Mr Right? Robin Fraser is unveiled today as the latest Chivas USA coach by Interim General Manager Jose Domene (Photo courtesy Chivas USA).
Former Galaxy defender and Real Salt Lake assistant coach Robin Fraser was introduced as the club’s sixth coach in seven years at a rather vague news conference today that offered plenty in terms of abstract philosophy and little in the way of specifics.
“The owners have a phenomenal vision about where they want this team to go and how it’s going to get there,” said Fraser at the outset of the press conference without offering concrete examples.
Whatever that vision is Interim General Manager Jose Domene wasn’t articulating it:
“In terms of the global vision for this club that’s more of a question for our team President Antonio Cue. We have great strategy in place that you’ll see.”
Well, what about Fraser’s philosophy then?
“We’re going to teach our players how to solve problems on the field because a team that can figure out how to solve problems on the field is going to figure out how to win,” he said.
For Fraser it was the challenge of taking over a team that needs a massive rebuilding job that attracted him, which is much like the situation he first encountered with RSL:
“That’s one of the things that’s really appealing. It reminds me a little bit of a team that needed some rebuilding and reshaping and remodeling. … It’s a lot about shaping the way the team approaches (things), the way the team plays. I think this is a team that has a basis for being a very, very good team.”
Fraser said he will have a “fair” amount of control over player personnel decisions at a club where those things are literally decided by a soccer “committee” comprised of ownership, management and coaching staff.
Still, if Fraser – a class act by any standards – can’t bring what worked at one of the model franchises in the league in terms of ownership, management, coaching and on-field product to one of the worst, no one can:
“It was absolutely the best assistant coaching job in the league by far because Jason Kreis is so collaborative in his approach to everything,” he said of his years in Utah. “It gave me a wider range of experience than your average assistant coach.”
And just how much time will Fraser have given that this is a club who goes through coaches like Jorge Vergara goes through nutrition supplements?
“We will have patience with him, of course. We want this to be a long-term relationship and have Robin here for many many years.”
Good luck with that, Robin.
I’ll have more a little later from Fraser and newly-appointed assistant coach Greg Vanney, who have coached together in the past
