PHOTO: ISI Photos
SAN JOSE, Calif, — Late Sunday night, Steve Ralston found himself doing laundry at home, just a sleep after the San Jose Earthquakes’ 5-1 loss to Sporting Kansas City, when he suddenly got a call from his boss and Quakes general manager, Jesse Fioranelli.
It was then that Fioranelli notified Ralston that he had relieved Mikael Stahre from his coaching duties, and that he wanted Ralston, who was in year three as assistant coach in San Jose, to take the helm.
What he was told caught the longtime MLS figure completely off guard.
“[I was] a bit surprised,” Ralston explained. “The first thing I said was that I wanted to speak with Mikael (Stahre) which I did. I want to say Mikael was wonderful towards me about what has happened and wished me the best of luck in taking over.”
Entering the league in it’s inaugural season (1996) as a player for the Tampa Bay Mutiny, Ralston has remained in the league since, 14 years as a player and eight as an assistant coach. It is undeniable that from this point on, the league has morphed into something more challenging and sophisticated. And for this reason, in addition to the insurmountable pressure that comes with the coaching title, Ralston accepts that a big task lies ahead.
“I’ve been in MLS since day one, so I’ve seen a lot of changes happen,” Ralston said on how his background will benefit him as interim of San Jose. “But it is definitely different to move over that one seat. As much as I’ve been around the game, there’s so much more going on, so much more to deal with that as an assistant you don’t have to worry about.”
“I haven’t slept a whole lot these past few nights, thats for sure, because it’s a little more stressful and a lot more on my shoulders.”
With only six games guaranteed in his tenure — four against playoff-bound squads — Ralston added that he and Fioranelli have yet to expand about where his future will lie after the season culminates later next month. That said, the league’s first-ever Rookie of the Year, acknowledges that with major preparation or not, he hopes the franchise’s recent shake-ups will cast a silver lining for the team moving forward. And in addition, with the help of his assistants and altered tactics and line-ups, the debuting coach will attempt to bring better days to Avaya Stadium.
“It means a lot,” Ralston said on the opportunity to coach the Quakes. “What happens from this? I don’t know. I’m going to do the best I can. I have six games to try and turn things around.”
“Sometimes this will ignite and bring the group together, and I hope that this will be the case. I’m happy that the club trusts me to do this and do the best I can.”
