When Juan Carlos Osorio decided to stay in Colombia instead of going back to Major League Soccer, Chivas USA was left to go back to the drawing board. It turns out they didn’t have to look too far as ESPN Deportes is reporting this morning that the club is set to name Real Salt Lake assistant coach Robin Fraser as their next head coach.

The 44-year old Fraser has been thought of as one of the top assistants in the league for the last couple years so it is no surprise why Chivas went after him. He helped build RSL’s defense into one of the best in league history this past season. If he can do that with Chivas USA they could turn into an instant playoff contender in 2011.

I think Fraser is a good fit though you have to wonder if he really likes what he is about to get into here. Chivas USA has arguably one of the worst front offices in MLS right now due to a lack of leadership and a constant turnover. They’ve lacked a real identity since day one but I do believe Fraser is the kind of guy that can change that culture surrounding their club, similar to what Preki did when he was there.

Chivas had to get their coaching situation in order before next week’s SuperDraft. Chivas has 4th pick in this year’s draft and will need to fill a lot of holes in a hurry to compete in a very crowded western conference.

Jesse Marsch wasn't afraid of going up against David Beckham in his playing days at Chivas USA.

The 2010 season for Chivas USA wasn’t really a disaster but it was certainly a disappointment for a club that had seen the playoffs and success the previous few seasons before it. With Martin Vasquez gone the club has to go into a new direction and get someone who can get the club headed where the team needs to go.

MLSSoccer.com had a nice breakdown of the rumored candidates for the opening with Chivas USA earlier today. For those who don’t know the guys rumored to be in the running are former Chicago Fire boss Denis Hamlett, former Chivas USA midfielder Jesse Marsch, current Real Salt Lake assistant Robin Fraser, former US Men’s National team striker Eric Wynalda and former USMNT boss Steve Sampson.

All good and qualified candidates in their own right if you ask me.

On paper it seems like Sampson or Hamlett would be good fits based on their coaching experience. Sure Hamlett didn’t do all that well in Chicago but a change of scenery can always do something good to a person. We all know that Fraser is thought of as one of the league’s top assistants so getting him would be pretty big for the club and for Fraser.

The more I look at this the more I lean towards wanting to see someone like Marsch or Wynalda get the gig. I know my friends in Salt Lake will be happy with that as it means they get to keep Fraser, who will get a head coaching gig before long you can count on that.

Wynalda or Marsch present different and unique approches to the position. Both would bring a different sort of passion to the team that is needed. Wynalda could give the club a certain buzz that has been lacking for years now while Marsch knows the club well and could inject his tempered personality onto the team. But the risk is there with both as neither have had any real head coaching experience. Wynalda for the most part really has no solid coaching experience to speak of as it is.

This club needs a good shot in the arm no matter which way you look at it. They have a decent young core of players in Blair Gavin, Jesus Padilla, and Justin Braun. With a fairly high draft pick in next month’s SuperDraft (they have the 4th overall pick) they stand to get another quality young player.

A lot needs to happen to change this club but getting the right coach for a change will be huge. I know Wynalda is a risk and Marsch may not want to leave his current post as an assistant to Bob Bradley with the USMNT but each are guys the team has to look at here. The club can’t settle for a coach like they and others in the league have before. In this growing league you have to be willing to take a chance every now and then and going after one of these two guys would be just that.

So who would you want as the next Chivas USA coach? Someone like Marsch who knows the club? Someone like Wynalda? Or someone with a bit more experience?

Why isn't Colin Clarke back on some club's radar? (USLSoccer)

Its hard to believe that three clubs are still without a head coach this evening. Well one has an interim head coach but two big time clubs in Major League Soccer end the day without a lead boss, which could be setting them back a bit for the upcoming month with the transfer window opening up and the SuperDraft.

Yes I am talking about you DC United and Chicago Fire. Both still lack a manager after parting ways with Tom Soehn and Denis Hamlett respectively.

Last night we heard news that DC would not be able to get Akron head coach Caleb Porter which put their coaching search into a big spin. SBI broke news earlier that DC even went as far to try and get San Jose manager Frank Yallop and Houston assistant John Spencer for the job. San Jose said they couldn’t approach Yallop and Spencer said he wasn’t interested.

Yikes.

Are things that bad that no one wants to coach in DC? Second of all it says a lot about what DC thinks of former Kansas City manager Curt Onalfo who seemed to be the next guy in line after Porter. But with Porter out of the picture it just sounds like Onalfo was not good enough (which he isn’t by the way) to get the job. Now DC could still go that route if they end up with no other options but it sounds like they will continue to drag their feet in this search until they get someone better than Onalfo.

Why isn’t DC going after someone like RSL assistant Robin Fraser? Or former Dallas manager Colin Clark who’s now in the USL with Puerto Rico.

Chicago isn’t much better here with their search. According to ESPNChicago.com the Fire aren’t completely sold on their two final choices that were reported in former DC boss Tom Soehn or Chivas USA midfielder Jesse Marsch.

Honestly if I were the Fire I’d go for Soehn. I know things didn’t pan out in DC with him but honestly the guy can coach in my opinion. DC just had a loaded schedule with some injury issues the years he was there. Chicago won’t have as loaded of a schedule in 2010, just possibly SuperLiga again.

The ESPNChicago article also mentions some other possible candidates for the gig like Thomas Rongen (not a bad pick), Spencer (who won’t take a job until 2011 with Portland), and Clarke.

What do I think each club will do? Honestly I wouldn’t be shocked to start hearing John Harkes name for the DC gig here soon. I know he’s comfortable with his job at ESPN but he did do some assistant coaching under Bruce Arena in New York. In the end I do kind of see United settling for Onalfo. As for the Fire I think they’ll end up with a surprise pick like Clarke or even Rongen if they can get him away from his U-20 national team post.

DC's Kevin Payne is looking high and low for a new coach.

Some more news has come out today about DC United’s on-going coaching search to replace Tom Soehn. Yesterday we mentioned that Richie Williams is out of the running but a few more names have emerged thanks to Steve Goff’s latest report this afternoon. One name isn’t shocking at all if you follow the college game here in the States.

Akron head coach Caleb Porter is said to be one of the top candidates for DC’s head coach spot. Porter is a very good coach that has taken his Zips on an impressive run over the last few years going 68-11-7 record in four seasons, including 23-0 and a College Cup berth this year. As good as Porter has been in Akron one has to wonder will a 34-year old college coach that has very little MLS experience (played for both San Jose and Tampa) be a good fit for a big time club like DC?

Other names may make a little more sense though right now. Goff also mentions former KC front man Curt Onalfo as one of the candidates still left on the table along with current RSL assistant Robin Fraser, and DC assistant Chad Aston. The report also mentions DC will be looking at some foreign based coaches as well.

Honestly the club does need some sort of new direction here going into 2010. I like the idea of giving a guy like Fraser a shot over someone like Porter who has done well with a college team but will veteran players really respect someone younger than them? Hiring Onalfo doesn’t make a lot of sense to me since his teams in KC really never progressed over the years that he was in charge there. He just seems to be a better number 2 than a number one at this point. Thing is he does have knowledge of the DCU system which is always good to have.

Who DC goes for is really up in the air from here if you ask me. Either way the club will need to make a choice sooner rather than later. Goff said it would probably be in the next ten days so maybe United fans will get someone they want for Christmas here.

DCU fans who do you want here?

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Could Preki be on the move after this season? (Getty Images)

I must say today has been full of good stuff. From MLS playoff scenarios to U-17 World Cup rosters to other items it has been a full day. Needless to say if you have missed some of these items you are in luck as I have saved some of the best links of the day to discuss here tonight.

First up I wanted to get into an excellent post from SBI about some potential coaches out there that are for hire around Major League Soccer. This all stems from the news that long-time New England assistant Paul Mariner would be leaving the Revs to coach at his old club Plymouth.

Without Mariner in the field the list of potential coaches is indeed a little thinner. But Ives brings up some points that I have been touching on for weeks in my coaching hot seat. One being that look for both Preki and Denis Hamlett to not be where they are currently at right now in 2010. I’ve been saying for weeks now that Preki is perfect for the make-over at Kansas City (his old club) and I believe Hamlett would be a good fit in somewhere like Chivas or even San Jose if they were to drop Frank Yallop (doubtful).

A few other names out there are interesting like Robin Fraser, a RSL assistant. Most of you know I’ve been saying Jason Kreis will not be with RSL next year, well Fraser may just be the right replacement as most in the MLS circles believe he is due for a job in the very near future.

There’s probably going to be at least three or four jobs open this winter. Some people don’t like that their club may be involved in this but its just part of the game.

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Top 10 Games at Giants Stadium

Link

Even for non-New York/New Jersey folks out there like myself this is still a worth while read. The history at the Giants Stadium is pretty impressive for soccer. I knew of Pele playing there in the old NASL days but man there was some rich soccer there over the years.

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Marketing MLS To Big Kids…or Adults

Link

Some real solutions to getting more butts in seats at MLS games. Something I’ve been calling for a while now, real marketing for adults. Far too long have clubs marketed towards families, soccer moms and that group. While I think marketing towards that group some works, I still believe those out of that group will come no matter what. MLS needs more young adults in their crowds and the only way to get them is to really market the league towards them. Some clubs do a better job at it than others but let’s just say more need to figure out how to get it right and start selling out games.

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U-17 Roster Announced For World Cup

A few headliners in some folks eyes line up for the US at the U-17 World Cup this month in Nigeria.

Goalkeepers: 21-Keith Cardona (New York Red Bulls), 1-Earl Edwards (Nomads SC), 12-Spencer Richey (Crossfire Premier)

Defenders: 6-Zachary Herold (West Pines United FC), 4-Perry Kitchen (Chicago Magic), 20-Boyd Okwuonu (Tulsa Thunder), 3-Tyler Polak (CSA Legacy), 2-Jared Watts (North Meck SC.), 15-Eriq Zavaleta (FC Pride)

Midfielders: 5-Marlon Duran (Latino Americana), 10-Luis Gil (Pateadores), 14-Carlos Martinez (Wilmington Jr.), 17-Will Packwood (Birmingham City, England), 11-Nick Palodichuk (Washington Premier FC), 8-Alex Shinsky (Super Nova FC)

Forwards: 16-Juan Agudelo (N.Y. Red Bulls Academy), 19-Victor Chavez (Real So Cal), 18-Andrew Craven (First Coast Kickers), 7-Stefan Jerome (West Pines United FC), 9-Jack McInerney (Cobb SC), 13-Dominick Sarle (BW Gottschee)