who should clinch this week -- are playing better, so the final spot is up for grabs. The MetroStars cannot falter and a potential semifinal series between D.C. and Chicago should be fun.
It is also the time of year that not only teams, but also big-time players, need to step to the forefront. Fans often see the game in a different light than coaches. But that is natural when it is a job for a coach and a source of entertainment for the fan. The ideal for any club and coach is to combine the best of entertainment with results.
Often however we are entertained by what I will call "oh-ah" players. Let me describe an "oh-ah" player to you. He is the kind that brings you to the edge of your seat ... only to leave you unsatisfied. He collects the ball starts to run at defenders so you go oh-oh-oh in anticipation. Then he misses the shot or hits the pass out of bounds and there is a collective aahhh as another chance goes begging for a better result.
When I teach at coaching schools I talk to coaches about "potential potential." There are some players who always show you that they have great potential, but then never live up to it in the final result. They are oh-ah players. I tell coaches that if you have too many potential potential players then you get fired.
Every team has these players. You might know who they are on the team you support. The game of soccer is a game that often has more unrewarding moments than rewarding ones. But that is what makes the euphoria of scoring all the sweeter.
Players miss chances and final passes. But, the good ones, like Landon Donovan, Taylor Twellman, Carlos Ruiz, Jaime Moreno and many others come through at key times. The same is true of defenders and midfielders like Chris Armas, Shalrie Joseph, Ben Olsen and others who make key plays at key times.
The oh-ah guys often get the support of the fans because they are exciting. But at the end of the day there is little production. In my job as under-20 national team coach I do a bit of scouting. Many coaches often recommend the oh-ah players. However, if you want to win, you need flair with production and that is not easy to find.
You need to allow some players to mature and with this maturation they gain in their effectiveness. Look at the growth in the Galaxy's Herculez Gomez with some additional years of maturity.
Other players need to be put in the right environment and given confidence. Ricardo Clark went from star to bench-warmer at the Metrostars. Now, in San Jose, he has regained his ability to make plays.
There are also certain players who always seem to play well and then make a huge error in almost every game. Some games you get punished for this, others you do not. But those types of players can be very difficult to keep within a good team.
When you scout and look for new players, you have to look hard to find the winners, as I like to call them. These are the players who do the little things that help you win. Sometimes, they are glamorous like final passes and goals or key saves or a saving tackle. But often they are workmanlike and not all that glamorous.
However, it is always about coming up with the key play at a key time. Give me the players who score a goal a week and play with good consistency. The guy who scores a hat trick every four games and gets shutout in the others only helps me win once every four weeks.
Finding these players are tough. You, the fans, also know who these players are on your team. The oh-ah players will lead to disappointment and early playoff exits. The players who live up to their potential help you win titles.
Sigi Schmid is one of the winningest coaches in MLS history, having led the Los Angeles Galaxy to four honors in his five-plus years at the helm, including the 2002 MLS Cup championship. Send comments to Sigi at sigischmid@hotmail.com. Views and opinions expressed in this column views and opinions are the author's, and not necessarily those of Major League Soccer or its clubs.
