About Schmid

Sigi Schmid, coach of the Columbus Crew, is another valid candidate for coach of the U.S. team should Bruce Arena leave his post. Schmid has experience coaching in the college, professional and international ranks. In his 19 years at UCLA he compiled a record of 322-63-33 and led the Bruins to three national titles. In 1997, he was named NSCAA Coach of the Year. Three years earlier, Schmid had been an assistant coach for the 1994 U.S. World Cup team.

In the late 1990s, Schmid took over the Under-20 men's national team but relinquished that duty to coach the Los Angeles Galaxy in 1999. There, he won the 2002 MLS Cup as well as the 2001 U.S. Open Cup. He returned to coach the Under-20s in 2005 before accepting the head coach job with the Crew.

His extensive pedigree aside, a recent article in the Columbus Dispatch illustrates Schmid's practical yet demanding style. He speaks frankly, admitting that the Crew will likely play its best soccer in the years to come. But his realistic outlook doesn't stop him from challenging his young, injury-ravaged team to raise its level of play.

The article quotes Schmid: "I don’t think we’re going to get in [to the playoffs] as a first-place team, but in our league second place is definitely within reach. If you look at Kansas City (6-8-2), they started out 4-1. That certainly shows that everybody can hit bad runs and that’s a team with more talent and more experience than we have."

Though admitting a lack of requisite talent and seasoning, Schmid refuses to let his team off the hook. He still ambitiously eyes a second place finish in a tough conference.

To my mind, Schmid's way of handling the Crew's season would work well with our current National Team. If this World Cup was any indication, more needs to be demanded out of some of the team's protagonists. This is not to say that Arena bred complacency -- he tried his best to rally his guys through the media -- but perhaps a new, effective preacher of focus and determination would make a difference.