Nick Cushing Named Interim HC (Jul '22) / HC (Nov '22) / Fired (Nov ‘24)

[gbservis]

I feel like I'm starting to sound like a Nick Cushing apologist, but there's a key point that keeps getting overlooked in these discussions: the rawness of the young players handed to him. Everyone criticizes Cushing for his supposed inability to develop talent, but we’re ignoring the colossal gap between where these players started and the level of play in MLS.

To use a baseball analogy: Cushing was given single-A prospects who might someday develop into multi-time MLB All-Stars based on their potential. In contrast, other teams used their U22 spots to sign proven AAA players who were already on track to be solid-to-above-average MLB contributors.

Take Jovan as an example: he arrived with 30 career appearances for a stacked Red Star Belgrade team valued at $78.5M. Many of his appearances and goals came against teams with rosters averaging just $6M in value. Compare that to the average MLS team, which has a roster worth $30M. The leap for Jovan was enormous. Similarly, Ojeda and Fernández arrived at 18 years old with fewer than 40 career appearances each. If Lee or anyone at CFG genuinely thought these players were ready to make a significant impact or set Cushing up for success, they were either delusional or grossly incompetent.

Now, compare the U22 players signed by LAFC, Miami, or LA Galaxy to the ones we signed—it’s night and day. Those teams brought in players much closer to being MLS-ready, while Cushing was tasked with developing raw talents who needed far more time and support. On top of that, he’s been working with one of the weakest sets of Designated Players among any ambitious MLS club.

Criticize Cushing if you must, but let’s at least acknowledge the uphill battle he’s faced and the disparity in resources compared to other teams.

 

[KevinJRogers]

I feel like I'm starting to sound like a Nick Cushing apologist, but there's a key point that keeps getting overlooked in these discussions: the rawness of the young players handed to him. Everyone criticizes Cushing for his supposed inability to develop talent, but we’re ignoring the colossal gap between where these players started and the level of play in MLS.

To use a baseball analogy: Cushing was given single-A prospects who might someday develop into multi-time MLB All-Stars based on their potential. In contrast, other teams used their U22 spots to sign proven AAA players who were already on track to be solid-to-above-average MLB contributors.

Take Jovan as an example: he arrived with 30 career appearances for a stacked Red Star Belgrade team valued at $78.5M. Many of his appearances and goals came against teams with rosters averaging just $6M in value. Compare that to the average MLS team, which has a roster worth $30M. The leap for Jovan was enormous. Similarly, Ojeda and Fernández arrived at 18 years old with fewer than 40 career appearances each. If Lee or anyone at CFG genuinely thought these players were ready to make a significant impact or set Cushing up for success, they were either delusional or grossly incompetent.

Now, compare the U22 players signed by LAFC, Miami, or LA Galaxy to the ones we signed—it’s night and day. Those teams brought in players much closer to being MLS-ready, while Cushing was tasked with developing raw talents who needed far more time and support. On top of that, he’s been working with one of the weakest sets of Designated Players among any ambitious MLS club.

Criticize Cushing if you must, but let’s at least acknowledge the uphill battle he’s faced and the disparity in resources compared to other teams.

This is exactly why I was shocked this morning. We're only two-thirds of the way through the project. I thought for sure he'd get all next year to finish it, or at least his part of it, especially since the three big signings had barely gotten off the plane when camp started. The biggest one was over two months into his contract before he got his papers sorted. And that's all before even getting into quality.

We can be sure of this: David Lee's seat is now hotter than the sun.

 

[ZYanksRule]

This is exactly why I was shocked this morning. We're only two-thirds of the way through the project. I thought for sure he'd get all next year to finish it, or at least his part of it, especially since the three big signings had barely gotten off the plane when camp started. The biggest one was over two months into his contract before he got his papers sorted. And that's all before even getting into quality.

We can be sure of this: David Lee's seat is now hotter than the sun.

Yep. Firmly believe if we underachieve again next year, David Lee goes. If we're not a top-4 team in the East and at least a conference semifinalist, he's done. Even that may not be enough considering the coach was just fired for 6th in the East and conference semifinals.

 

[CCMore]

I feel like I'm starting to sound like a Nick Cushing apologist, but there's a key point that keeps getting overlooked in these discussions: the rawness of the young players handed to him. Everyone criticizes Cushing for his supposed inability to develop talent, but we’re ignoring the colossal gap between where these players started and the level of play in MLS.

To use a baseball analogy: Cushing was given single-A prospects who might someday develop into multi-time MLB All-Stars based on their potential. In contrast, other teams used their U22 spots to sign proven AAA players who were already on track to be solid-to-above-average MLB contributors.

Take Jovan as an example: he arrived with 30 career appearances for a stacked Red Star Belgrade team valued at $78.5M. Many of his appearances and goals came against teams with rosters averaging just $6M in value. Compare that to the average MLS team, which has a roster worth $30M. The leap for Jovan was enormous. Similarly, Ojeda and Fernández arrived at 18 years old with fewer than 40 career appearances each. If Lee or anyone at CFG genuinely thought these players were ready to make a significant impact or set Cushing up for success, they were either delusional or grossly incompetent.

Now, compare the U22 players signed by LAFC, Miami, or LA Galaxy to the ones we signed—it’s night and day. Those teams brought in players much closer to being MLS-ready, while Cushing was tasked with developing raw talents who needed far more time and support. On top of that, he’s been working with one of the weakest sets of Designated Players among any ambitious MLS club.

Criticize Cushing if you must, but let’s at least acknowledge the uphill battle he’s faced and the disparity in resources compared to other teams.

I agree with your baseball analogy. It’s a lot of work to turn a diamond pulled from the ground into a diamond that we recognize in jewelry.

But where you lose me is who did make it on to the field. The players on the field were not those super rough players and they did under perform all versions of NYCFC teams before (minus 2015). They did not play better than the sum of their parts all season which I believe is a failure on the part of the coach. Parks was not himself, Santi regressed, Wolf regressed, I’d say Sands was good but it wasn’t his best season. All season long it just felt like the players didn’t have very good set movements of what to do when in possession. Like a if this then that. Just felt like ah look he’s open I’ll pass it over there and see what he can do. Not a lot of moving of opponent’s lines. Just basic things a coach should be setting as a style. Hell, I hate to say it, but our long winning streak this summer felt less like we earned it and more like it was fortuitous. A lot of happened to be in the right place at the right time instead of making something happen.

 

[mgarbowski]

I feel like I'm starting to sound like a Nick Cushing apologist, but there's a key point that keeps getting overlooked in these discussions: the rawness of the young players handed to him. Everyone criticizes Cushing for his supposed inability to develop talent, but we’re ignoring the colossal gap between where these players started and the level of play in MLS.

To use a baseball analogy: Cushing was given single-A prospects who might someday develop into multi-time MLB All-Stars based on their potential. In contrast, other teams used their U22 spots to sign proven AAA players who were already on track to be solid-to-above-average MLB contributors.

Take Jovan as an example: he arrived with 30 career appearances for a stacked Red Star Belgrade team valued at $78.5M. Many of his appearances and goals came against teams with rosters averaging just $6M in value. Compare that to the average MLS team, which has a roster worth $30M. The leap for Jovan was enormous. Similarly, Ojeda and Fernández arrived at 18 years old with fewer than 40 career appearances each. If Lee or anyone at CFG genuinely thought these players were ready to make a significant impact or set Cushing up for success, they were either delusional or grossly incompetent.

Now, compare the U22 players signed by LAFC, Miami, or LA Galaxy to the ones we signed—it’s night and day. Those teams brought in players much closer to being MLS-ready, while Cushing was tasked with developing raw talents who needed far more time and support. On top of that, he’s been working with one of the weakest sets of Designated Players among any ambitious MLS club.

Criticize Cushing if you must, but let’s at least acknowledge the uphill battle he’s faced and the disparity in resources compared to other teams.

Thiago has all of 2 goals in 22 games since he left.
Talles has 2 in 11 games, which projects to maybe six in a season.
Chanot left Corsica under a mystery cloud.

Somehow the majority opinion is their failures to develop while here and/or sudden departures are Cushing’s fault.

Reality says we overpaid for Thiago and Talles, their ceilings are lower than people will admit, and Maxime, whom I love and admire, has had trouble adjusting to aging.

 

[KevinJRogers]

Yep. Firmly believe if we underachieve again next year, David Lee goes. If we're not a top-4 team in the East and at least a conference semifinalist, he's done. Even that may not be enough considering the coach was just fired for 6th in the East and conference semifinals.

I'd bet good money we need to win the Eastern Conference at least. In fact, if I had to guess (and I'm guessing), that was the goal all along.

By the way, I've looked through all the reports I could find, and I didn't see a statement anywhere from Nick himself. Not even the obligatory, "I'm grateful for the opportunity blah blah blah" quote.

Something tells me David Lee isn't getting a Christmas card from the Cushing family this year.

 

[ZYanksRule]

I'd bet good money we need to win the Eastern Conference at least. In fact, if I had to guess (and I'm guessing), that was the goal all along.

By the way, I've looked through all the reports I could find, and I didn't see a statement anywhere from Nick himself. Not even the obligatory, "I'm grateful for the opportunity blah blah blah" quote.

Something tells me David Lee isn't getting a Christmas card from the Cushing family this year.

When you get fired, you don't get a quote in the press release. Best we can hope for is a statement he posts to his social media at some point.

 

[mgarbowski]

Also, Magno basically refused to try doing striker things for 24 games when he was gifted the opportunity to play the most glamorous position in the sport, and the club needed him to step up. And he just never tried. He didn't make the runs, never tried holding up. Because it "wasn't his position." Best I can do is a half hearted false 9. It was an unambitious and selfish display and he deserved the bench this year. I'm shocked any fan would take his side.

Then Cushing takes an afterthought lifetime winger whose aggregate career total transfer fees are roughly $500k and he turns him into the second most prolific scorer in MLS behind Lionel GD Messi, in part because Martinez said yes, can do, will do, instead of I prefer not to. And also because, you know, it turns out he's good at it, but it started with being open to the position switch.

BuT cUsHIng cANNoT deVELop pLaYERs.

 

[gbservis]

I agree with your baseball analogy. It’s a lot of work to turn a diamond pulled from the ground into a diamond that we recognize in jewelry.

But where you lose me is who did make it on to the field. The players on the field were not those super rough players and they did under perform all versions of NYCFC teams before (minus 2015). They did not play better than the sum of their parts all season which I believe is a failure on the part of the coach. Parks was not himself, Santi regressed, Wolf regressed, I’d say Sands was good but it wasn’t his best season. All season long it just felt like the players didn’t have very good set movements of what to do when in possession. Like a if this then that. Just felt like ah look he’s open I’ll pass it over there and see what he can do. Not a lot of moving of opponent’s lines. Just basic things a coach should be setting as a style. Hell, I hate to say it, but our long winning streak this summer felt less like we earned it and more like it was fortuitous. A lot of happened to be in the right place at the right time instead of making something happen.

I still think many of the issues you mention have just as much to do with the lack of talent on the field as it does the coaching. Playing behind a guy like Taty driving a defense nuts with prime Maxi pulling the strings all over the pitch made everyone better.

Martinez scored goals but he doesn't have the gravitational pull of a guy like Taty. And at the 10 Maxi still had his moments but at 37 he's not where near the creator he once was. Did guys like Sands, Parks and Santi really regress or did they just struggle because the roster has holes in it?

You put a top talent in the #9 and #10 spots and I'd bet every player you listed looks better regardless of the coach.

 

[ZYanksRule]

Also, Magno basically refused to try doing striker things for 24 games when he was gifted the opportunity to play the most glamorous position in the sport, and the club needed him to step up. And he just never tried. He didn't make the runs, never tried holding up. Because it "wasn't his position." It was an unambitious and selfish display and he deserved the bench this year. I'm shocked any fan would take his side.

Then Cushing takes an afterthought lifetime winger whose aggregate career total transfer fees are roughly $500k and he turns him into the second most prolific scorer in MLS behind Lionel GD Messi, in part because Martinez said yes, can do, will do, instead of I prefer not to. And also because, you know, it turns out he's good at it, but it started with being open to the position switch.

BuT cUsHIng cANNoT deVELop pLaYERs.

There were some developmental success stories, but not enough, and not with the most important players on the roster. Going into the season -- and throughout the year -- I thought we were the 4th best team in the East, which means we overachieved. We only advanced in the playoffs on a 0-0 tie with penalty shootout.

I understand thinking David Lee is a bigger problem than Nick Cushing, but at the very least Cushing did not get the most out of the roster and was not ambitious enough in the road games. I really didn't think he was a coach that was going to win MLS Cup here.

Am I thrilled he got fired? No. He's a good guy, a good coach, and was dealt a bad hand. But I thought he should have been fired after last year, and his results in 2024 weren't good enough to force him to stay.

 

[moogoo]

Also, Magno basically refused to try doing striker things for 24 games when he was gifted the opportunity to play the most glamorous position in the sport, and the club needed him to step up. And he just never tried. He didn't make the runs, never tried holding up. Because it "wasn't his position." It was an unambitious and selfish display and he deserved the bench this year. I'm shocked any fan would take his side.

Then Cushing takes an afterthought lifetime winger whose aggregate career total transfer fees are roughly $500k and he turns him into the second most prolific scorer in MLS behind Lionel GD Messi, in part because Martinez said yes, can do, will do, instead of I prefer not to. And also because, you know, it turns out he's good at it, but it started with being open to the position switch.

BuT cUsHIng cANNoT deVELop pLaYERs.

bit of an unfair take on Magno. It is not easy for a player to just play another position. You can be told to do this, that and the other thing, but when you're in the game it's not always obvious and not always natural. You can practice it all you want, but sometimes it just doesn't click. This is difficult to do at the youth level let alone doing it at the professional level where the speed of the game is much higher. Yes, players can convert to different positions. But it's not always successful no matter how good the player is.

Recognizing when you can and can't convert a player is part of being a coach. I'm not saying it was entirely cushing's fault because obviously there was no true replacement for taty until bakrar came along and well, bakrar never really lived up to the billing. I think he magno would have done well on the left wing with martinez running the channels and being a constant threat in behind.

I will acknowledge that he may have been selfish and pouty because things working going well for him. But I can relate to the frustration of being forced to play a position you just don't understand.

 

[LIexpat]

Pep might be free in a week or 2 if City’s results keep going the way they are

 

[KevinJRogers]

When you get fired, you don't get a quote in the press release. Best we can hope for is a statement he posts to his social media at some point.

That's true. I thought maybe he would post something somewhere, but he doesn't do social media. At least not publicly.

 

[mgarbowski]

Recognizing when you can and can't convert a player is part of being a coach.

The alternative was Gabe Segal.
Honestly this is whack a mole.
How do you write that sentence given our roster in 2023?
Does reality mean anything? What was Cushing to do if not urge Talles to step up and try playing striker?

And spare me the poor Talles sob story.
He didn’t try. Switching positions to help the team is part of being a pro athlete. If he tried he might have failed. But that’s the job.
Mike Sainristil was born in Haiti. As a college wide receiver at Michigan the coaches asked him to switch to defense and play cornerback between sophomore and junior year. He said yes, worked his butt off, and is now a defensive captain - as a rookie - for the Washington Commanders.
Boo hoo Talles and good riddance.

 

[Sabo]

At the end of the day, I think Nick is a good or maybe even a very good coach. This year the development of Martinez, Malachi, O'Toole, Tayvon, Mitja and Haak has been excellent. Someone like Jovalic didn't play a bit of defense when he got here and learned a lot about how to play up top (he has a lot of work to do still to reach another level in his game). I grew to like that he gave everyone on the roster a shot and playing time wasnt based on how much the Club spent to bring you in.

Nick struggled with his in-game management. Unlike Ronny and Patrick, the team very rarely came out for the second half with tactical adjustments that changed the game. His subs were rarely game changing (except for the stretch where he was subbing in Malachi Martinez and Perea earlier this year) and rarely came onto the field with new ideas.

Hopefully the FO already has somebody in mind that they think will be a major upgrade from Nick and are not just starting the replacement process now.

 

[EganSoccerWords]

Deila not only got production out of Talles- he got elite production. The whole Talles at striker conversation doesn't really matter because he didn't have to play striker in 2024 and we still got nothing from him.

The weirder thing for me is that after Malachi went down and Hannes Wolf stopped producing, Julian and Ojeda still got no time in the rotation. Ojeda especially looked good earlier in the season with the time he got.

 

[moogoo]

The alternative was Gabe Segal.
Honestly this is whack a mole.
How do you write that sentence given our roster in 2023?
Does reality mean anything? What was Cushing to do if not urge Talles to step up and try playing striker?

And spare me the poor Talles sob story.
He didn’t try. Switching positions to help the team is part of being a pro athlete.
Mike Sainristil was born in Haiti. As a college wide receiver at Michigan the coaches asked him to switch to defense and play cornerback between sophomore and junior year. He said yes, worked his butt off, and is now a defensive captain - as a rookie - for the Washington Commanders.
Boo hoo Talles and good riddance.

not so much a sob story but a reality. giving an example of someone who could switch positions doesn't mean anybody can do it. plenty of professionals can't just suddenly get thrown into a different position and perform at a high level.

It's cushing's job to come up with solutions. If magno at the #9 wasn't working, then maybe we should should play without a true #9 until we get one. Play with a false 9 and come up with tactical strategies and patterns of play to get around the fact that we do not have a true #9. It was the hand he was dealt. a shitty hand, yes. But it was his job to figure things out.

burying magno on the bench didn't help anybody. from one of the best wingers to a perpetual bench warmer. that's just sad anyway you cut it.

 

[moogoo]

Deila not only got production out of Talles- he got elite production. The whole Talles at striker conversation doesn't really matter because he didn't have to play striker in 2024 and we still got nothing from him.

The weirder thing for me is that after Malachi went down and Hannes Wolf stopped producing, Julian and Ojeda still got no time in the rotation. Ojeda especially looked good earlier in the season with the time he got.

unfortunately, magno needed a striker he could gel with. bakrar didn't gel with anybody. he worked his butt off he often ran into spaces where people already were and that telepathic connection attackers have with each other just never really developed with bakrar and the others.

taty was definitely the key that unlocked magno's ability moreso than anything.

 

[EganSoccerWords]

unfortunately, magno needed a striker he could gel with. bakrar didn't gel with anybody. he worked his butt off he often ran into spaces where people already were and that telepathic connection attackers have with each other just never really developed with bakrar and the others.

taty was definitely the key that unlocked magno's ability moreso than anything.

Talles played 68 minutes total this season. Even after we got Bakrar end of '23, Talles barely played wing next to him.

 

[moogoo]

Talles played 68 minutes total this season. Even after we got Bakrar end of '23, Talles barely played wing next to him.

they had 4-5 games together in 23 at the end of the season. it just never gelled and maybe never had enough time to gel. who knows.