Got off to a little slow start in '17 but WOW, how 'bout the last two years?? A lot of us here questioned using a "foreigner" as U.S. capt. but it now looks like genius to me. Congrats to him and his squad(s). Wish him well in whatever comes his way next.
Hats off to Johan....................
- Thread starter garczar
- Start date
Agree 1000% here. JJ will be a great skipper.
Count me among those who wondered whether the Johan move was a good one in 2017.
My concern was that he wouldn't be hands on enough if he were living in Russia. He quickly proved me wrong, bringing Mosconi hopefuls and team members to his academy in Russia, attending some major events in the US to watch/scout his players, putting his players in some European and WPA events, providing actual individualized instruction to his players, and arranging team vs team prep matches to further acclimate his team to the Mosconi Cup format. He also did well to bring on Jeremy Jones, one of America's greatest ever tacticians, to help school his team in how to play the percentages, and the two of them have succeeded marvelously together.
Agreed, hats off to Johan … and JJ, too.
My concern was that he wouldn't be hands on enough if he were living in Russia. He quickly proved me wrong, bringing Mosconi hopefuls and team members to his academy in Russia, attending some major events in the US to watch/scout his players, putting his players in some European and WPA events, providing actual individualized instruction to his players, and arranging team vs team prep matches to further acclimate his team to the Mosconi Cup format. He also did well to bring on Jeremy Jones, one of America's greatest ever tacticians, to help school his team in how to play the percentages, and the two of them have succeeded marvelously together.
Agreed, hats off to Johan … and JJ, too.
It sounded in the post match conference that Johan is riding off into the sunset...
In several threads some are wondering if JJ could successfully take over for Johan. I believe he could, but only because of all Johan has done to develop discipline in the team and establish what the role of Mosconi Cup USA Captain is.
Mark Wilson started the establishment of professionalism into the role of USA Captain.
Mark joined in 2014. After our terrible showing in 2013 (2-11), Billiard Digest published an article which included the nugget that USA Captain Johnny Archer had taken his family with him to Las Vegas and spent the day before the Mosconi Cup touring the Grand Canyon in Arizona. It was obvious that the string of USA Captains over the previous years considered their job started a few weeks before the Cup and they would "do their best".
Mark, and now especially Johan, have changed this. The USA Captain role is now considered something akin to a military senior officer leading a commando unit into battle. Nothing is Left to Chance!
Mark Wilson started the establishment of professionalism into the role of USA Captain.
Mark joined in 2014. After our terrible showing in 2013 (2-11), Billiard Digest published an article which included the nugget that USA Captain Johnny Archer had taken his family with him to Las Vegas and spent the day before the Mosconi Cup touring the Grand Canyon in Arizona. It was obvious that the string of USA Captains over the previous years considered their job started a few weeks before the Cup and they would "do their best".
Mark, and now especially Johan, have changed this. The USA Captain role is now considered something akin to a military senior officer leading a commando unit into battle. Nothing is Left to Chance!
Yeah, I was surprised to hear him say that. Apparently there always was a 3 year plan, but I also felt he left it in the middle somewhat. Didn't seem like he definitely would not be captain in 2020. I assume people will try to persuade him to return next year.
jep, johan obv did a great job.
but i think theres a 2nd name to mention for the turnaround: jayson shaw.
he now had 4 appearences, is 2-2, in 2016 it was no factor whos playing against that inferior US team and in 2017 europe won despite him. as great as he is, i dont think hes a teamplayer like some other rocks who again got overlooked in favour of jayson. that big head should be nowhere near that team if he doesnt qualify properly imo.
but ofc matchroom. on the other side its good for the cup. but still.
but i think theres a 2nd name to mention for the turnaround: jayson shaw.
he now had 4 appearences, is 2-2, in 2016 it was no factor whos playing against that inferior US team and in 2017 europe won despite him. as great as he is, i dont think hes a teamplayer like some other rocks who again got overlooked in favour of jayson. that big head should be nowhere near that team if he doesnt qualify properly imo.
but ofc matchroom. on the other side its good for the cup. but still.
I'm no JS homer but he is a great player and belongs there. Remember all the times that SVB shit on his shoes? Gonna say he doesn't belong now? How many other Euros can beat him? Maybe Gorst i guess but i'm not even sure of that.
From the outside looking in, when I read about all the things JR did with the US team in the run up to the MC, it appears to me that to pull all of that off he must have been getting *way* more support (spelt: funding) from MR than MW ever dreamed of.
Lou Figueroa
Lou Figueroa
You base this on what? A guess? Could it not possibly be that his methods are just better? All those wins as Euro capt. were just because of some funding issue? Sorry but i'm not goin' for it.
Doesn't matter whether its running a football squad, a presidential campaign, or a MC team -- you got no dough, you got no go.
MW was holding fund raisers to help his teams. Didn't hear about JR having to do any of that, yet look at all the stuff he was doing in the months before the MC that require funding.
Money makes everything easier.
Lou Figueroa
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Ignore him. Dude is clueless when it comes to coaching.
If funding was the answer why didn't "they" just provide more during MW's tenure? The US team just played better the last two years. IIRC the BCA,Predator and CSI put up the funds for the oversea trip to Russia. If that's the case why didn't they do that for MW? Money always helps but i still believe JR's(andJJ's) methods were/are better. I like MW but US teams under him played REALLY bad on multiple occasions.
ofc he belongs there classwise, i just think hes bad for the chemistry. since shaw is in the team its not the same anymore. also noone else is giving racks or even matches away cause of his behaviour like shaw did in the allypally. hes a awesome player playing for his wallet but i would never hand him a wc. has he even tried to be on the team?
and SVB is a completly different animal, you cant replace him in team USA. that looks different in shaws case.there would be easily a handful of rocks and guys who know what it means to play in a team i would prefer over him.
yes i remember a lot of naysayers and criticisms... i wonder where they are now hahaha
What's next for Johann?
Europe is in a 2 year slump, Maybe Johann is going after Chamat's job.
Europe is in a 2 year slump, Maybe Johann is going after Chamat's job.
Agreed that JS is a world class player.
Not such a good team player imo.
And as a doubles player, even worse. He sharks his own partner with his demands.
Johan is undoubtedly the greatest coach in recent pool history.
Well done
Farewell song for him https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=C3kqaj5-ULk
Well done
Farewell song for him https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=C3kqaj5-ULk
Possible but i think he may be headed for a Matchroom position like maybe a Director of Competition or something along those lines. Very sharp guy.