Read this: 2 Fundamental and Objective Metrics to Judging a Coach?s Quality.
In fact, read every post in that blog. I don’t agree 100% with every post, and disagree with several, but 3four3.com put into words what I’ve always felt instinctually but couldn’t articulate. It’s the best exploration I’ve found of what is wrong with soccer in the US and what is needed to begin the cure. A light bulb went off and I drank the Kool-Aid.
Good soccer IS possible. There is a standard way to teach and play it, a “gold standard”. Winning soccer isn’t necessarily good soccer. Credentials mean little. Education is key. Culture is important. Honesty is paramount. Technique AND tactics. Coaching is crucial. Quality starts from both the bottom up AND the top down. Asking questions is required. I don’t have all the answers.
What do you look for?