Report: Revolution Players Refuse to Train
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Report: Revolution Players Refuse to Train
After a series of unproductive meetings Tuesday, Revolution players reportedly refused to practice as questions over Bruce Arena's investigation and resignation loom.
The New England Revolution returned to Revs Training Center for the first time as a collective unit since Bruce Arena’s resignation following a lengthy investigation into “inappropriate and insensitive remark.”
According to The Athletic’s Tom Bogert and Pablo Mauer, players were informed of a mandatory meeting with Revolution President Brian Bilello to “address what transpired” and to “give the group a chance to ask questions.”
After an hour-long meeting Tuesday morning, players still felt unsatisfied with the answers given. Players then requested to meet with interim Head Coach Richie Williams and questioned his involvement in the investigation. As Williams did during the Revolution’s media availability, he told players he could not comment on the matter.
The new information provided by The Athletic paints a different picture than the one Richie Wlliams displayed during today’s media availability. Williams said the Revs "didn’t have training today as we had a bunch of meetings between players, coaches and management…The length of the meetings and what was discussed we decided as a group, collectively, that we wouldn’t have training today and we’d be out tomorrow.”
Following the second meeting with Richie Williams, senior Revolution players met with interim Sporting Director Curt Onalfo to discuss concerns about Richie Williams’ leadership.
One Revolution player told Mauer and Bogert that “not many guys trust Richie leading the team right now.” Players are not the only ones to have an issue with Williams. Assistant coaches Shalrie Joeseph and Dave van den Bergh have walked out of training sessions on multiple occasions since Williams' takeover according to The Athletic. Maurer and Bogert also reported that Williams and Joseph have clashed on multiple occasions with the two having to be physically separated at one point last season.
With things looking volatile inside the Revolution Training Facility, one source close to The Athletic states a change in coaching could come as soon as this week as the club prepares for the second leg of their three-game road trip as they travel to Dick’s Sporting Goods Park in Commerce City, Colorado to take on the Rapids.
Report: Revolution Players Refuse to Train
Human Resource departments are NEVER about the welfare of employees. It is always about protecting the organization from legal exposure. Is this the actual sequence of events
Pre-August 2023: Williams informed he will not be retained next year as an assistant coach
August 2023: Williams files a complaint against Arena for something Arena said or did, maybe once, maybe more than once.
August 2023: Williams becomes interim head coach
September 2023: Arena resigns after acknowledging poor behavior
September 2023: Williams is named as the head coach for remainder of the season.
So, he went from being declared inadequate to continue as an assistant coach, but now he is leading teams into the playoffs? Who could possibly believe this will work?
But here is what HR is telling on the people who are trying to win soccer games. - "You can't fire Williams this year. He will sue us for retaliating against him for making a complaint. And he could win the lawsuit."
And in a competition between HR and the rest of the organization.... HR wins. This team is going to completely implode. No possible way for Williams to wink the lockeroom back. And no possible way HR will agree to fire him.
This situation is disconcerting in many respects. I see William’s situation as untenable. If he has lost the trust and faith of the players, then he needs to be removed ASAP, HR be damned. There are plenty of recognizable coaches looking for work that would love to step in coach the #2-3 team in league standings.