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CREW SHUTTLES ANDRULIS OUT - TOUGH YEAR LEADS TO COACHING CHANGE
BY DAVE WEISSMAN, COLUMBUS WIRED

After struggling to a 4-10-2 start through the first half of the season, Columbus Crew GM Mark McCullers called a press conference Tuesday to announce that head coach Greg Andrulis had been relieved of his duties. The Crew is currently last in the Eastern Conference with 14 points and a record of 4-10-2.

It has been a trying year for the 5th year head coach and his team. Aspirations were high at the beginning of the season with the addition of Ante Razov, but dwindled with injuries to key players, the bad attitude of Razov which lead to Andrulis benching him and GM Mark McCullers eventually trading him to NY/NJ for a pick in next year’s draft.

Adding on to the problems was key injuries to goalkeeper Jon Busch (torn ACL), midfielder’s Duncan Oughton (knee surgery) and Ross Paule (concussion) and the inability for Edson Buddle to create the offense the Crew needed.

The Crew found every way to lose games this season, including a recent 1-0 loss to D.C. United in which Columbus only allowed two shots on goal, but one was an own-goal by Chad Marshall leading to the loss.

The final straw was the 2-1 loss last Saturday in Crew Stadium. Once again the home team was ahead early, but allowed two goals in their 10th defeat of the year.

Andrulis is not the only one to blame, but as in all sports the easiest fix. You can’t cut the whole team, even though it is the team that is not performing on the field. The coach puts together a game plan based on available players and talent available.

Through his attorney, Andrulis issued the following statement, “It is with great disappointment that my tenure with the Columbus Crew has closed after 24 years as a successful collegiate and professional soccer coach. It is the first time in 24 seasons that I have been unable to fulfill my contractual obligations after being terminated for the first time in my career.”

General Manager Mark McCullers has had a tough year as well, but has been able to shape the team into something that can salvage the season. If not, he will be next.

Andrulis was 49-43-32 in his four-plus years with The Crew and 2-4-3 in the playoffs. Andrulis was named interim head coach on May 17, 2001, taking over from former Crew Coach, the late Tom Fitzgerald. He was named permanent head coach on October 25, 2001, after leading the team to a 12-4-4 record.

Longtime Crew player and assistant coach Robert Wvarhiza gets his shot for the remainder of the season. He is a fan favorite and a very skilled soccer player and coach. Warzycha spent six years as a player with the team before becoming an assistant coach.

The Crew’s 2005 season is in stark contrast to last season, when the Andrulis guided the team and put together an 18-game unbeaten streak to claim the 2004 Supporters Shield, given to the MLS team with the best record. In 2002, Columbus won the Open Cup to capture its only championship in the teams ten year history.