COMMERCE CITY, Colo. – The Colorado Rapids are somehow still in the hunt for the 2019 MLS Cup Playoffs in the Western Conference. Robin Fraser has been in charge as head coach for less than two months. He has a possibly binary choice: Continue to implement his system and focus on progress. Or go for results if and until playoff are still possible.
Robin Fraser: Results and Progress go Hand-in-Hand Right Now
Perhaps that choice isn’t binary at all. To Robin Fraser and the players, they’re mutually inclusive.
“It’s a bit of both. We just take it game, by game. We need to rely on some (other) results. We can control what we control,” midfielder Kellyn Acosta said midweek.
The club clearly has to focus on the games they can effect but they’re aware of the situation and going for it.
“We have an opportunity, albeit a minute opportunity, to get into the playoffs. That’s a big picture thing. We know if we don’t take care of our game this week, that’s going to be gone,” manager Robin Fraser said as well.
The key question is whether Fraser is trying to use these final two games of the season (hosting FC Dallas, at Los Angeles FC) as an exercise to set up for 2020 or for the team to go for the playoffs as long as it is possible.
“I look at this group and they’re just continuing to get better. It’s Tim (Howard’s) last game. It’s Fan Appreciation Night. There’s a lot of other things that go into this. But I feel like your focus going into this is another opportunity to get better, another opportunity to get a result. We’ll see what we can do to make the following week even more interesting,” said Fraser.
“It all goes hand in hand. As we get better at what we’re trying to do, we’ll be able to continue to get results and control games more. At the end of the day, it’s gone together. I was trying to implement the system and win games.”
People who care about the Rapids should be encouraged that the new head coach believes that the team can get results and make progress simultaneously. Fraser went on to joke that the last month has been a crash course for everyone, including himself. So far, they’ve done everything but crash.
