Robinson in mix for MLS award
Whitecaps lead way in West despite ninth-highest payroll
Carl Robinson, MLS coach of the year candidate. If you’re a Vancouver Whitecaps fan, it has a certain logical ring to it right now, considering where the team sits in Major League Soccer’s Western Conference standings and the money they’ve spent on players.
With six games left in their regular season, the Whitecaps (13-9-6) are atop the West with the Portland Timbers (12-10-8), Sporting Kansas City (11-6-11) and the Seattle Sounders (11-7-11) all nipping at their heels.
When the MLS Players Union released player salaries in April, Vancouver was ninth in the league ($8.1 million), leaving them behind the likes of sixth-placed Portland ($10.8 million) and seventh-placed Seattle ($10.4 million). Kansas City ($6.6 million) was 17th.
Toronto FC (18-3-8), who lead the East, were tops in spending at $22.5 million, followed by New York City FC ($17.9 million) and Orlando City SC ($13.2 million).
Robinson, as you’d fully expect, wasn’t getting drawn into a conversation Tuesday about personal post-season accolades, explaining, “It’s about the players.” He was willing to talk coaching philosophy a tad.
“You learn what works and what doesn’t. You learn what you’re able to do and what you’re not able to do,” Robinson said of his time at the helm of the Whitecaps, which began in the 2014 season. “Sometimes you get it right. Sometimes you don’t.
“You learn about people. I think that’s an important thing. Every person is different. You want them all to be a certain way, but they’re not. They’re all individuals. You have to work with them individually and collectively.
“You have to learn from your mistakes and, when the day is gone, you have to wake up the next morning and put a smile on your face. Life is too short. That’s the way I approach my job and my coaches — I make it mandatory for them, too. I want them to have smiles on their faces every day. The same with the players. If we come into work and give it our all, the rest will take care of itself.”
He’s preached depth throughout his tenure in charge in Vancouver and the Whitecaps have arguably gotten key contributions from a greater variety of players this season than at any other time in their MLS history. Robinson contended Tuesday, though, “we’re getting somewhere remotely where I want to be. We’re not there. I still think we’re two or three (players) away and that might not happen until next year.”
He did follow that up with a clarification. “The players I’ve got in each position right now I’m very comfortable with and very happy with and feel can do the job when they get an opportunity,” he said.
The Whitecaps’ success has come in the midst of rebuilding the midfield on the fly thanks in large part to workhorse Matias Laba suffering an anterior cruciate ligament tear in his right knee last month that required season-ending surgery. Newcomer Aly Ghazal has been effective in his two games. Another newcomer, Nosa Igiebor, should get a chance in the near future.
“Bringing players in and trying to get them up to speed within game scenarios is difficult,” Robinson said. “We’ve got competition, obviously. Bringing Nosa in helps us. I’m not sure when he’ll be ready.
“It’s not ideal (changing the midfield so much), but it is what it is.”
FC Dallas coach Oscar Pareja won the coach of the year last season in a vote by players, club staff and media. It’s based on the regular season. Dallas won the Western Conference regular season banner in 2016 with a 17-8-9 mark. Voting is slated begin next month. The award was handed out Dec. 1 last season.