UNITED STANDS, COACHES FALL Loss to or even game with D.C. sometimes has translated into a Metros coach leaving the club
By Michael Lewis
BigAppleSoccer.com Editor
In Shakespeare's Julius Caesar, the protagonist was reminded to "Beware of the ides of March!"
To any coach of the MetroStars or Red Bulls, perhaps it is better to "Beware of D.C. United."
That's because it seems when the Metros played United, especially late in the season, whoever was coach of the team did not last very long in that position.
The Metros/Red Bulls have had eight coaches in their 11 seasons, easily the most by any MLS club.
A coach has left the team after a loss to D.C. or a game looming on six occasions. And guess who is coming to town on Saturday?
Yep, D.C. United.
On Wednesday, Red Bulls coach Mo Johnston was convinced he was going to face the axe, before he received a stay of execution from Red Bull New York on Thursday.
So, it appears the streak is safe -- for now.
But the season is still young. The Red Bulls and United are scheduled to play two more times in the regular-season: at the Meadowlands on Aug. 16 and back at RFK Stadium on Sept. 23. And of course, there's always the playoffs.
The incredible history:
1996
Former Cosmos coach Eddie Firmani directed the team to a 3-5 record and five points in its first eight games before he left the club (some say he was pushed out, other claim it was under his own volition). His last match was a 2-1 loss at the Kansas City Wizards on May 22. The next game on the schedule? You got it. D.C. at Giants Stadium, which the Metros lost, 2-1, on May 30.
The Metros were eliminated in the Eastern Conference finals, two games to one, by United (the last game being a 2-1 setback on Oct. 2). Coach Carlos Queiroz, who was offered an annual contract of close to $500,000, turned down the offer. Instead, he opted for the millions dangled by Grampus Eight of the J-League (Japan).
1997
Actually, the Metros defeated United, 3-1, in their regular-season finale on Sept. 28. But it was too little and too late because the team already had been eliminated from playoff contention. United would go on to win its second consecutive MLS Cup under coach Bruce Arena. Metros coach Carlos Alberto Parreira -- yes, the same man who directed Brazil to the top of the world three years prior -- bolted for the millions offered by Saudi Arabia to coach that team in the 1998 World Cup.
1998
After guiding the team to a then franchise-best 14-11 record, Alfonso Mondelo watched his team reel off a five-game losing streak that was topped by a 5-0 home shellacking by D.C. United on Sept. 16. There was little question the team had stopped playing for the coach. Mondelo was shown the door several days later. Former U.S. national coach Bora Milutinovic was brought in to stop the bleeding. He did -- to a certain extent, although the team was bounced in the opening round of the playoffs. And we all know the disaster that Bora had wrought in 1999.
1999
What's this? There's not even a D.C. game in sight over the last four games as Bora and the Metros finished with an all-time franchise worst 7-25. Leave it to Bora to spoil the streak.
2002
OK, the last game of the season was a 3-0 defeat at the New England Revolution on Sept. 21, which kept the Metros out of the playoffs. But the table was set for coach Octavio Zambrano in the previous two games -- a 1-0 home loss to United on Sept. 12 and a 2-1 setback in D.C. that saw a pair of red cards -- by goalkeeper Tim Howard and midfielder-forward Clint Mathis two days later. They didn't play in the regular-season finale in New England.
2005
This is what yours truly reported on BigAppleSoccer.com on Oct. 1:
East Rutherford, N.J. -- In such a vital match in front of their second largest home crowd of the season, the MetroStars lacked the fire in their 4-1 loss to D.C. United on Saturday night.
In fact, the only fire associated with the home team came from the stands, where some of the 27,670 fans chanted, "Fire Bradley."
They were voicing their displeasure about coach Bob Bradley as the Metros' playoff hopes continued to slip away.
"It's not for me to speak about," Bradley said. "Fans pay and they can say anything they want."
His Metros had but one shot on goal and squandered a 1-0 halftime advantage as they surrendered four unanswered second-half goals.
"I don't know how many shots on goal we had," goalkeeper Tony Meola said. "It didn't seem a helluva lot for a home game. It seemed like they had the ball the whole game. We put so much pressure on our defenders. It was unbelievable."
With only three games remaining in the season, the fifth-place Metros (10-9-10, 40 points) trail the Chicago Fire (15-11-3, 48) and Kansas City Wizards (11-9-10, 43) for the final Eastern Conference playoff berth. United (15-9-3, 50) clinched a playoff spot.
