Search starts for O'Neill's successor

The Penn's men's soccer coach, whose contract expires on December 31, says he expected to be back in 1998. A search to replace dismissed Penn men's soccer coach George O'Neill will get underway in the next few weeks. But the reasons for O'Neill's departure remain murky. "[Athletic Director Steve Bilsky] has made up his mind to go in a different direction -- and that's fine," O'Neill said. "I don't want to be any place I'm not wanted." Bilsky indicated Monday night that the decision to let O'Neill's go after his one-year contract expires on December 31 was not solely a result of his 28-47-4 record at Penn. He indicated that all Penn coaches are expected to perform in multiple areas, including relating to players and alumni, recruiting and fundraising, though he did not point to any specific deficiency on O'Neill's part. O'Neill, who was told Thursday afternoon that the end had come, was not able to shed much light on the situation either. He claims that other than a mention of recruiting a year ago, the Athletic Department never expressed problems with his method of running the program. One point on which all parties agree is the disappointment of 1997 Quakers results. After a 7-1-1 run to close 1996, and with no key losses to graduation, Penn was expected to make a run at the Ivy League title. Instead, the team wallowed in last place with an overall record of 4-12-1. O'Neill does not believe he is a victim of artificially high expectations. "I don't think it was unrealistic" to expect a better record, said O'Neill, who also pointed to injury problems and the decision of star midfielder Greg Kroll not to play as factors in the subpar campaign. Still, O'Neill departure comes as a surprise to him. "I never expect to lose a job," the former professional player in Scotland and America said. "It just don't know [why]. It's not the sort of thing you expect to happen." O'Neill, along with Femovich and Associate Athletic Director Robert Koonce, will continue to run the office day to day until a replacement is found. Part-time assistant David Cardie, a personal choice of O'Neill, almost certainly will not return. Volunteer goalkeepers coach Bob Rigby has tendered a letter of resignation, according to O'Neill. Neither Cardie nor Rigby could be reached for comment last night. Penn's search for a new coach is already underway. Bilsky will form a committee in the next few weeks. Femovich said she will head the committee, which will include women's soccer coach Patrick Baker, baseball coach and former Quakers soccer coach Bob Seddon, a representative of the team and several others. Femovich says the committee will take a pro-active approach. "We'll send notices around the Ivy League and to major Division I programs and to major Division II and III programs to make them aware," she said. The committee, which Bilsky will monitor all the way, according to Femovich, will be in charge of narrowing to the field to two or three final candidates, at which point Bilsky will make a final decision. Femovich expects an announcement "ideally in early January," and certainly before spring practice.

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