Revolution's Steve Nicol talks draft, asst. coach, press relations, Plymouth deal, and DP

Coach Steve Nicol
Photo: Tony Biscaia/Revsnet

Steve Nicol, head coach of the New England Revolution and the longest tenured coach in MLS (2002), just signed a two-year extension on his contract.

A hot-head on the bench at games, former Liverpool defender Nicol is surprisingly easy-going in person. While he was stuck in traffic Tuesday evening, Nicol spoke with me about what he's looking for in an assistant coach to replace Paul Mariner, the Plymouth training arrangement, how he deals with the expansion draft, press relations, and the possibility of a designated player.

LE: In the last couple years you tapped into Africa for players and you've always relied on the draft. Where are you looking this year?

Nicol: To be honest with you, I prefer the draft. In the other case, it’s not that that we just pick one place and that’s where we go, we’re open to anything and that’s what we’ll do. We’ll go anywhere, look anywhere to try and get better players for the team. We’re not limiting it to Africa alone.

LE: Why haven't you included more English players on your squad – not Liverpool or Manchester United, just good basic players with a background you understand?

Nicol: Financially, the money they make in England is far better than what players make here. That’s the bottom line. Anybody that has ability is already with a team pretty much. There’s certainly a lot of players that would like to come and play in the US, but the bottom line for all of us, whatever job we do, a lot of it is financial. We can’t afford a lot of the players in Europe because of the Euro against the dollar.

LE: Yesterday you released your protected list ahead of the Philadelphia expansion draft and Jay Heaps and Chris Albright weren't on it.

Nicol: We can only protect so many players and those two guys in particular, we didn’t feel that Philadelphia would pick up so that’s why they weren’t protected. The way the expansion draft goes, there’s a whole host of things that come into play. The cap is a big problem for everybody, so some guys will be protected because of the cap number, some guys won’t be protected because of the cap number, some guys will be protected because we see them in the future playing, and some guys won’t be protected because we’re not sure they’re going to be with us for the next four, five, or six years. Percentage-wise, it’s probably 80% down to who you want to be starting on your team next year. Another 20% is made up of financial reasons and other kinds of stuff like injuries.

LE: Why did you protect Kenny Mansally?

Nicol: Philadelphia absolutely would have taken him had he been available.

LE: Is his value increasing for trade?

Nicol: Yes. The more games somebody plays in MLS, the experience and the fact that they’re playing more generally would suggest that they’re doing better, so yes, absolutely.

LE: Nico Colaluca, Chris Tierney, and MIke Videira definitely had their moments last season but they weren't protected. What are your plans for them?

Nicol: They’re all young guys who we think have ability and can get better, so we expect to have them back at the start of next season and we’ll go from there.

LE: What's the story with Edgaras Jankauskas?

Nicol: We made him an offer and he’s thinking about it. It’s hard to explain to guys from overseas how the league works. They find it tough understanding how the salary cap works, for example. Basically what we’re trying to do is restructure his contract, which is difficult for somebody coming from Europe to understand.

LE: English press reported the Revolution have a training arrangement at Plymouth and we spoke about it this fall. Can you talk more about this?

Nicol: Part of the agreement with Paul [Mariner] going there was that opportunity for some of our players to go and train in the offseason, anytime between now and our preseason. Yes, we have an agreement. I don’t think Twellman will be doing that. At the present time we’re looking to get a couple of the young goalies over there just because they didn’t get a lot of time during the season. It’ll be a great experience and good for them to get time between the sticks. [Brad Knighton and Bobby Shuttleworth] are the two people we’re thinking of sending over there.

LE: How is Taylor Twellman's fitness?

Nicol: It’s a process. He’s gradually doing more and more, so by the time preseason comes around, the plan is he’s able to 100%.

LE: How did Steve Ralston's surgery go?

Nicol: It went very well. The surgery was as nice and straight forward as it can be, it was a clean tear. As far as damaging limitations are concerned, the surgeons were pleased with what happened and he’s now doing his rehab.

LE: How is Chris Albright? It's been a long time since he's been on the field.

Nicol: He’s been getting his fitness. He had a tough time last year injured. He’s doing rehab and trying to get himself ready to go.

LE: Albright is a great defender, but he's also very articulate and a good spokesman for the team. That was a big loss as well last year.

Nicol: It’s important to have good relationships with the press. You guys are with us all the time and it’s important that we all get along and are pretty straight with each other and all the rest of it. You need guys who know how that all works - your Heaps and your Ralstons and your Reis – they all know how it works. If everybody helps everybody else then we’ll all be okay. Which is kind of how we want it on the field, everybody helping everybody, and chances are we’ll be good.

LE: Last season seemed like an unfair burden on Heaps, Ralston, Reis, and Shalrie, not just on the field but with the press as well.

Nicol: I couldn’t agree with you more. And the problem is when you have so many young guys and you only have a handful of those core guys and they’re the ones getting spoken to all the times, it’s a lot on their shoulders. And when you have so many injuries a lot of people forget it’s not just on the field, but the pressure, under pressure just in general. Not everybody understands that.

LE: I've seen you with Paul Mariner so much and you worked together so well, it's hard to imagine you working with another coach. How are you going to pick an assistant?

Nicol: It’s all about character. Obviously you want someone who is knowledgable about the whole MLS system – the draft, the college stuff, professional experience, been in situations previously. Personality is important and character is important as well. I don’t want an assistant who’s just going to yes me to death. If somebody has an opinion I want to hear it. But ultimately I’m the head coach and I have the say of the final outcome. I certainly don’t want an assistant who’s not prepared to give an opinion and I don’t want anyone who doesn’t have an opinion either, so that’s all about personality and character.

LE: So, are the Revolution going to get a designated player?

Nicol: A designated player is something we’d love to have, but it has to be the right person and the right amount of money. It’s a combination of the right player giving us certain things on the field and he has to be right off the field as well. Would we like to have one someday? Absolutely. If the guy is a DP that means he has ability first and foremost and that’s what we want.

LE: Would Thierry Henry as a designated player give you good press right now?

Nicol: Not with the Irish. If our owners were Irish it probably wouldn’t be good.

LE: Why do you stay in MLS?

Nicol: I’m under contract. I enjoy my job, I enjoy living where I am, I enjoy being involved with the Revolution. I was offered a two-year extension and I decided to take it. I like where I am. Certainly there’s going to be some challenges again this season, but that’s what it’s all about, isn’t it? Challenging yourself and having a look at the other end.

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