As the weeks went by this summer, Ted Nolan couldn't help but notice the number of coaching positions being filled by teams at all levels of hockey.
Throughout it all, his phone never rang once.
At least it didn't until late last week when the desperate Latvian hockey federation placed a long distance call and offered him the chance to coach the struggling national team. He barely hesitated before accepting the position.
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He most recently spent two years as vice-president of hockey operations with the AHL's Rochester Americans but longed to get back behind the bench.
"I've been sending out resumes here for the last number of years and not getting a phone call back," said Nolan. "Then all of a sudden you get a call from a (national team), which was very humbling. I'm very honoured."
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"We were looking for a neutral, authoritative coach with lots of experience and good hockey knowledge," said Lipmans. "This is exactly what we found with Ted Nolan."
Nolan's credentials were so strong that he was given the job without a formal interview. The 53-year-old signed a one-year deal that includes an option for additional years.
He'll visit Riga for the first time later this month and plans to do a fair amount of travelling back and forth from his permanent residence in Canada.
i'm so against people coaching a national team when they are not of the same nationality ... kind of defeats the purpose of a "national" team.
Perhaps, but at some stages of a nation's sport development it becomes necessary to have experience, foreign coaches in the mix to impart the techniques necessary to get to the next level. I'm not saying that is the case in Latvia, but then again it just might be.
Perhaps, but at some stages of a nation's sport development it becomes necessary to have experience, foreign coaches in the mix to impart the techniques necessary to get to the next level. I'm not saying that is the case in Latvia, but then again it just might be.
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Yeah .. I def understand that aspect but..at same time .... still bugs me ... like Americans hiring a German for Mens Soccer team ...or.. I dunno ... ..it's like buying an American Flag made in China ...
Yeah .. I def understand that aspect but..at same time .... still bugs me ... like Americans hiring a German for Mens Soccer team ...or.. I dunno ... ..it's like buying an American Flag made in China ...
I agree about American soccer. America is no soccer super power but it surely have enough quality coaching to get the job done internally.
Herb Brooks coached the French national team. It's all about making a national team better and improving the game somewhere -- good.
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It is like saying teachers can only teach in their home country. Chainshot hit it dead on. It is all about promoting the NHL and hockey, spreading the good word and making it a better game everywhere.
I agree about American soccer. America is no soccer super power but it surely have enough quality coaching to get the job done internally.
Right. What have we won exactly internationally in soccer? I'm not sure what your definition of get the job done is but last time I checked the team has not won a World Cup, nor have they won any major international tournaments like the Confederations Cup(Close but no cigar my friend.). The point of hiring someone like Klinsmann is to change the culture of soccer in America. Klinsmann won't just be coaching the Men's national team, he will be installing a new program for the youth levels allowing them to develop into better soccer players. American coaches are far to technical, this is proven through the college system where coaches literally suck the creativity and life out of young talented players. People who legitimately follow the US national team are thrilled about the hire and think it will reshape soccer in this country for the future.
Herb Brooks coached the French national team. It's all about making a national team better and improving the game somewhere -- good.
Dave King, Barry Smith and Ralph Backstrom, among other North American natives, have also coached overseas....
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Originally Posted by heartsabres
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It is like saying teachers can only teach in their home country. Chainshot hit it dead on. It is all about promoting the NHL and hockey, spreading the good word and making it a better game everywhere.
Exactly - winning is winning, regardless of what the different ethicities / heritages of the coaching or playing individuals are.
Right. What have we won exactly internationally in soccer? I'm not sure what your definition of get the job done is but last time I checked the team has not won a World Cup, nor have they won any major international tournaments like the Confederations Cup(Close but no cigar my friend.). The point of hiring someone like Klinsmann is to change the culture of soccer in America. Klinsmann won't just be coaching the Men's national team, he will be installing a new program for the youth levels allowing them to develop into better soccer players. American coaches are far to technical, this is proven through the college system where coaches literally suck the creativity and life out of young talented players. People who legitimately follow the US national team are thrilled about the hire and think it will reshape soccer in this country for the future.
have to agree with Coginto here , stay away from sports you never watch/follow
Nobody is saying it's good or bad or that anyone is wrong is their assessments ......... I just find it defeats the whole purpose of a NATIONAL Team .... With this logic we should just recruit Brazilian Soccer players to the States .. Maybe it's just me..... too much pride or what not ... If you need to get a new perspective on things... head overseas and study the game ..find techniques that work and bring them back to the States and incorporate the changes ...... To me a National team is different from any other team in Sports ...
Nobody is saying it's good or bad or that anyone is wrong is their assessments ......... I just find it defeats the whole purpose of a NATIONAL Team .... With this logic we should just recruit Brazilian Soccer players to the States .. Maybe it's just me..... too much pride or what not ... If you need to get a new perspective on things... head overseas and study the game ..find techniques that work and bring them back to the States and incorporate the changes ...... To me a National team is different from any other team in Sports ...
But... that's just me.
But using Klinsmann is a bad example, so your argument never had a chance. Klinsmann has been living in the United States for over 13 years in California. His wife his American and his two children who play soccer consider themselves more American than German. He is a citizen so why should he be excluded from coaching the national team?
The great Dutch coach Guus Hiddink coached the South Korean soccer team to a surprise 4th place finish in World Cup 2002. There were plenty of naysayers in the Korean media when he was first announced head coach ("manager"), but after the team beat Portugal, Italy and Spain he became a hero and was even offered free land and lifetime citizenship, spoken fondly on the lips of Koreans for years for bringing pride to the nation. I know, because I have been living in that country for the last decade.
If Nolan can get Latvia into a medal game, or even just a surprise couple of wins, like against Slovakia, Finland and maybe an upset win against Russia, oh, how Latvians would celebrate!
Right. What have we won exactly internationally in soccer? I'm not sure what your definition of get the job done is but last time I checked the team has not won a World Cup, nor have they won any major international tournaments like the Confederations Cup(Close but no cigar my friend.). The point of hiring someone like Klinsmann is to change the culture of soccer in America. Klinsmann won't just be coaching the Men's national team, he will be installing a new program for the youth levels allowing them to develop into better soccer players. American coaches are far to technical, this is proven through the college system where coaches literally suck the creativity and life out of young talented players. People who legitimately follow the US national team are thrilled about the hire and think it will reshape soccer in this country for the future.
Until Americans start calling soccer football I don't think they will ever be taken seriously.
But using Klinsmann is a bad example, so your argument never had a chance. Klinsmann has been living in the United States for over 13 years in California. His wife his American and his two children who play soccer consider themselves more American than German. He is a citizen so why should he be excluded from coaching the national team?
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Ok ... If he's a citizen I have no problem with it whatsoever ..... It was just the most recent example i heard about .... All the headlines stated he was German...
But i still stand by my original point... Hell I even get pissed off when the Olympic Teams use jerseys made in China ...
