I posted this in the 2018/2022 thread, but it's relevant here, too: Jürgen Klinsmann Extends His Deal with USMNT Through 2018
Great move extending Klinsmann. Not the best technical guy, but certainly understands the future of soccer and more importantly, understands how and to who to delegate key responsibilities. There is nothing more underrated than having a stable national program in place. I'm excited to see the talents that will emerge after the upcoming world cup.
Löw was the one who did the tactical preparation with the national squad. Klinsmann mainly acted as a motivational speaker. But with the world cup in our own country, I am convinced we could and would have won it with a better coach. Klinsmann backstabbed Kahn and brought in his clique. When he started at Bayern, he promised a lot of things, then he embarrassed us in Barcelona, being completely clueless. I was at that banquet and we were making bets on when he would finally be sacked. Nobody likes him at Bayern. Nobody. It's one thing to be unsuccessful, but he is just a sinister character, and clueless, too.
How is he sinister? Genuinely interested in what went down, lol. Yeah, I asked about the World Cup as from the foreign press he got a lot of positive feedback at the time. However, I kinda thought that they actually could have gone further than they did (even though they weren't expected to). It's always interesting to see the opinions from someone who is local to the situation. I always laugh when shows like "Press Pass" cover Dutch players or the Eredivisie, it really makes me realise that most of what they say about foreign leagues is complete bull and made up on the spot.
While you may have legitimate gripes about Klinsmann as a German and a Bayern fan, you should look at it from the American perspective. He brings a World Cup-winning pedigree (as a player) to a national team that has never had that kind of influence. He is trying to instill a style of play and, disagree with that style or not, it's better than what this generation of American players endured under Arena and Bradley (bunker down, hope to score on the counter). More than anything, the USMNT needed a culture instilled and Klinsmann is doing that. Say what you will about CONCACAF, but it appears that this group of Americans has bought into whatever Klinsmann is selling. Winning 12 games in a row is something the country had never done. If Klinsmann can bring an infrastructure not only to the USMNT, but to soccer in America, he will have done an outstanding job.
Yes, I can't say much about how he has done since he took over the US team. Am too far away. Maybe he has improved. I wish the US team the best (except against us :grin: ).
It definitely took a change of culture before we started seeing the results of this year. I was one calling for his head after the loss to Honduras. Since then (outside of the really bad game against Belgium), they have looked like the team I always hoped they would. No more counterattack only soccer. They were taking it to teams, especially when Bradley wasn't handcuffed to Jermaine Jones. If I have one complaint about Klinsy, it's his blindness when it comes to Jones. The guy simply has rarely, if ever, played a complete game for the US.
Super excited he got an extension through the next WC. Hopefully this convinces Julian Green come over to the good guys now that he knows his buddy Klinnsy will be here a while.
Are you American fans $hitting me???? This is not a good move imo. There is ZERO need for the extension right now. The extension could happen after Brazil 2014 when the group stage is over and the USSF can evaluate the results and decide what to do with Jurgen moving forward. If Jurgen decided next year after the WC that he didn't want to sign on for another 4 more years than it is what it is, the USSF moves on. There are many decent managers in world footy and the US national team job is a VERY good job that many managers around the world wouldn't mind if the timing was right. (The expectations are still not South America/Europe/African country-esque). All the talk about culture and stability is nice, that can happen and continue BUT you wait until after the WC to do that. If the USA outperforms expectations then you open up the cheque book a bit more. If the USA falters in the group stage then the USSF can evaluate Klinsy at that point and decide on an extension. Too early imo.
I'm going to agree here. Netherlands went from 2nd place in the 2010 World Cup to a terrible performance just 2 years later in Euros. Things change quickly and you should wait as long as you can to make the determination. (small side note: I feel like the expectations for the US job are higher than almost all African coaching jobs). I do like what Klins is doing for the program as a whole, creating a system and stability, but the men's national team just isn't that good. So it comes down to what is driving that, is it lack of talent, lack of a develoment system or lack of coaching. I think Klins is doing a good job but there's massive room for improvement on this team so I wouldn't have committed so early. Also, this is not like college football where people will snag coaches by offering a million extra dollars. Most top teams only use coaches from their own country and the second tier teams that take the best coach avalaible tend to not get in a bidding war for coaches. Honestly, I think the best coach to take the US to the next level right now would be Guus Hiddink: guided South Korea, Australia and Russia to the next level of competition with semi-unimpressive squads.
Unless they come out and attack. I'd hate to see another US group stage be focused on sitting back and counter-attacking, hoping that our less-than-stellar back line holds. If they're allowed to play free-flowing soccer and continue on the development path Klinsmann has set, that would seem like a positive. Considering the difficult hand the US drew in the group stage (other teams and travel distance), I'd like to see the team try and implement what Klinsmann has been preaching without the need to play Bradley-esque soccer and hope to get into the second round by the skin of their teeth.
Every indication is that they will attack. That's been the m.o. this year and I don't see a reason why that would change. A healthy Bradley is key to that. On the extension, I don't have a problem with it. It was never about just this World Cup. It was about changing the culture and with him taking on the role of Technical Director, too, it's clear that's what they're doing. It's time to teach the American player that we can be at the top and to coach like it.
Yes but they gave him an extension as BOTH the coach AND added the TDirector title. Why not just make him TDirector and announce that without extending his coaching contract?? Those following USSoccer can all agree that Jurgen has done a good job so far overall but he is worth so much more as a Technical Director than as a coach for this US program. No need to extend his coaching contract until after next summer. Now it is an indication that they realize next summer the US will be up against it and Sunil and co. want to show support to Jurgen plus I think it has been mentioned that some other nations have been sniffing around Jurgen. Let them sniff. If the USA team performs well next summer, either in advancing or in just on-field performance despite failing to advance, then you open the cheque book up a little more or you keep him on for the next Gold Cup and evaluate then. How many coaches stay on with the same national team for two World Cup cycles AND do a good job?
Have to disagree with you on the expectations part. I know from experience around some African countries that some do have expectations for the coaches that are definitely higher than the US expectations. Plus I should have mentioned "pressure" and emphasized that. The pressure and expectations with a few African countries is a bit more than with the USA job. I do agree with you on Guus. I'm a big fan of his and I think a number of Americans that follow the game are as well. He is a bit too nomadic but I do think he would be a lovely US coach. Maybe it could have gone like this, after the WC, Jurgen steps up and stays as TDirector, brings in Guus as coach, Guus handles the team for 2018 and then after Guus, someone like a Jason Kreis is ready for the job. Meh, whatever. The USSF has done what it feels is best. Hopefully they have a solid contract that they can get out of easily if need be.
Guus Hiddink because he turned Austrailia into a decent side once? Seriously? This isn't 1992. We don't need a Bora to come turn a bunch of amateurs into a moderately competitive team. Arena got them playing more professionally. Bradley...well, he didn't entirely screw it up. Klinsmann is taking the next steps to turning US Soccer into a world power. The thing that scares and pisses you Euros and Latinos off is that you know once we get there, we won't be leaving. I don't know when it's going to happen, but 2018 seems to be a good target to make a real push, with 2022 being the time that we really push to being a title contender.
