If you follow Major League Soccer closely, you will have noticed a significant amount of negative energy flowing toward, within, and out from New York City’s nascent club in recent weeks.
Hounded constantly by astronomical expectations, New York City FC have found themselves buried under the weight of their failures by a soccer fan-base-at-large who have given themselves whiplash from constantly swinging their heads back and forth between NYCFC’s payroll and the MLS standings, gawking at both in disbelief. In turn, the resulting negativity has put head coach Jason Kreis on the hot seat.
Where is the beautiful football that was supposed to woo fans and detractors alike? Where is the atmosphere of an elite club? Where is the winning attitude that resembles that of the New York Yankees and Manchester City FC, the two principal owners of NYCFC?
The simple answer to all of those questions is: It’s not here yet.
But whether it’s here or not doesn’t matter. What matters is that the majority of Major League Soccer’s followers believe that New York City FC is an underachieving club, while others argue that the club’s missteps have become somewhat of a blemish on the league.
The tone deaf nature of some of New York City FC’s marketing campaigns revolving around their troupe of Designated Players–most notably the penning of NYCFC v. LA Galaxy as Frank Lampard versus Steven Gerrard, when in fact Lampard wouldn’t even be in New York City’s game day roster– has created a farcical vibe around the club that only increases in weight as the losses pile up and big names continue to under-perform.
Unfortunately for Jason Kreis, that weight rests squarely on his shoulders. No matter how unfair or unrealistic the mammoth expectations were for this club at the onset, Kreis has been and will continue to be scrutinized for being unable to reach the dizzying heights at which the bar was set for NYCFC.
The constant and palpable negativity surrounding the club has taken its toll on the coach, and it perhaps reached a boiling point after his team’s most recent home loss to Columbus Crew SC.
During the post-match press conference, Kreis offered up some blatant criticism of his players regarding what he perceived as the lack of a winning mentality and a commitment to the club.
Whether or not those statements are true doesn’t change the fact that to make such comments is an astoundingly bold move from Kreis.
No matter the circumstances faced by the club, it is the job of the head coach to get his players to buy in to him as a coach, to the mission of the club, and to each other in an effort to play to the best of their ability. That doesn’t necessarily translate to making the playoffs, and with an expansion club, other goals can be more important than playoff success right out of the gate. Building the foundation for long term success is arguably Jason Kreis’ most important task with NYCFC, and it’s likely the most precarious one to manage, as well.
While poor Designated Player selection (and questionable selection criteria), a cramped baseball stadium in which NYCFC play their home matches and are the secondary tenant, and the less-than-desirable possible implications of having a far bigger, money-hungry club as his club’s owners are not Jason Kreis’ fault, those factors still do not give him license to let his frustrations manifest themselves through open criticism of his players. It remains his responsibility to act with professionalism in an effort to preserve team unity and get the best from his players.
If Kreis truly does feel like he’s losing control over some aspects of his team, like these comments suggest, then he has no choice but to double down on what he has control over in an attempt to mold it into a salvageable, viable nucleus around which to build future growth. Otherwise, he risks alienating all of his players–and quite possibly the other coaches on his staff– by fracturing the locker room with careless comments that add to the already immense pressure surrounding the club.
However, whether or not Kreis feels like he has control over the direction of the club is secondary to how New York City FC’s ownership feels. If they aren’t satisfied with the current state of the team, or with the way in which Kreis’ managerial tactics are shaping the club’s future, the ownership could can him and replace him with another coach they deem more capable.
At the end of the day, it’s easier to replace a head coach than it is a team full of players, a few of whom are earning quite a bit of money. If he can’t right the ship internally, Jason Kreis’ seat could become very hot, very quickly.
