Ex-QPR Update - John Spencer Turns Down Chicago Head Coaching Job

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Houston Chronicle/Bernardo Fllas - Jan. 10, 2008, Dynamo aide Spencer turns down Fire's offer Salary offered for head job was similar to compensation in Houston
With the MLS combine and SuperDraft fast approaching, the Chicago Fire still plan to announce the hiring of a new head coach by week's end.
And his name won't be John Spencer.
Spencer, the Dynamo's assistant coach for the past two MLS championship seasons, said Wednesday night he rejected an offer to become the Fire's head coach because the pay was not up to par.
"(Tuesday) I got offered the job in Chicago, accepted it and sat down to try and negotiate a contract, but we couldn't come to terms,'' Spencer said. "It wasn't much more money than I (was making) here with the Dynamo, and I felt that to move my family to another state and all the upheaval and such, I just didn't think it was worth it, so I turned it down.''
Spencer declined to go into details of the offer or his salary, but said he will be signing a one-year extension with the Dynamo today.
"Another piece of the puzzle for '08 has fallen into place,'' Dynamo chief operating officer Chris Canetti said. "We're more than happy to have (Spencer) back, although at some level, personally, sorry for him that he wasn't able to get his first head-coaching job, which will happen some day.''
Spencer was a finalist for the job vacated by Juan Carlos Osorio last month, along with longtime Fire assistant Denis Hamlett, who now appears in line for a promotion.
Osorio, who coached the Fire to an impressive turnaround since arriving in July, left to sign with the New York Red Bulls.
Reports last week also had former Dallas Burn assistant and current Duke assistant Mike Jeffries in the hunt for the position.
Turning down the offer was a no-brainer for the former Scottish international and MLS star.
"I value myself a lot more than what they offered,'' said Spencer, who was interviewed multiple times. "They obviously felt I was the right guy for the job and offered me the position, so I must have done something right in the interviews, because I sure had enough of them.
"Things happen.''


AP = Fire assistant promoted to coach
Costa Rica native Hamlett moves up with Dynamo assistant out of the running
By ANDREW SELIGMAN
CHICAGO — The Chicago Fire promoted longtime assistant Denis Hamlett to head coach Friday, ending a long search to find a successor to Juan Carlos Osorio.
Hamlett, a 39-year-old Costa Rican, is the Fire's fourth coach. He had been an assistant since the Fire's inaugural 1998 season.
"I'm excited to have an opportunity to take my career to the next level with the team I started with 11 years ago," he said. "There is no other place I'd rather have this opportunity with than the Fire."
Hamlett served as interim coach after Dave Sarachan was fired in midseason, but instead of getting a promotion at the time, he got passed over.
The Fire hired Osorio and went 6-3-7, going from last place in the Eastern Conference to within one game of the MLS Cup after a season as manager at Millonarios in Colombia. The arrival of Mexican star Cuauhtemoc Blanco in July helped turn around the season, but Osorio left abruptly a month ago to coach the New York Red Bulls.
"The goal from the beginning was to make sure we got the right guy, and if it took a little bit extra time to do that, then so be it," Fire president and general manager John Guppy said. "We have the right guy."
Hamlett's promotion came after Houston Dynamo assistant coach John Spencer reportedly accepted and rejected the job. Spencer told the Houston Chronicle that the Fire offered the position on Tuesday, and he initially decided to take it. He then turned it down because the pay wasn't enough. Guppy would not comment.
Hamlett said he never considered leaving as coaches came and went through the years. Chicago won the 1998 MLS Cup and four Eastern Conference championships (1998, 2000, 2001, 2003).
"It speaks volumes in terms of the many championships we've won, the commitment to winning, the tradition, the honor, the great players that have come through here," Hamlett said. "I've been part of that. That's something special."
Guppy said Hamlett was always "at the forefront" of the Fire's thinking during the process.
"He is somebody that I've had the great pleasure of working with for the past three years," Guppy said. "I've seen firsthand all of the tremendous qualities and talents that he has as a coach." (AP)


Meanwhile another ex-QPR man,remains Head Coach at Dallas FC - Steve Morrow


And another ex-QPR man...
BBC Waddock targets FA Trophy success
Aldershot boss Gary Waddock is hoping his team continue to progress in the FA Trophy after they won 4-2 at Woking to reach the last 16.
Waddock said: "The FA Trophy is a fantastic competititon and we want to do well whatever competition we are in. The players want to achieve here."
"We remained calm and composed even when we went behind in the second half.
"Woking played extremely well and put us under pressure. We knew what to expect though and saw it through." BBC


And in the English non-Leagues, ex-QPR youth, Michael Rutherford (played a couple of games for QPR in 1989) has a new job.Dolby the new man in United hot seat
imon Newstead
Tony Dolby is the new manager of Hastings United Football Club, with Mike Rutherford joining as his assistant.
The pair struck up an excellent working relationship during a four-year spell in charge of Tonbridge Angels, which was brought to an end a couple of months ago as the Kent side struggled near the foot of the Ryman League Premier Division table.
They will be facing a similar challenge at Hastings, with last season's Division One South play-off winners currently languishing in the relegation zone, leading to the departure of Nigel Kane from the manager's hot seat at the end of December.
Since then United have been under the caretaker control of reserve team management duo John Lambert and Wayne Farrier.
Dolby had initially joined Tonbridge as a player ahead of the 2003/04 season, but at just 29 years of age, found himself elevated to the role of player-manager within a matter of months, appointing Rutherford as his right hand man shortly afterwards. They led the Angels to a third place finish in the Southern League Eastern Division and a place in the Ryman Premier following the restructuring of the non-league game.
Relegation to Division One South followed in their first full season at the helm, but Tonbridge bounced straight back the following season, again finishing third, winning promotion via the play-offs, and went on to secure a comfortable mid-table finish in the 2006/07 campaign.
Both men started their playing days in the Football League, Dolby with Millwall, and Rutherford with Queens Park Rangers, although both went on to spend the majority of their careers in the upper echelons of non-league football.
But while Dolby appeared for the likes of Barnet, & Northfleet and Welling United, amongst others, Rutherford was more of a one club man, making over 300 appearances in an eight-year spell with Welling, before joining Chelmsford City and subsequently being forced into semi-retirement by a niggling knee injury.
Still only 33, it is hoped that Dolby will also add some much-needed experience to a youthful United playing squad, with Hastings chairman Dave Walters also promising to provide his new manager with additional funds to further strengthen the squad, as the club strives to retain its Premier Division status.
Walters said: "We are delighted to secure the services of Tony Dolby as our new first team manager, along with Mike Rutherford as his assistant.
"Although we advertised the post, there were a couple of people targeted who we wanted to speak with, Tony being one of them.
"He is only 33 but has managed at this level with Tonbridge and secured promotion for them a couple of years ago. He has extensive contacts in the game and will be looking to strengthen the squad immediately.
"We are convinced that Tony and Mike are the right men to give us the best possible chance of avoiding relegation this season and to build for the future.
"We would like to thank John and Wayne for their considerable efforts in holding the fort since Nigel's departure, and are very pleased that they have agreed to carry on doing the extremely valuable job of looking after and nurturing our very good reserve side."
Dolby was introduced to the players before United's home game with AFC Hornchurch this afternoon, and then watched from the stands as Hastings played out a rather tedious goalless draw.
He will now officially begin the task of keeping the club in the Premier Division, with the visit to East Thurrock United next Saturday being his first match in charge.
HAstings Observer