New York City FC: Is Giovanni van Bronckhorst the right man?

New York City FC need a new head coach. Giovanni van Bronckhorst is the top man rumored for the job. But is he the right man for the job? We analyze his prospects here.

Even before New York City FC’s season finished in a depressing fashion, Giovanni van Bronckhorst had been rumored to take over as head coach at the club. According to Jack Gaughan at Mail Online, City Football Group was discussing the possibility of the Dutchman replacing Domènec Torrent, even though the then NYCFC head coach’s contract had him signed until 2020.

But then on Friday, November 8, it was announced that NYCFC and Torrent had ‘mutually agreed to part ways.’ Despite leading the Pigeons to a team record of 64 points, Torrent felt he should seek other opportunities to further his career. There were also mentions of his frustrations with MLS as a whole.

This announcement sparked the rumor mill, and right away, reports linked van Bronckhorst to the job. But is he the right man for the club? And can he continue to build the club from where they left off in 2019?

Well, from a purely managerial standpoint, the answer is yes.

While the Feyenoord Rotterdam legend has had a successful playing career, including spells at Arsenal and Barcelona, his managerial career is worthy of note in and of itself. After a few years as an assistant at Feyenoord, van Bronckhorst was elevated to the manager role in 2015. In his four years as manager, the lowest position the team finished in the Eredivisie was fourth. For those who don’t follow Dutch football, the league’s top tier has 18 teams and finishing in the top four guarantees European football. Van Bronckhorst had not only gifted players but also the managerial skill set to compete among the best.

Meanwhile, in the 2016-2017 season, he led the team to win the Eredivisie with an astounding 82 points. In addition, his team won the KNVB Cup, the annual football competition in the Netherlands, in his first and third seasons in charge. His record alone shows he is competent and capable of managing a team to success and glory.

Furthermore, not only does his managerial record give New York City FC a reason to consider him as Torrent’s successor, but his playing style does as well. According to Greg Seltzer at mlssoccer.com, van Bronckhorst leans toward an attacking 4-3-3 shape, which NYCFC has seen often during the past few years. He favors the use of wingers in the attack, just like Torrent and also likes to press high in the midfield. Regular turnovers would create openings in transition for the players like Maxi Moralez to continue their handsome attacking ingenuity of last season.

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Given his style, Seltzer believes there wouldn’t be too many alterations to the way New York City FC plays. Van Bronckhorst may focus on the high press a little more than Torrent, but even so, his managerial style would allow NYCFC to continue where they left off in 2019.

But there is a drawback to the van Bronckhorst development. According to The Mirror, Manchester City, the leading club in the City Football Group that New York City FC are a part of, are already thinking about the future after Pep Guardiola and will use van Bronckhorst’s time in New York as a chance for him to prove he is worthy to take over. If this is the case, fans may suspect van Bronckhorst does not have the right motivations in taking over the head coaching role.

Plus, this would insinuate he would not be in the States for the long term. Guardiola’s contract expires in 2021, unless a new extension is agreed. Therefore, van Bronckhorst would likely be here for a maximum of two years. And despite having successful regular seasons since 2016, NYCFC is moving onto their fourth head coach. This can be tiresome for fans, especially given that two of those head coaches did not leave because of a lack of success. Continually changing the head coach is not ideal and makes New York City FC seem like a testing ground for more ‘important’ projects elsewhere.

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Nevertheless, NYCFC’s need for continuity is imperative, and van Bronckhorst offers that based on his record and style. The Pigeons already have a talented core of starting players and should add a few new faces this offseason. Unless someone with a similar resume that wants to manage in MLS for the long term comes along, which is highly improbable, the Dutchman is the right person for the job.

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