Nicol: Success Defined as Making the Playoffs

I’m actually surprised my head didn’t explode while reading Kyle McCarthy’s vomit-inducing year-end Revs wrapup article on MLSnet.com.  I still may have an issue with my blood pressure… we’ll see.

The cherry on top of the Hot Crap Sundae is this gem from the suddenly way too comfortable Steve Nicol:

What next for Nicol, Revs?

Another season, another unsatisfactory conclusion.

A few days removed from what was an exceptionally painful ending (Jesus, anyone but him…) many Revolution fans are taking time to step back and look at the bigger picture.  And I’d have to think that most don’t really like what they’re looking at.

2009 was the 3rd consecutive year in which the club earned fewer points and had a worse goal differential than the previous season.  It’s difficult to draw any other conclusion then the organization is moving in the wrong direction.  And it’s time for that to stop before the situation gets any worse.

It’s beyond time for the Revolution to make sweeping changes to their organization, both on and off the field.  Players, trainers, coaches, executives, peanut vendors – they should all be evaluated, and none of them should be assured of returning in 2010.  Because as a Revolution fan from Day One, it’s becoming increasingly more difficult to get excited about a club that seems to be stagnating on the playing field and at the gate.

Report: Mariner Headed Back to England

A bit of a shocker for a slow Thursday evening:

Former England striker Paul Mariner is being lined up for a return to first club Plymouth as assistant manager.

Mariner, 56, has been in talks with the new Home Park board and his appointment is set to be rubber-stamped next week.

It will be his first management post in England after 20 years in the USA, where he is assistant to ex-Liverpool and Scotland defender Steve Nicol at MLS club New England Revolution.

No word as to whether Mariner would be leaving immediately, or if he’d see this season out in Foxboro.

Could the Union Give Mariner his Shot?

Ives Galarcep has an interesting piece on his site discussing possible Head Coaching candidates for the newly christened Philadelphia Union. (gag)  Chief among the candidates is perennial Head Coaching bridesmaid Paul Mariner.

An informal poll of Union supporters puts Mariner in the lead ahead of candidates such as Colin Clarke and Piotr Nowak.

Time for Revs to End the Nicol Era

By: Mike Marshall

Watching the Revolution hold on to a 1-1 draw for dear life  at home against the Colorado Rapids, you got the sense that you were witness to a Dead Team Walking.  Sure, the Revs still have a host of players making daily trips to the trainer’s room, but with all due respect to the job that Gary Smith and Paul Bravo are doing, they weren’t exactly facing Manchester United.

As the MLS season hits the quarter pole, New England finds itself struggling to stay in the pack.  Far more concerning then the team’s 2-2-4 record is how they’ve looked.  Eight games down, and the Revs have probably been outplayed in six or seven of them.  They’ve been outshot 136-57.  They’re last or next to last in the league in goals, assists, shots, shots on goal, shots allowed, fouls committed, and corner kicks.  All of which suggests that to this point, New England hasn’t don’t much of anything well, with the possible exception of keeping the team’s goals against fairly respectable.

Defend the Fort

You know, for all the times we skewer the Revs for doing something wrong, nothing makes us happer then when they do something right.

So, major kudos are in order for the folks in marketing who came up with this…

Very, VERY nice.

Captain Obvious Strikes Again

You know, I really wanna like Mike Burns.  I think he was a pretty decent player in his day, and he takes WAY too much crap about not being on the post in the ‘98 World Cup.

But every time I start thinking positively about him, he opens his mouth.  For example, take his most recent entry on the Official Revolution Blog.

Sure, it’s a good thing that Burnsie’s taking questions from fans.  But if you had given me the questions a day ahead of time, I could have practically predicted his responses.

Let me sum up: