Is Alan Koch worthy of a Major League Soccer head coaching job?

Well, yeah. And that's not quite breaking news.

A Wednesday column on MLSSoccer.com ranked Koch, FC Cincinnati's head man, the No. 8 coach out of 10 that could one day fill an MLS head coaching vacancy.

Many FC Cincinnati fans reacted to the widely-distributed article on social media channels with pride and shows of appreciation for Koch.

The article didn't link Koch to any specific MLS jobs. Rather, it detailed what the author surmised were Koch's qualifications ahead of the inevitable coaching carousel that will soon fire into gear now that the MLS regular season is in its home stretch.

As in all sports, MLS can be a thankless, unforgiving place for its head coaches. Heads roll when expectations aren't realized.

For up-and-coming soccer coaches, success in the lower-league and collegiate ranks beget MLS speculation. Given the year Koch has had in adverse circumstances, he's sure to be mentioned and rumored as a candidate for jobs this offseason.

Here's why none of this should surprise you, and why he likely isn't going anywhere:

• Koch was a rising star in the Vancouver Whitecaps FC organization prior to his winter arrival in Cincinnati, and insiders say the Whitecaps were disappointed to see Koch leave. For FC Cincinnati, bringing Koch on board (at the time, he was principally responsible for building out the club's youth system, an effort that has since been put on hold on some fronts) was a huge steal. The most tangible evidence of Koch's successes in Vancouver came during the 2016 United Soccer League season where he successfully guided Whitecaps FC II to the Western Conference finals. Behind the scenes, Koch's cerebral and technical approach to the game, and developing youth talent, garnered plenty of attention. He also holds coaching licenses on three continents (Europe, North America, and Africa).

• Koch ended up taking the reins at FC Cincinnati far sooner than anyone could have expected when he arrived, but prior to the departure of predecessor John Harkes, Koch was already engineering FC Cincinnati for success in 2017. Koch's soccer tentacles stretch to all regions of the globe and helped pluck what was then a relatively unknown Senegalese striker from the Kazakhstan first division. If the name Djiby Fall means anything to you, that was a move masterminded by Koch. It was an early showing of the coach's ability to identify talent.

• Most in Greater Cincinnati are familiar with the exploits of Koch's team since he took over as FC Cincinnati head coach. He's morphed a club that he inherited – that he largely had no hand in assembling prior to the start of the season – into an able and adaptable side. Some of the club's original players have departed and new faces (Josu Currais, Sem de Wit, Danni Konig, Kevin Schindler) have transitioned seamlessly into the team. The sum total of Koch's and President and General Manager Jeff Berding's work together is that they've assembled a team that convincingly advanced to the Lamar Hunt U.S. Open Cup semifinals, and is in solid position to clinch a second consecutive playoff berth.

• What appears to have been forgotten in recent weeks is that FC Cincinnati extended Koch's coaching deal with the club, and part of the reason they did so was to ward off would-be MLS suitors. Koch told The Enquirer in early August he was already receiving interest from MLS clubs.

The extent to which Koch was pursued isn't widely known, but he was pursued. So, it's not much of a stretch to say Koch could do the job at the MLS level. Clearly, plenty in MLS were long ago convinced of that.

Berding put a new deal in front of Koch in mid-July. They announced the extension in August, which coincided nicely with FC Cincinnati's quarterfinal round victory in the U.S. Open Cup.

More on Alan Koch:Alan Koch extension bookends busy week for FC Cincinnati

• Save for getting an opportunity at one of the elite coaching jobs in MLS – New York City FC, Seattle Sounders FC, Portland Timbers FC, and a few others (none of which currently have coaching vacancies) – Koch has little reason to leave Cincinnati.

FC Cincinnati already offers a lot of what Koch would want from an MLS head coaching job.

FC Cincinnati can provide its head coach with a large, growing and engaged fan base that provides a home atmosphere that's enticing to fans and players alike. It also offers Koch the financial resources required to get the players he needs to compete for trophies every year.

How about the promise of a managing the opening match at the soccer-specific stadium the club is pursuing? Or patrolling the sidelines at the FC Cincinnati training complex that's also being pursued?

How's that for a glittering lure?

Should conversations between Koch and MLS execs arise – and there is no indication whatsoever that any such talks have arisen since Koch signed his extension – it would be fair for Koch to ask would-be MLS suitors, "what can you give me that FC Cincinnati can't?"

The vast majorities of MLS cities would be hard-pressed to provide a convincing answer to that question.