SAN JOSE, Calif. – Whenever the San Jose Earthquakes do finally open their new stadium, it looks as though the same duo will be in charge of the product that goes on that brand-new field.
The Quakes announced Friday that they have signed general manager John Doyle and head coach Frank Yallop to multi-year extensions. Both men have been in those respective roles since the team was reborn as an expansion club in San Jose before the 2008 season.
“I think it’s good to work with [Yallop], and we’ve kind of got it to where we’re comfortable with the team that we have,” Doyle told MLSsoccer.com. “It took a little bit of time, but we’re pretty excited with the team and I think [co-owner] John Fisher, Lew [Wolff the team’s operating owner] and [team president] Dave Kaval see the same thing.”
[inline_node:323051]Doyle and Yallop presided over taking an expansion club from a combined record of 15-27-18 during its first two seasons to last year’s 13-10-7 record, which led to an MLS Cup Playoffs berth.
Once there, San Jose upset highly touted New York – including a 3-1 victory at Red Bull Arena to clinch a 3-2 aggregate-goal win – to reach the Eastern Conference Championship.
“They wanted to tie myself and John up, so it was great,” said Yallop, whose deal would have expired at the end of this season. “It’s always nice [to] feel you get rewarded for your work. I like to think I live and breathe this club. Everything I think about is getting this team good and getting it to win, and John’s the same.”
Forward Chris Wondolowski, who signed a new deal with the team in the offseason, was pleased to hear the news, since it will keep the team’s focus on the field rather than the front office.
“It’s very good to know that they have a little bit of security and those guys are going to be with us,” Wondolowski told MLSsoccer.com. “We don’t have to worry about having a new coach come in in the middle of the year, or a new GM. That can really throw a wrinkle into things, so I think it’s good for the guys.”
Doyle agreed that the stability was part of ownership’s thinking behind the extensions.
“I think they believe in the continuity also, and I’m a big fan of that – not just because it’s good for me,” Doyle said. “I think it’s important for players, I think it’s good for the organization. ... Financially, it wasn’t as big of a deal as being in the same place and building something, being comfortable in the place where I’m at.”
Geoff Lepper covers the Earthquakes for MLSsoccer.com. He can be reached at sanjosequakes@gmail.com. On Twitter: @sjquakes
