Union coach should stop criticizing officials

Union team manager Peter Nowak is truly the face of the franchise, a person who, in just the team's second Major League Soccer season, has molded a unit that could be in line for a deep playoff run.

One thing that's frequently heard throughout the league is how hard the Union always play. That's a tribute to Nowak, a strong motivator and tactician.

With that glowing intro finished, there is one bit of free advice that we offer to Nowak that will help the team in the long run - stop crying.

Nowak is a passionate coach, and when he sees inconsistent work by the referees, it drives him and probably anybody in his position crazy.

Last week in a postgame news conference after Saturday's 1-1 draw with Real Salt Lake, Nowak lashed out at the officials.

"Week to week, we have to adjust to the different rules," Nowak said, alluding to the inconsistency.

Nowak certainly may have a point. The officiating has been inconsistent.

That isn't exactly a news flash.

Just the week before at Colorado, the Rapids earned a penalty kick on a highly questionable call against Union defender Danny Califf. The Rapids converted the penalty kick in a 1-1 draw.

Then this past week, a Union goal was nullified after Keon Daniel was called offside. Nowak thought that was the wrong call and believed that Michael Farfan was fouled near midfield by Jean Alexandre before he fed Fabian Espindola for RSL's lone goal.

Earlier this week, Nowak took this reporter into his office to view all three plays. He had a good point on all three, although we still think it wasn't an obvious foul on Alexandre.

Whether he was right or not, it still does Nowak and the team no good to call out the inconsistent officiating in a news conference.

If he wants to call the league office to complain (which he has), that's fine. Calling out officials from the postgame podium, even if he's right, can only alienate them.

Plus, this was a game that the Union lost by not putting RSL away in the first half, when they were dominant.

That should have been the theme.

Now it's really hard for a coach to show restraint when goals are so hard to come by and an official's call may cost a team a score or give the opponent one.

The pressure is enormous, and Nowak mentioned that two coaches in MLS have already been fired. Chicago and Vancouver fired their coaches on the same day, May 30. Keep in mind that this is Vancouver's initial MLS season.

So with such a short leash, this shows why coaches are so emotional when they perceive poor officiating.

"Usually teams wait half a season maybe, not the same day after 11 games," Nowak said. "There are a lot of guys under pressure."

So it's this type of pressure that makes coaches go berserk. And it has them speaking out in news conferences and even before they get to news conferences.

Nowak mentioned how RSL coach Jason Kreis voiced his displeasure to the referee at halftime with his team trailing, 1-0.

"We got Jason running to referees at the half, and I don't think referees should be approached by players or coaches," Nowak said.

Nor should coaches be venting after the game.

Of course, these coaches are human, and it's not so easy to toe that decorum line. In the long run, Nowak would be better biting his tongue about officiating and allowing his team's play to speak volumes.