Alejandro Moreno will be asked to carry the load offensively again for the Crew. (Getty Images)

Back to work this week here. Time to shift back into the season preview mode once more, this time turning our attention to MLS Cup champion and Supporter’s Shield winners from last year, the Columbus Crew. The only major change this winter was the coaching switch once Sigi Schmid bolted to Seattle leaving long-time assistant and former Crew player Rob Warzycha to take over the helm.

Can the Crew repeat this year? Time to find out.

2008 record and finish: 17-7-6, 57 pts., 1st in East, MLS Cup Champions and Supporter’s Shield winners for best overall season record. Continue Reading…

Just as expected. The MLS Champions Columbus Crew named Rob Warzycha as their new head coach today.

Warzycha had been had been an assistant to Sigi Schmid the past three seasons and had been in the Crew since way back in the inaugural 1996 season as a player.

“This organization is dear to my heart,” Warzycha said. “I have grown as an assistant coach and now I’m ready to be head coach.”

“It’s very important for me and my family that I can continue working with the Columbus Crew,” Warzycha said.

Warzycha signed a two-year deal with a third year as an option. Salary wasn’t discussed but it is said that he will be in the middle of the coaching pack in terms of pay.

Not a lot should change from Schmid to Warzycha next year. He’d been seen as the eventual replacement for Schmid. While he doesn’t have any head coaching experence yet most in and around the club feel that he is ready to have his shot as a head coach.

Most of you know my feelings with this hire, its a smart one for the Crew and one that won’t really change the foundation of this club. I guess the Crew will have a new coach doning the lovely Black and Gold scarf next year. Hopefully the supporters will extend that tradition to their new coach.

We figured this wouldn’t take too long for Columbus to do. This little presser just landed in my inbox. Probably little doubt who the new coach will be.

COLUMBUS, Ohio — The MLS Cup-champion Columbus Crew will introduce its next head coach at a 2 p.m. press conference Monday in Crew Stadium’s Huntington Club. The fifth head coach in club history will be introduced by President & General Manager Mark McCullers, and the general public is invited to attend.

Anybody think it will be someone other than Rob Warzycha? Yeah I didn’t think so, had this been drawn out any longer then we would possibly be talking about someone else but I am fairly certain it will be Warzycha.

That’s right, expansion side Seattle Sounders FC get their man Sigi Schmid to be their first head coach.

We believe Sigi is a perfect fit for what Sounders FC sought in hiring its first head coach,” said Sounders FC Majority Owner Joe Roth. “Sigi is a proven champion in this league and beyond, with an extensive and impressive coaching resume, and a track record for getting the most out of his teams. We believe that with Sigi Schmid as our coach, we have the best possible chance to succeed from the outset. He is the only coach to have led two MLS teams to the championship. We plan on being the third.”

The love continued on from everyone else in attendance so I won’t bog you down with quotes that say the same thing over and over again.

With Schmid on board you have to really wonder what shape this club will continue to take on here. The expansion draft seemed to have his foot print on it and you can bet the SuperDraft will go even beyond that. My biggest question is though, will they keep that number one pick or trade it away like San Jose did a year ago? Time will tell.

As for the Crew, I look for them to announce Rob Warzycha as their next head coach any day now.

Preki on the move? (Getty Images)

It sounds possible right now for Chivas USA to be making a coaching change in the very near future. Andrea Canales at Goal.com says that a change could be coming thanks to Chivas owner Jorge Vergara breaking his silence with the media.

The official Chivas site mentioned that Vergara also said that a present assistant coach at Guadalajara, Luis Manuel Díaz, would move to Chivas USA to serve as an assistant.

This was news to official Chivas USA media relations staff, who explained that they had not been informed of any incoming coaching staff.

One report was even more specific about how the MLS club could be affected. Informador.com reported that Díaz was going to Chivas USA to be the assistant of a new head coach that would be named in a short while.

That would mean, of course, that Vergara is planning to dismiss 2007 MLS Coach of the Year Preki, who led Chivas USA to the playoffs in every year of his tenure, but failed to get the team past the opening round both times.

Its not 100% but right now it wouldn’t be surprising. Vergara seems to be the type that isn’t patient enough to wait for Preki to turn this club into a year-to-year winner like he probably expects them to be. So bringing in another coach that probably doesn’t know the MLS game seems logical right? Wrong, its nothing more than a step in the wrong direction if it happens.

If Preki is to go don’t be shocked to see him land on his feet elsewhere. Possibly Columbus as some are going to suggest but I don’t see it as Rob Warzycha seems to have that job in the bag. Or maybe Preki takes a year off and goes to coach in Philly? Who really knows what will end up here but if a change happens for Chivas I just hope its someone who knows the MLS game.

Another thing that we all saw coming here, Sigi Schmid will become the head coach of expansion side Seattle Sounders FC. We had word earlier today that he wouldn’t return to Columbus next year as a deal did not go through between the two sides.

The only thing that could stand in the way is a clause in Schmid’s contract with Columbus that stated he had a “no-compete clause” in 2009. It’s in the league’s hands right now but we all know it won’t take long before he is being introduced in Seattle as their head coach.

One source with knowledge of Schmid’s contract situation cited a non-compete clause in Schmid’s Crew contract that could preclude him from coaching the Sounders or any other MLS team in 2009. The Crew has reportedly filed tampering charges against the Sounders.

“Something has occurred that has sort of made my decision for me,” said Schmid. “It’s in the league’s hands”

Sounders technical director Chris Henderson deferred comment until today.

Top assistant Robert Warzycha is the clear choice to replace him in Columbus. Most people feel Warzycha is ready to step in, which will be a good thing to keep some continuity with the club who will be trying to defend a MLS Cup title.

Its still a fairly big loss for Columbus. Schmid put together a real winner after a few years in Columbus. They’ve already lost Brad Evans, a solid reserve for them; Chad Marshall is set to leave to possibly German, which is a huge loss; but Schmid could be the biggest of them all.

I am eager to see what most Crew fans think of losing Schmid. I know some are excited to see Warzycha take over and get his chance here, but still losing Schmid is a big loss.

What do you all make of this news?