It could have been — maybe should have been — a train wreck.
Pat Noonan had never been a head coach at any level when he was asked to take over a woeful, dysfunctional FC Cincinnati team that had never finished anywhere but last in the MLS standings. The franchise needed a miracle worker, and it hired an apprentice.
Turns out Noonan was a little of both, though, because if his resumé was lacking, it was hardly thin.
He had been an assistant and player under three of the most successful managers in American soccer history, having worked with Bruce Arena with the Galaxy and the U.S. national team and with Jim Curtin in Philadelphia.
In Columbus and Seattle, he played under Sigi Schmid, the second-winningest coach in league history. Just once in 17 seasons had he played or coached for a losing team in MLS.
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Noonan had never known losing, Cincinnati had never won. Something was going to change.
Less than two seasons into his new job, it has. Not only has Noonan avoided a train wreck in Cincinnati, but he has also put the team on the right track — reaching the postseason for the first time last season, then running away with the Supporters’ Shield this season.
Heading into the regular-season finale Saturday with Atlanta, Noonan’s team has a chance at finishing with the third-best point total in league history while becoming the sixth team in the modern era to win 21 games. Cincinnati won 14 games combined in its first three MLS seasons.
Noonan feigns surprise at the turnabout while crediting others for his team’s accomplishments.
“It would be false for me to say I expected us to be in the position we’re in,” he said. “Being on a job a little over a year and half, your ego tells you you’re going to have success. You get the right people, you get the right players, you use your experiences in the league and you’re going to figure out how to win.”
It was general manager Chris Albright who jump-started the turnaround, joining the franchise 10 weeks before Noonan and making 24 personnel moves in his first 10 months. Among the players he added were U.S. international Matt Miazga and former Premier League defender Yerson Mosquera, who have helped transform the worst defense…