Today, FC Tulsa announced Blair Galvin as their full-time manager. The moves comes after Michael Nsien left the post in June. Since then, Donovan Ricketts has served as the interim manager, fine-tuning a back-three system and shepherding a reshaped roster into the playoff chase. No matter where Tulsa finishes in the Eastern Conference this year, tangible cultural improvements and the installation of a Gavin-helmed vision for the organization mark 2022 as an obvious success.
Gavin played for the University of Akron at the program's apex before embarking upon a journeyman career in American soccer. He ended his playing days with Phoenix Rising before joining the coaching staff. At the time, Phoenix was overseen by Rick Schantz and run by Sam Doerr, now the visionary for FC Tulsa. Three seasons of experience earned him a video analysis role with the Columbus Crew, eventually leading to a full promotion to assistant coach. Gavin has earned a head job with his sterling resume, but what is he walking into in Tulsa?
At the time of Michael Nsien’s dismissal, Tulsa had earned just one win in nearly two months. Change came swiftly afterwards, with stalwarts like Joaquin Rivas and Sean Lewis dealt or loaned out in favor of new faces. At the time, the decision to let Rivas, a star Salvadoran international and stalwart with the organization, came under particular scrutiny. Still, the refresh has yielded some gems. Noah Powder and Sean McFarlane have excelled at the fullback positions, Austin Wormell has shone as the new man in net, and the potential of Marcus Epps looms large when pondering the future of this Tulsa side.
The Epps acquisition is indicative of the club's forward-looking approach as the Gavin era begins. Traded for JJ Williams, Epps is on a contract that extends through the 2024 season. Williams, a double-digit scorer and talisman at the start of the campaign, was only on a one-year contract. You can argue the merits of each player - I personally think Epps is better - but the transaction shows that Tulsa is building for something bigger than the immediate term.
In a tactical sense, the success of Ricketts has come down to improved defending more than any other factor. His sides haven’t conceded more than two goals in any match. The deployment of Bradley Bourgeois represents all that’s gone right. Typically starting at right back in the past, he often plays as the centermost central defender in a back three nowadays. His leadership, communication, and flexibility allow Tulsa to use that aforementioned shape or, as in recent weeks, dabble in a back four.
More importantly, the poor aura around Nsien’s locker room has dissipated. All indications when the coaching change occurred suggested that players were unhappy with his rah-rah communication style. Multiple high-profile Tulsa players confirmed as much to me at the time, and it seemed that there was a general level of strife across the team. Now, the squad is unified as they pursue a common goal of playoff qualification under a coach and front office with a vision.
Where does Gavin fit into this tactical and cultural overhaul? I've heard nothing but compliments as to his personality, and one can envision Gavin as the communicative linchpin for Rising's best seasons aside the sometimes prickly Schantz. Meanwhile, those Schantz-led teams that Gavin helped to define were known for aggressive pressure, high amounts of possession, and a 4-1-4-1 base shape on the field.
Columbus, meanwhile, has middled in MLS’ Eastern Conference in the last two seasons. The Crew tend to be fairly ball-dominant but safe in their passing profile. Their pressure is light and defensive line deep, resulting in low-event but fairly effective soccer.
If nothing else, the varied styles and systems that Gavin has implemented arm him to mold FC Tulsa to fit its talented roster. The surety of a full-time manager can also allow players to further flourish in a settled locker room. We've seen hints of that dynamic already in the nascent Ricketts era. Wormell, a reserve, has emerged as the USL’s top goalkeeper by Goals Saved Above Average. Epps already looks sharper in an end-to-end wing role than he did isolated on the flank in the Valley.
Indeed, talent abounds all over this roster. Gavin’s task is to figure out how to deploy Lebo Moloto, a star creator but less willing defender, alongside purer forwards like Rodrigo Da Costa or industrious two-way midfielders like Eric Bird. He must determine whether Tulsa’s identity lies in a back three or not and fit international-caliber player like Ronald Rodriguez into his side.
The pieces are on the table, and Gavin has to figure out how they can contribute to a holistic vision for success. Still, the barometer success lies not in 2022 but in playoff qualification in the seasons to come. I wouldn’t bet against Gavin getting Tulsa to that point, and the Doerr regime seems more than willing to give the new manager a long leash and ample resources to do just that. Bright times may just be ahead in the Sooner State.
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