Why Columbus Crew owners Jimmy and Dee Haslam picked Issa Tall be the new GM
Newly promoted Crew general manager Issa Tall had known for a couple of weeks that he would be stepping into the role after former general manager/president Tim Bezbatchenko took a position with Black Knight Football Club, but it has been clear for a lot longer to many within the organization that Tall would one day be a general manager.
Club owners Dee and Jimmy Haslam say they have felt Tall is general manager material for the past two years.
"There was no doubt that when we felt like there was a potential that Tim (Bezbatchenko) might leave what we were going to do," Jimmy Haslam said. "Tim was really good at, when we had meetings ... at having his whole group in there. So, we had worked with Issa (Tall), interacted with him a lot, so it wasn't like we didn't have a relationship with him."
During Tall's five years as assistant general manager in Columbus, he is said to have displayed the ability to form relationships with players and personnel to help the organization sign key members for the club. Tall, 36, is credited with playing a big role in acquiring striker Cucho Hernandez, captain Darlington Nagbe and coach Wilfried Nancy.
That quality combined with Tall's decade of experience with Toronto FC and FIFA, among others, prior to joining the Crew's front office made him a top candidate for a general manager position during the offseason.
Tall was in the running with D.C. United and was a finalist for the role until he removed himself from the race toward the end due to feeling Columbus was a better fit.
"It was a good exercise to go through, but that's when you also realize that this club is special," Tall said. "When you go visit other clubs and you meet other people, you realize that our ownership group and staff that we have at this club is second to none."
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The Issa Tall-Wilfried Nancy connection
Tall and Nancy, two Frenchmen, have known each other for more than a decade.
"His background is essentially the same as mine. ... So, we click on so many things," Tall said. "We see the game the same way, sometimes it's scary. But we have also similar values and interests in food and music and so on and so forth."
The similarity in mindset between Tall and Nancy is something that has been evident throughout their time together in Columbus.
"They have a really good working relationship, which is important," Jimmy Haslam said. "Because you're going to hit some bumpy times and things are going to go wrong, people get hurt, we don't play well, etc. And to have that close working relationship means a lot."
Tall is just the fourth Black general manager in MLS history, and the Crew are the first MLS club to have a Black man as both general manager and head coach.
"I haven't had time to think about it yet," Tall said. "I like to believe we're here because we're competent first. But now, obviously, it's a proud moment and we have, in a way, a responsibility, and we hope that people will come to us and see that it's possible."
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This article originally appeared on The Columbus Dispatch: Why Issa Tall is the right fit to be Columbus Crew general manager
