I don’t think anyone can discount the success Jay Vidovich has had turning around what had descended into an awful men’s soccer program. However, I think the question remains: Is this the way to build a successful program long term.
I remember watching the Georgetown game when the announcers were discussing the difference between the way the two coaches had constructed their teams: Vidovich almost entirely with foreign players, including transfers, many of whom attend Pitt for 1 or 2 years. Georgetown almost exclusively with American players who spend 4 or 5 years there and are plugged into starting positions after being groomed behind players who graduated. In a perfect world, I think most of us would prefer the second method because it guarantees continuity and almost assures a continuous run of success. Georgetown has proven that over these past few years.
It’s certainly not the Vidovich way. The question I have is whether it would be possible to build the Pitt program that way? With the success he has had in recent years, could he start bringing in more American and Canadian players and mixing them in with the foreign recruits? Let’s face it, the American players he has brought in thus far have not been significant contributors with the exception of Gilman and Brice Washington, former CB. If I have forgotten others, I apologize.
Let’s assume that along with Noel (who has had a down season so far), Jacquesson is gone after this year. Walti, Almeida, Rosa and others presumably will be out of eligibility. Who are the replacements? Most of them probably are not even on the roster and are playing in Europe. Gilman is the only freshman who is contributing significantly this year.
I guess it makes every August exciting as we wait to see the Fall roster and discover all the new names on the team, and it led the some excellent teams in 2019 through 2021, but it sure makes it difficult.
Randy Waldrum had an equally difficult challenge with the women’s team. In fact, I would argue that it was a more difficult challenge because the ACC women’s soccer league might be the best college league in any sport for either sex. It’s been a slow process, and their last two results prove just how far they still have to go. But, you can look at that team and see the future, with players like Coefield and Shumansky and others. I don’t see the future of the men’s program when I look at the current team. The future is probably playing in a junior league in Valencia or Rennes this afternoon.
I remember watching the Georgetown game when the announcers were discussing the difference between the way the two coaches had constructed their teams: Vidovich almost entirely with foreign players, including transfers, many of whom attend Pitt for 1 or 2 years. Georgetown almost exclusively with American players who spend 4 or 5 years there and are plugged into starting positions after being groomed behind players who graduated. In a perfect world, I think most of us would prefer the second method because it guarantees continuity and almost assures a continuous run of success. Georgetown has proven that over these past few years.
It’s certainly not the Vidovich way. The question I have is whether it would be possible to build the Pitt program that way? With the success he has had in recent years, could he start bringing in more American and Canadian players and mixing them in with the foreign recruits? Let’s face it, the American players he has brought in thus far have not been significant contributors with the exception of Gilman and Brice Washington, former CB. If I have forgotten others, I apologize.
Let’s assume that along with Noel (who has had a down season so far), Jacquesson is gone after this year. Walti, Almeida, Rosa and others presumably will be out of eligibility. Who are the replacements? Most of them probably are not even on the roster and are playing in Europe. Gilman is the only freshman who is contributing significantly this year.
I guess it makes every August exciting as we wait to see the Fall roster and discover all the new names on the team, and it led the some excellent teams in 2019 through 2021, but it sure makes it difficult.
Randy Waldrum had an equally difficult challenge with the women’s team. In fact, I would argue that it was a more difficult challenge because the ACC women’s soccer league might be the best college league in any sport for either sex. It’s been a slow process, and their last two results prove just how far they still have to go. But, you can look at that team and see the future, with players like Coefield and Shumansky and others. I don’t see the future of the men’s program when I look at the current team. The future is probably playing in a junior league in Valencia or Rennes this afternoon.