Vancouver Whitecaps need a lesson in virtues

The idea that patience is a virtue is more then just a nice thing to learn in Sunday School.  In fact it can even be applied to the development of any successful team.  This lesson appears to have been lost of the folks in charge of the Vancouver Whitecaps who announced earlier today that after only 12 games into the clubs first MLS season they are parting ways with head coach Teitur Thordarson as well as goal keeping coach Mike Salmon.  The reason for firing on the surface seems to be fairly obvious as the Whitecaps have only managed 1 league win thus far and that came back in the emotion filled season opener against Toronto FC.  The move means that for the rest of the season director of soccer operations Tom Soehn will take over the role of head coach.

Thordarson, who is from Iceland, took over as the teams head coach back in 2007 and played a big part in the success that led to them making it to the MLS.  He had a long resume as both a player and manager before the club signed him which had seen him have a fair bit of success in some of Europe's less prestigious leagues including Norway's first and second divisions.  With the Whitecaps Thordarson won a USL first division title, the second ever for the club, which he followed up with another run to the finals that ended in defeat to the Montreal Impact.  His success in the USL ensured that Vancouver extended his contract and took him with them to the MLS level.

As an expansion team in the MLS Vancouver would have been wise to look at the first 5 years of Toronto FC and try to learn from any mistakes that they made.  The biggest issue in Toronto has been a lack of stability as managers have come and gone without being given a real chance to make their mark on the club.  It was one bad season and you would be shown the door.  For Tietur I would have thought things would be different and that Vancouver would have a lot more patience with him due to the success that he brought them at the USL level.  They are an expansion team after all so to expect him to lead the 'Caps to success in the first season was asking to much.  It is fair to say that 1 win from the first 12 matches has to be seen as a real disappointment but it is to late to really turn this season around and this move is only going to destabilize the team.  Now they have to deal with having an interim head coach the rest of the way and by the time they kick off their second league season they might already have their third different head coach.  That kind of turnover will do no one any good.

The reaction around the country seems to be very similar to my own with many expects questioning the move on the part of Vancouver. Craig Forrest for example responded by tweeting: "I like what #Vancouver has done up to now. The firing of Teitur and Mike is a mistake. Lost sense of reality." and "WhitecapsFC were building a real solid foundation. TFC started like this if you remember. It has been dysfunctional ever since. Be careful".  Mr. Forrest is not the only one confused by the move though as the twitter account of Vancouver's largest supporters group, The Southsiders, has been very vocal in supporting TT and questioning this move going as far as to say: "We expect many things from the @WhitecapFC FO before wins: Class. Decency. Good decision making. This fails on all fronts."

It is clear that across the country people who follow the Whitecaps and know the game are left scratching their heads after this move.  The question is if 1 win in 12 games is not good enough for an expansion team who are still learning at this level then what are the actual expectations.  Do the people in charge at Vancouver seriously think that they were capable of challenging for a playoff spot in their first season because of thats the case I can see it being a very tough journey for the club to develop if coaches are given such a short leash in the future.  I am with the Tietur Tots on this one, poor move on the teams part and showed a lack of class and insight.