It was a tough end of the FC Dallas season for most fans to stomach, over the last moth the record was horrible and FCD crashed out of the US Open Cup, CONCACAF Champions League, and the MLS Cup Playoffs. After the season had looked so promising in the first 2/3s it's hard to come to grips with the end.

Yet without the bad finish, FC Dallas had a good season by most measures. The club had a shot at three trophies they were in competition for. Dallas tied the 2nd highest point total in franchise history with 52 points, albeit in 34 games. 1.52 points per game, our preferred measure, is 4th best in FCD history, still pretty good. FCD made its first appearance in the CCL and was the first MLS team to ever win in Mexico only failing to advance on the very last day of the group stage. The Red Stripes also made it to the semifinals of the Lamar Hunt US Open Cup before losing to the eventual (and frequent) champs Seattle.

So was the season everything FCD hoped for? No, but it was still a solid run by most measures. In fact some things went quite well and there is reason to be optimistic for 2010. This season can be learned from, both the good and the bad. So let's start to look back and learn with the five best coaching moves of 2011.

1. Keeping Brek Shea at Left Mid

A no brainer you might say, but consider that every coaching bone in Schellas Hyndman's body is screaming for him to make this kid a center back. Hyndman thinks Shea could be world class back there. By keeping Shea at left mid, coach Hyndman is going against his instincts.

Keeping Shea at left mid paid off. Shea is FCD's clear MVP this year, heck he has a shot at MLS MVP. Even if Shea had just repeated last year's numbers I would have said it was a good move to keep him out wide, when Shea rips off 11 goals and 4 assist (in MLS regular season) then it become a heck of a move.

Sometimes doing nothing is the best play. So full credit to Hyndman for NOT doing what he wanted to do and maybe some credit to his coaching staff if they told Hyndman he was crazy to move Shea.

2. Signing Fabian Castillo

The signing of this young Colombian looks to be a terrific success as well. Still young and lots to learn on and of the field, yes, but what a wonderful talent. His fearlessness and ability to take on defenders with his crazy on the ball pace makes Castillo an incredible weapon. By buying half his player pass FCD now has Castillo for the foreseeable future.

Tons of credit here to Oscar Pareja in my book for finding the kid, credit to Hyndman for saying yes let's get him, and lots of kudos to the Hunts for paying the reported $800,000 fee for half Castillo's rights. That's a number for a kid that is unprecedented as far as I know in MLS and for darn sure is with HSG.

The coaching staff wanted a young unproven player and the Hunts stepped up with the cash. Now FCD has an amazing talent on their books that may pay big dividends on the field the next few years and in the coffers down the line if he's sold for big money.

3. Andrew Jacobson Trade

Back in February, FCD made a small move that looked to be for depth and was a low risk trade when they sent a 2nd round pick to Philly for Andrew Jacobson. What a steal that trade turned out to be as Jacobson became the starter in midfield finishing tops of the club with 5 assists. Jacobson is now a key cog as the club builds for 2012 as either the linking mid or as the holding mid if Daniel Heranndez has to wind it down. Jacobson showed some leadership by playing hurt and now will need offseason knee surgery.

2nd round MLS SuperDraft picks are a crap shoot. Sure, you can find a starter in the 2nd round, but it can take a couple seasons for those players to develop. Chances aren't even 50/50 in my estimation that a 2nd rounder will pan out. So to get the top assist man for the season and a key piece to build around for the future is quite a move.

4. Marvin Chavez Call Out

Sometimes coming down on a player works, sometimes it doesn't. It depends on the player and coach, and how its' handled.

Earlier this year when FCD was struggling to get along without David Ferreira, Marvin Chavez was looked to to help fill the scoring void. Yet Chavez wasn't really getting it done on the score sheet. So Coach Hydnman called Chavez out (in private, not public) about his lack of goals. Hyndman in essence said to Chavez, you're not scoring enough to stay on the field.

The call out worked. Chavez went on a mini-tear and finished the season as the 2nd leading scorer for FCD. Chavez started scoring goals and finishing, both while playing striker and when he went back to wide midfield. He even added 4 assists. Chavez became the player he is supposed to be and he'll be a key part of 2012.

5. Signing Richard Sanchez

I consider this a great move, not for what Richard Sanchez did this year (first American born male to win a world title, winning the U17 Worlds with Mexico), nor for the potential that he might some day play for FCD. Instead I consider this a brilliant move for when it happened.

Coach Hyndman doesn't like kids in his team, particularly this is true at keeper. So how many years might it take for Sanchez to crack the FCD lineup? Remember that keepers peak later than other players. Even if he is an all time great, and Hyndman said Sanchez was the best he'd ever seen at his age, Sanchez would still need 3, 4, or even 5 years to break in at 20 or 21. That's a long time for a signing to pay off, so why the rush to sign him at the age of 16?

Because somebody at FCD understands the worlds game and how the system works. FC Dallas announced the home grown signing of Richard Sanchez back in February when Sanchez became the clear starter for Mexico and started to garner attention. Yet Mexico, with Sanchez in net, didn't win the worlds until July 17th. FCD signed Sanchez right about the time of the CONCACAF U17 Championship in which Mexico did not participate as they were automatic qualifiers into the Worlds as hosts. Someone at FCD knew that Sanchez, as the starting keeper for Mexico, would likely became more valuable as the tournament approached that summer, with the potential to blow up if Mexico did well.

I actually don't think Sanchez will ever play for FC Dallas' senior side. Sanchez is already being tracked and is wanted by teams all over Mexico and maybe even around the world. Teams in Mexico are cash rich because of the TV networks. Sanchez, particularly if he continues to start for Mexico at he U20 level (Turkey 2013) and maybe even Olympic level (London 2012), is, I believe, going to skyrocket in value. Sometimes in the next 2 years or so, FCD should be able to cash Sancehz in for some serious coin.

...Or if FCD decides to hold on to him, and if he is as good as Hyndman says, they FCD may have one of the best keepers in the world on their hands in about 4 or 5 years.

Up next, the worst 5 coaching moves of 2011.