Are European Inspired Tactics Failing USL-1?
Darren Tilley’s Rochester Rhinos will not repeat their feat of 1999. The US Open Cup Final will feature two MLS teams and two coaches who are part of the US system. USL-1 with its British flavored football and coaches who tend to promote defensive tactics have been eliminated from the tournament. While MLS has one British coach, Steve Nicol that plays a clear tactical style that would come from the old country, USL-1 has five British or Scandinavian coaches in an eleven team league. This brings a negative, but disciplined tactical style to the league. While these coaches tend to have more experience than their MLS counter parts (Vancouver Whitecaps coach Teitur Thordarson for example has managed SK Brann, and the Estonian National Team, while Adrian Heath of Austin has managed Stoke City and Burnley), USL-1 clubs cannot win the critical matches in either the Canadian or US domestic cup competitions. (Vancouver was certainly unlucky this year with TFC’s outburst against Montreal). Since
