It’s time for the Houston Dynamo to remove the interim tag from coach Wade Barrett.
The former Dynamo assistant coach Wade Barrett took over officially as the interim for the suddenly but not unexpected departure of former head coach Owen Coyle and has achieved results that had been expected but never materialized under the Scot. Almost immediately after Coyle left for greener pastures in Blackburn, Barrett indelibly put his mark on the club. The Houston Dynamo overnight transformed themselves from a porous defense to the best in Major League Soccer.
It was only fitting that the former Houston Dynamo captain who led his teams to two MLS Cup titles in their first two seasons would earn the club’s first road win of 2016 against his former mentor Dominic Kinnear. Barrett spent nearly six seasons learning under the former Houston head coach.
Houston Dynamo vice-president Matt Jordan in announcing Barrett as the interim head coach said that the remainder of this season would be a trial run. The following are the top three reasons why the interim tag should be removed now and not wait until the end of the 2016 campaign.
First, Barrett has changed the attitude and the culture of the team. The player’s respect for Barrett’s soccer acumen is unquestionable however more important than that is the re-instilled pride in their profession. Just days after the club’s first match following Coyle’s departure, veteran defender DaMarcus Beasley reiterated emphatically that Barrett was the player’s coach regardless of the title interim.
“Me, personally I have a 100% confidence in Wade,” said Beasley back in June. “Wade’s our coach. We are very happy with that. the way he worked with us in that little time he had was great. The players responded to that. The players are behind him 100%.”
Coyle talked a good game but the execution, and the attitude of the players did not back up his words. One is hard pressed to find a player who would not do anything on the pitch for this coach.
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Second, Barrett develops players and not just the youngsters. Defender Jalil Anibaba has become the glue on the backline. Maligned under Coyle, the veteran whether on the outside or in the middle has made many stop and take notice. His stop in the 90th minute on Sunday evening was just the latest in a string of defensive highlights he has put up since June. Perhaps the one who has gained the most Barrett’s position is the young Columbian striker Mauro Manotas. For weeks, the media heard that Manotas’ day was coming and now it has. The forward has demonstrated the intuition of a veteran around the goal, delivered passes with precision and pace under duress and his athleticism and speed has helped open lanes for others like Ricardo Clark to score.
Third, the team has transformed itself from a team that could not stop anyone to a club that has been the stingiest since Barrett took control. Execution so stifling that the team has a 0.81 goals against average with five shutouts through 15 games against all competition. His no nonsense approach to the Dynamo Way has turned a team that was on the verge of falling into soccer oblivion into a team that is only 8 points from the final playoff berth with two games in hand on the Portland Timbers. The Timbers will be in Houston on September 24th with what could inevitably be the game if the season.
Under Barrett, the expectations of postseason play has been renewed and revitalized. The team that was searching for an identity under Coyle has found one under Barrett. Tough, tenacious and determined are three words that opponents now know about the Houston Dynamo whether they are visiting BBVA or hosting the boys in orange.
Houston’s next opportunity to showcase its push for the playoffs comes in a mid-week home tilt with the Seattle Sounders on Wednesday night August 24that 7:45p.m. CDT.