An Open Letter Response To Jeff Plush’s Colorado Rapids State of the Club Address…

As my dedicated readers know, I am first and foremost a Colorado Rapids fan. When I started blogging I decided to focus on college players moving on up the ranks, but on hot summer nights I’m at Dick’s Sporting Goods Park watching my ‘Pids. So, sometimes I have to digress of my main subject area and today is one of those days.

As you may or may not know, Jeff Plush has posted his State of the Club Address on-line.

I don’t agree with everything going on over there at Rapids HQ and I’m going to take some time to dissect this address and respond to Jeff Plush. In my humble opinion, this type of conversation between club and customer will help the Rapids look at things from another perspective. This is not intended as a personal attack on the Rapids, coaching staff or players. It is constructive criticism and a fan’s perspective.

I will take certain sections of the address and provide some counterpoints to Mr. Plush, I am not going to transcribe the entire address, as it is lengthy.

Away we go….

CRC: What do you see as the areas that need improvement?

JP: “Clearly the biggest need for improvement is on the pitch. We failed against every goal we put in front of ourselves from the team side this year. It is time for reflection and time for us to figure out how to improve in virtually every area on the team side...

Certainly there are also still other areas for growth for the club, with selling more tickets and sponsorships and getting more media coverage and exposure…”

FCTP: What is being done to improve on the pitch? The coaching staff is still in place minus a goalkeeping coach and fitness coach (as readers will find out later in the address). Goalkeeping was a bright spot this season, what good does firing the keeper coach do? At this point in the year I think a team has an obligation to the fans to make changes if things aren’t working. The Rapids have not made adequate changes.

In regards to the second paragraph. I think it is common knowledge that fans and sponsors follow winners. Denver is a competitive sports environment and to get noticed you need to win. Look at the Rockies, they made it to the World Series and had tremendous support. Look at the Nuggets, they’re winning right now and people are excited. The Rapids have NEVER finished higher than 3rd in the Western Conference at the end of the regular season. That is a problem not being addressed right now.

CRC: What is the status of the Rapids' coaching situation?

JP: “Fernando will be back for 2008. He has one more year left in his contract. We know that it is a controversial decision and that some people don’t agree with it at all. We respect everyone’s opinion on the subject, but at the end of the day Mr. Kroenke believes in honoring the contracts that we sign, and he believes in honoring his word. I think there are some positives to be learned by that.

"Clearly there is some work to do to recover some of our fan base that we may have lost with this decision. We will work diligently to do that and that work has already started. However, the reality is that this organization can win with this coaching staff and this current team. We did make it to the Western Conference Championship game in both 2005 and ’06. I’m confident that if we can get some things shored up, demand more of ourselves, train more effectively, and add a little bit of talent, then we can make steps forward next year for sure.

"As far of the rest of the coaching staff goes, John Murphy has been doing a great job for us, had led the Rapids Reserves to back-to-back championship titles this year, and is helping build the future of this club with all the work he is doing with the Rapids Academy. On the other hand, a couple of subordinates on the staff have been let go. We will move forward next year without Goalkeeping Coach Leo Percovich and Fitness Coach Hector Ifran. We are in the process developing a plan on how to fill those positions now.”

FCTP: Fernando Clavijo has shown over six years in MLS that he does not know the recipe for success. Yes, he made it to the Western Conference Finals two years in a row but in all competitions he has compiled a 35% winning percentage. I do not know a single other sport where a winning percentage of 35% is accepted. It is admirable that team owner, Stan Kroenke wants to honor a contract but this is professional sports. If your team is not winning you make changes that help you win. I do not believe that Stan has not fired another contracted employee before the end of their contract for poor performance.

The fans will return when there is a winning team on the field. More soccer fans will come when there is a winning team on the field. Why aren’t you doing what needs to be done to get a winning team on the field? Fernando doesn’t know how to win in MLS.

A final comment on coaching. The entire coaching staff is made up of defensive minded coaches who either played as defenders or coaches. I think the results on the field bear that out. Consider getting an attacking minded coach on the bench this off-season if nothing else.

CRC: How have the Colorado Rapids stacked up against other MLS teams this year? How do you think we fared both on and off the field?

JP: “You go back to how we didn’t hit any of our objectives, but when you look at some of the specific games and how we stacked up, it makes it that much more frustrating. If you look at it, we split the points with the East. We beat DC, New England, and New York, tied all four games with Chicago and Kansas City. So all the playoff teams from that conference, we split the points with.

"Where I think we really struggled was against Dallas and Houston, two of our main rivals in the West. We beat some good teams; in a five day period we beat both of the Cup finalists in Houston and New England. Clearly we have the ability to compete at the highest level in this league. It made it difficult to be a bystander at MLS Cup this weekend. I also think that when you start looking at 2008 we know we have the ability and the talent.

FCTP: Facts are facts here, Jeff. The team did not stack up against the rest of the league. They missed the playoffs and only won 30% of their 2007 games in the league. The Rapids lost 43% of their games…a majority. Splitting points or not, a win is a win and a loss is a loss. The Rapids had more losses then wins. I don’t think they stacked up well against the league. Furthermore, the Rapids bombed out of the US Open Cup with a 5-0 loss against a lower division club, Seattle. So the Rapids didn’t stack up well against the USL-1 at all.

CRC: There are two camps currently divided about the importance of signing a designated player. What is your vision?

FCTP: Since I agree with Jeff’s response I won’t post the whole thing here. However, I will add that the DP slot has a lot of trade value. If you’re not going to use it, trade it to New York, Chicago or Los Angeles for some value.

CRC: The Rapids have been accused of being content with mediocrity...how do you respond to that?

JP: "Nothing could be further from the truth, but I also acknowledge that it is just rhetoric unless the results change. We have made mistakes and we will set out to change them. At the end of the day, I take responsibility for our failings. If anything, I have been too deferential to others, but no longer.

"We will change the way we conduct our soccer business effective immediately. If we make changes on our roster, it will be based on character and integrity in addition to technical skills. I no longer will tolerate people who do not want to be here. We will move forward with a 'Club First' mentality, and with a group who wants to play for the shield on the front of our jersey, not the name on the back."

FCTP: Since I am one of the people making this claim I feel obligated to respond. This is all good on paper but I think the biggest problem of the past three years is the coach. He’s who brought the players here. He’s who shipped out certain players. He’s responsible for the play on the field, not you Jeff. Make him own up to his mistakes and get someone in who will perform.

CRC: What do fans most have to look forward to for next year?

JP: “Our fans right now are needing to know they can look forward to a quality product next year, one they can be proud of. A product we believed we would put in front of them this year, be we didn’t do it. We need to make it happen, there are no excuses.

"We have a platform to be proud of. We have a fan base that wants us to be successful and will support us. We have players who want to play in Denver, and other players who aren’t here but would love to come play here.

"We can be very successful. We have made the playoffs most years in this organization. Since KSE has owned the Rapids, we have made the playoffs three of the four years and have made it to the conference final twice. That should be the expectation and not the goal.

"I have met with the coaching staff and players, and my expectation is that we will play an attacking, pressing brand of soccer in 2008, especially at home. We want to take advantage of the altitude, the big pitch, a fun and raucous crowd to make teams dread playing here at Dick’s Sporting Goods Park. That is our responsibility to ourselves and to our fans. That is what we will set out to achieve in 2008.”

FCTP: Your lack of action in the clubhouse is sending a clear message to fans that they can expect the same in 2008 as 2007. Words are one thing, actions are another. Take action. Let the coaching staff and players know that 2007 was not acceptable. Bring in a new manager who can find success. Who knows what success tastes like in MLS. For example, an assistant coach who just won MLS Cup for the second year in a row. Or an assistant coach who won the US Open Cup this season and has been to three MLS Cups in a row. They know the recipe for success in MLS. Coach Clavijo clearly does not.

I do not think Coach Clavijo knows how to play attacking, beautiful soccer. Why wouldn’t he have played that brand of soccer in 2005, 2006 or 2007 if he knew? He is a defender by trade and that is what he knows how to coach. It is time to bring in someone who understands how to play and coach attacking, fluid soccer…not disrupt it. I am sure at the beginning of 2007 Clavijo didn’t intend to score less then 1 goal per game. But his team did. That is the problem and he isn’t the person to fix it.

In closing, I appreciate that Mr. Plush took the time to address the fans. I think too often MLS and the Rapids are too closed door, hush hush. However, I have to point out that while the questions were difficult, they were asked by someone on the Rapids staff. This wasn’t unbiased journalism. As I posted yesterday, the Rapids need to open up and allow some real press coverage, not controlled PR. We’re in the spin cycle here people, that needs to stop.

While it was a nice thought and effort, at the end of the day the play on the field has not been addressed. This is all lip service. The fans want action, Jeff, not words. Until the club takes an action that firmly says, “We want results now” that fans are not going to support you. Until the team is winning games, there will be a lack of quality at Rapids games and your revenues will suffer. This is sport, it is about winning. You need to make the changes that bring a winning culture to the Rapids. As I said earlier, the Rapids have NEVER finished higher than 3rd in the Western Conference. True, they did win the conference once…in 1997. And they did get to the final of the US Open Cup, once, and lost. Those are the only two bright spots in a 12 year history. You should be able to see why people believe your organization is content with mediocrity. You should be able to see why fans think decisions are made on the balance sheet as opposed to the field. You should be able to see why fans are demanding change.

It should also be pointed out that successful clubs in MLS have stable rosters year after year. 16 starters in this weekend’s MLS Cup rematch were also on the field in 2006’s final. The Rapids made so many roster changes this season everyone’s heads were spinning. Instill some consistency in the roster in 2008. Clavijo’s in/out policy where he trades for a player in the off-season and then ships him out mid-season is not going to lead to success.

It is now clear that we are not going to see a new coach in 2008. It is now obvious that the Colorado Rapids and Kroenke Sports Enterprises accept the status quo. I have a hard time believing that there will be any difference in the play on the field in 2008. You have done nothing to make me feel differently. I have no faith in you as a leader of my club.

Sincerely,
From College To The Pros

For those thinking I am hiding behind a false name, I do that only to protect my identity in this cyber theft world. Mr. Plush knows who I am, has talked to me on the phone and has emailed with me.