Ron Newman lost his job in Kansas City after the Wizards' 0-4 start in 1999.
Others have survived a bad start only slightly longer. The late Tom Fitzgerald was replaced just six matches into the Columbus Crew's 2001 season, having posted a 1-3-2 mark to that point. Ivo Wortmann (Miami, 2000) and Eddie Firmani (MetroStars, 1996) each lost their jobs just eight games into the season. Wortmann was 1-3-4 at the time. Firmani, the club's first coach, had posted a slightly deceiving 3-5 record, which included two shootout wins.
Changing managers early has generally improved matters only marginally. Kansas City finished last in 1999 with an 8-24 mark (meaning the club went 8-20 after Newman's dismissal).
Ray Hudson pulled things together a just a bit at Miami in 2000, posting an 11-12-1 record, which still wasn't enough to claim a postseason berth. The MetroStars went 12-12 under high-profile replacement (and current Manchester United assistant) Carlos Queiroz during the remainder of Major League Soccer's debut season.
Columbus did rally behind Greg Andrulis, who led a successful playoff charge by guiding the Crew to a 12-4-4 mark in 2001.
TALKING SHUTOUTS? FC Dallas gets the weekend off, and when the Frisco outfit gets back on the field, don't be surprised to see a new man in the nets.
Goalkeeper Dario Sala has served his six-game suspension for his part in a brawl last year during FC Dallas' playoff ouster. No one has faulted his replacement, Shaka Hislop, for any of the goals conceded this year.
On the other hand, Hislop has not been a difference maker. Last year's top dozen goalkeepers averaged a shutout about once every four matches. Hislop has started 10 matches between this year and last year, and has yet to post a clean sheet.
IN-N-OUT IN L.A. Galaxy center back Shavar Thomas will soon be wearing the jersey of the other The Home Depot Center tenant, Chivas USA. The Galaxy announced the trade Thursday.
This is the second trade already this year for Thomas, who was once a promising young defender in the league. The move from Kansas City earlier this season seemed to make sense because Thomas was unlikely to displace well-entrenched Nick Garcia or Jimmy Conrad.
But with the Galaxy he seemed to have a realistic shot at staking a starting spot. Rookie Ty Harden seemed particularly vulnerable; he has partnered with Tyrone Marshall in the middle of the Galaxy defense this year.
So what happened? Word out of the Galaxy camp is that Thomas wasn't totally fit and seemed to lack initiative when it came to claiming that starter's spot.
Steve Davis is a freelance writer who has covered Major League Soccer since its inception. Steve can be reached at BigTexSoccer@yahoo.com. The views and opinions expressed in this column are those of the author's, and not necessarily those of Major League Soccer or MLSnet.com.
