, and I don't mean that in a good way. From Friday's late, late night with the Galaxy-Houston power outage-filled Western Conference Final to Sunday and a terrible trip to the local NFL stadium, I think I could use seventy-two hours of recuperation.


Instead, I'm fighting through a foggy Monday morning. Despite the fog, I wanted to share a few thoughts:


The phrase "hard done by" seems about right for the Dynamo.

If it wasn't for momentum-stealing power outages and a disallowed goal, the Houston Dynamo would be your 2009 Western Conference Champion. The foul called on Landin on Andrew Hainault's goal-that-wasn't didn't appear too egregious when I saw it live on Friday night; the problem is that I haven't seen a replay since, so I can't definitely state that it was or wasn't the right call. Still, Dynamo fans weren't too happy, and I can't really blame them. It's the type of controversial call made all the time (maybe not the specific instance, but judgement calls like that change matches regularly; it's a part of the game), but that doesn't make it any easier to swallow. I'm just happy to see that the conspiracy crowd isn't as vociferous today.


The US isn't as good without Donovan.

Duh. As much as I would love for the Americans to have another player of Donovan's creative quality, it just isn't the case right now. It's why I don't put much stock in the shutout loss to Slovakia on Saturday, even as I recognize that it was far from a good performance. The US controlled much of the match, and while the ability to create goal scoring opportunities was almost non-existent, I find it difficult to be overly upset. Without Donovan, and with Casey paired with Altidore, the US had little to no speed on Saturday; with the system built to take advantage of speed that is normally there, the team just couldn't adjust. Again, while it would be nice to have players capable of playing more slow buildup in light of those missing elements, I'm not upset that it didn't happen with that team that was out there. Besides, the defense played fairly well, and Spector's play in the middle of defense was a highlight.


Taking your penalty kick low and to Rimando's left is probably a bad idea.

On three different occasions when Fire players took their spot kicks in that general directions, Nick Rimando made the save. After the first (or second), wouldn't it dawn on the Fire to go somewhere else? Speaking of bad penalties, what was Espindola doing? I suppose I'll never in my life feel the amount of relief that the Argentine did after Ned Grabavoy put in the RSL winner.


Back later. I hope.

On Friday, I wrote that perhaps the Columbus Crew missed Sigi Schmid more than they would like to admit. Early results have been disappointing, the club is certainly not performing on a level befitting a defending league champion.

Robert Warzycha may not be the reason for the slow start, but it's clear that his inexperience as the head man hasn't helped. Despite having a squad almost unchanged from last year's cup winner, the Crew have played inconsistent soccer. Good play is followed up by poor play, and the effects are clearly seen in the Eastern Conference standings.

Last night, the Crew were less than ten minutes away from what could be a turnaround victory.

Instead, the Crew's two goal evaporated, and Columbus could only manage a home draw with undefeated Chicago. Despite dominating play for most of the match, even after being reduced to ten men by a Gino Padula red card in the fifty-seventh minute, Columbus folded in the face of a furious attack by the Fire.

So how much blame for the lost victory should fall to Warzycha?

Hard to say. Columbus is still a good team, that much is clear. They still have ample time to turn around their season. They're still, despite the poor start, likely to make the playoffs (in my opinion). Warzycha's job seems safe for the time being, though he can't be entirely comfortable. MLS is not typically the place for rapid fire coaching changes, and the Crew's improvement this week should be enough for him to enjoy a stay of execution.

Still, four points from six matches is bordering on disaster; if the Crew go more than one or two more weeks without a win, Columbus may be looking for a new manager before long.

Good teams close out two goal leads at home with ten minutes to go. Good managers put their teams in position to hold on to that victory. Warzycha may yet become a good manager, but floundering with a team that has all of the necessary components to be successful makes it seems as though he doesn't yet grasp the job.

Perhaps the club would be better served by a more experience coach.

I can't help it, it just keeps popping into my head:

What would Sigi do?