When the topic of the greatest managers in the game comes up, MLS has traditionally been absent from the conversation. While coaches like Bruce Arena and Bob Bradley have had some claims to fame in the soccer world, there really hasn’t been much coming out of North America.
That was until last season.
2013 saw the New York Red Bulls frantically trying to find a head coach to replace the failure that was Hans Backe. With nothing to lose, interim coach Mike Petke was made permanent for the season. A dedicated former player of the franchise, Petke famously said that he wanted to leave the club better than when he came in. It was no secret that New York had their fair share of tactical problems. The beginning of the season showed that Petke was nothing more than a run of the mill coach; close losses mixed with a couple of lucky wins. As the season progressed, support for Petke held strong amongst supporters, as his dedication was on full display every game.
The latter half of the season was a mixed bag. Petke proved that he could control and motivate a team through thick and thin, something his predecessor could never dream of achieving. All the while, New York went through periods of horrifically uncreative performances. One week could include destroying Sporting Kansas City while the next held a horrific loss against last place Chivas USA. Yet even in the worst moments, one idea was clear: Petke knew the game. He knew exactly what his team was doing wrong and what he needed to do to fix it. He had the sixth sense every great coach needs to succeed.
Even after dropping out of the playoffs against Houston, the verdict was clear, Petke had something special. Whether it was his dedication to the team, his ability to control big egos and star players, or his knowledge of tactics, it was clear Petke had the potential to become one of the best managers in league history. But even on top of all that, even as Petke was being hailed as the next great MLS manager, there was something that set him apart from coaches like Jason Kreise and Bruce Arena: his dynamic approach to the game. Too many times we see coaches choose a formation and a style of play and expect his players to stick with it. That’s how Sam Allardyce type of coaches approach soccer. They know their team and they know what tricks they can use, and they’ll use what they know how to do best. The Alex Ferguson type, however, use their tactical knowledge to approach each game differently. They’re not afraid to alter formations, to use their players as malleable weapons. They act like generals guiding their officers through the battle. It’s a skill that few have and even fewer can learn. If a manager tries to emulate it, they end up suffocating their players and ruining the flow of the game.
Against Vancouver, the game opened with the Red Bulls commanding the midfield. While there was little happiness in the loss for New York, there was a subtle tactical superiority that built up over the first half. It was almost invisible in the consternation of the game, but you could sense the impact the offseason trips to Chelsea and Arsenal had on Petke. Players moved fast and supported one another with one-touch passing even while Vancouver kept high pressure in the offensive half. The passing, while often times errant, was also extremely audacious and calm, players kept good ball control while weaving through a slew of defenders. During Vancouver’s attacks, the four Red Bull defenders stacked a narrow line at the top of the 18-yard box while Jonny Steele, Dax McCarty, and Eric Alexander acted as three defensive midfielders guarding the backline. On offense, Lloyd Sam penetrated the right wing, while Peguy Luyindula and Tim Cahill moved into the box time and time again. The approach to the game was similar to Jose Mourinho’s win over Manchester City, where Chelsea also kept a flat and narrow defensive line with two midfielders sitting atop along with a similarly flat offensive line. Meanwhile, the creative short passing in the final third was reminiscent of Arsene Wenger’s Arsenal.
In the end, the team entered bedlam in the second half. A second Vancouver goal threw off all rhythm that New York had, and the team had no big leader to step up and save them. The tactics, no matter how beautiful they were, failed. But while fingers can be pointed at the back line, the lack of Jamison Olave and Thierry Henry, or the fact that the New York was caught with speed on the counter attack, the one meager truth is that Mike Petke still has a long way to go. There was no one pulling the team back together, and Petke lost touch with his players. The losses of last season taught Petke the basics, and this season will be where he connects his managing prowess to the pure passion he has for the team.
Yet whether Petke will be forced to substitute Mourinho mind games for Red Bull fueled temper tantrums this season, one thing is clear: good managers learn what tactics are their best and then manage their teams accordingly, but the greatest managers never stop learning.
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