Shawn Mitchell of the Columbus Dispatch writes about the support that Columbus Crew head coach Robert Warzycha has from his players and front office.
Despite the Crew's slow 2009 start as the defending MLS Cup Champions, Warzycha has the backing of the entire organization.
"That didn't even go through my mind, that they would get rid of Bobby," midfielder Robbie Rogers said. "I think people would be upset. Who are they going to bring in that has the experience with the guys here, who was here when we won the championship?"
"I think maybe if we lost all of those seven games, then guys would be discouraged. But I really think we've just been unlucky."
Two red cards, a late-game own goal and several injuries and national team call-ups have turned victories into ties, usually in heartbreaking fashion. The Crew blew second-half leads four times in its first seven games.
"The last week before (Saturday's 3-2 victory over Kansas City), that was the toughest week," Warzycha said. "The week (before a 1-1 tie at Toronto) was, too. I was worried, but that's the beauty of this game. As a coach, you're just getting gray hair every week, more and more."
Warzycha called the Crew's first victory "huge" but said there is more work to do. The team remains in last place in the Eastern Conference, but 22 Major League Soccer games and an appearance in the CONCACAF Champions League remain.
Considering that under Schmid the Crew sat at or near the basement of the Eastern Conference for two seasons before finding success in the third, another loss wouldn't spur a coaching change.
"The guys have to believe the person in charge is going to make them successful," McCullers said. "They believed that about Sigi, and they believe that about Robert."
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