Coach, Management Differ on Personnel : Sockers: Newman wants Paul Dougherty on team, but the midfielder isn’t signed. Sources say personnel matter is part of a deeper rift.
Socker Coach Ron Newman called the status of free-agent Paul Dougherty “a mystery” on Monday. But that mystery might only be a subplot of a deeper drama.
Newman made it clear Monday he would like to sign Dougherty, an experienced midfielder who was second on the team in goals (40) and assists (24) in 1987-88. Dougherty also was named “Unsung Hero” in 1989 when the Sockers defeated Baltimore to win their seventh of eight indoor soccer titles.
Dougherty left the team after that success to play for Baltimore in the 1989-90 season.
He has been in the Sockers’ camp for a week after arriving from his native England. When asked about his progress, Newman said, “Paul Dougherty is a mystery right now.”
When asked if that meant Dougherty’s effort was not up to the standards the midfielder established during his 2 1/2 years with the club, Newman shook his head and said, “No, Paul has been absolutely brilliant.”
Although Newman wouldn’t say, the indication was someone other than the coach has the final say over which players are signed.
Dougherty said Newman has told him that the coach wants him on the team, but that an apparent power struggle between coach and team management--President Ron Cady and owner Ron Fowler--might be preventing that.
“The coach thinks I’m good enough to play,” Dougherty said. “And when you’ve got the best coach in the league, he should be able to . . . well, on any other team in the league, he would be given the freedom to do anything he wanted.
“Ron Newman has won eight championships. For someone to question him is kind of ridiculous.”
One team source said there has been disharmony between coach and management for some time.
“They are not working together and it has been like this for a couple of years,” the source said. “I think they’ve been trying to (unseat him) for a while, but when your team keeps winning championships, you can’t get rid of the coach.”
Another team source echoed that thought.
“He keeps winning championships and it (ticks) them off,” the second source said. “As soon as they get a chance, they would love to offer him to an expansion team.”
Fowler could not be reached for comment; Cady did not return phone calls.
Newman said he would not comment.
Despite his long string of indoor successes, Newman, almost since the beginning, has heard complaints of players who claim he can’t coach.
“As much as players don’t give him credit,” the first source said, “he has put the team together and you have to give him credit for that. He doesn’t coach, but he does put together winning teams. He gets 18 players together with so many different nationalities, different tempers, personalities and everything, he motivates them and they win. I know I couldn’t do that, and he’s been rebuilding the team every year.”
This year’s rebuilding task has been especially difficult. The Sockers lost two of last season’s top three defenders--George Fernandez and Ralph Black--and their top goalie--Zoltan Toth--through free agency. In addition, defender Cacho never showed up to camp when told he would have to earn a contract. Midfielder Jacques Ladouceur decided to stay away because he felt the club’s offer was too low.
To fill the defensive holes, the Sockers have signed rookie David Banks, Alex Golovnia, a Soviet national with virtually no indoor experience, and Saeed Bakhtiari, a player from a minor league. They still are auditioning goalies and midfielders, although Newman would like to fill the latter role with Dougherty.
Dougherty’s experience might be a valuable commodity on what is considered a youthful team.
“He’s an experienced player and you can’t depend on rookies alone,” one Socker said. “I think he would help the team, very much so.”
It is not as though Dougherty is without options. He already has been offered contracts by Tacoma and Dallas, but prefers to play in San Diego, for his old coach, in front of a familiar crowd he once turned on by doing back flips after scoring goals.
“All they have to do is offer me a contract,” Dougherty said. “And I’ll sign it.”
Dougherty said he will find out today if the Sockers will make him an offer.
Socker Notes
Defender Saeed Bakhtiari said he signed with the Sockers last week. Bakhtiari has played in the National Professional Soccer League for the past six years, earning league defensive Most Valuable Player honors in 1985-86 and 1986-87 while with Louisville. He also holds the league record for blocked shots in a season with 138. . . . The Sockers now have signed 15 players, which means they have three remaining roster spots, one of which will be filled by a goalie, either veteran Nenad Zigante or rookie Anton Nistl.