Aug 18
Is San Jose a Playoff Contender Now?
I think it’s almost time to call Frank Yallop a genius. He started the season with an expansion team which is hard enough. He now has taken them from being one of the worst teams in MLS history, to a playoff contender. San Jose is only four points out of a playoff spot, a far cry from where they were just a few weeks ago. With the signing of Darren Huckerby working out brilliantly, and the trade for Arturo Alvarez making an immediate impact, Frank Yallop has transformed his side into a strong MLS squad.
Yallop focused on defense early in the year, but in the past few weeks, he’s added some real offensive power which has made the Earthquakes a stronger team.
Arturo Alvarez has been a revelation. Alvarez is a young player, with a bright future, but his career had stalled at FC Dallas. Alvarez was grabbed for only a first round pick and allocation money, a bargain considering the skill and ability Alvarez possesses. Alvarez has provided speed and flare running up the left flank, and scored in his first appearance for San Jose, a 3-2 win over the rival Galaxy.
Darren Huckerby has also been a great signing. When he arrived from Norwich, many thought that he had decided to enjoy the end of his career near the California beach. That assumption was just plain wrong. Huckerby has turned opportunities that normally would have been wasted into goals. San Jose lacked a finisher, and now they have one. Just another of Frank Yallop’s great personnel moves.
People wonder why Yallop couldn’t get LA to win. The answer wasn’t that Yallop had lost his touch, it was that Alexi Lalas controlled the show, something he wasn’t good at. Yallop is showing us what he can do when he looks at players himself and makes the decisions. Imagine what Yallop could have done in LA without Lalas.
With San Jose only a few good matches away from the playoff positions, and them coming off a 4-0 tonking of league leaders New England, San Jose looks like a legitimate contender.
Do you guys think San Jose will make the playoffs? Have Yallop’s signings been the difference? Is San Jose the most impressive expansion team in MLS history? Any thoughts below.
August 19th, 2008 at 12:30 am
Yallop has done quite well, and yes he was handcuffed in LA by Lalas but Lalas did bring us becks which has given MLS a lot more exposure and has seen many young guys heading overseas so i guess it was good lalas was there when he was and it good he is gone now and Yallop is lookin like a genius in San Jose
August 19th, 2008 at 9:51 am
becks was a great move by Lalas, but I think it’s quite embarrassing that Becks can’t provide wins. Lalas failed to put players around him who could win, and last year, he was able to pass the blame onto Yallop. This year, it was up to him and he couldn’t do anything for the Galaxy. Meanwhile, Yallop has taken an expansion team close to the playoffs. That’s an amazing feat and this year, he’s been getting the players he wants.