I don't like Klinsmann. Probably one of the worst three coaches Bayern has ever had. He gets celebrated for our 3rd place in 2006, but I still think without him, we might have won it.
He was one of the players who got me mildly interested in soccer back when the world cup was in the USA in 1994. Klinsmann was very exciting to watch, with his speed. I know nothing about his ability to coach. I've always thought the US just had a talent problem, since our best athletes never choose to play soccer.
I like this pickup. I like how now we have a foreign perspective on this game. Now if Klinsmann can help bring up our youth into the ranks I think the face of this team radically changes. Here's to hoping we make some serious noise now...
OMG you're so right!!! I forgot that diego maradona (5'5" 140lbs) and pele (5'8" 150lbs) were tremendous athletes. american soccer fans are so smart.
Diego Maradona and Pele were most definitely tremendous athletes. Contrary to what your post implies, height and weight are not defining factors in making a tremendous athlete, at least in football (soccer). There is nothing wrong with bigtexxx' post.
I think Klinsmann is mediocre as a coach, however maybe this will be a good step for team USA in hiring good foreign coaches in the future. is Hiddink unavailable? He would be a fantastic pick up for a WC preparation. LerBon would be a beast in soccer, he'd be able to travel as much as he likes.
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They were tremendous athletes not in the same sense that many Americans view an athlete to be great. I must say that contrary to your post, I believe bigtexx made his statement re.tremendous athletes based on the "numerous amount" of Americans that choose B-ball or Am.Football over Soccer. We all know the majority of those great athletes in those sports arent 5'8 150.
Why was it his fault we went 3rd? Didn't see bad coaching decisions that were crucial to us losing vs. Italy. The main factor I see was Frings getting disqualified for the match after that BS that happened with the Argentinian players. We really lacked his determination on defense, don't think the 0-1 would've happened if he was on the pitch.
I still resent Klinsmann for the way he mobbed Kahn out of the goal and got his buddy Lehmann in. I am a bit of a Bayern "insider" and know he did similar things at the club. You are right about Frings. I just don't like Klinsmann.
Congratulations to the USA for picking someone who I think is one of the best coaches in the world. He single-handedly rejuvenated a Germany side for an entire generation IMO. He is fully aware of his weaknesses and operates very much like th Houston Rockets do, in that he will have lead assistants handling tasks which they are experts at. This frees him up to do other things that other teams don't do - which is focus on player fitness almost intrusively, and bring in psychologists who will bring valuable information about a team and individual players. It's a great way to run things IMO and you won't find Klinsmann imposing his weaknesses on a team. There is so much to run, it almost doesn't make sense for him to not have such a system in place. I think Klinsmann will prepare this team for the next two world cups, whether he's around for both or not. He will bring the kind of infrastructure the USA needs to have an edge off the pitch. A solid hire, and I expect to see a strong USA team at the World Cup.
One of the best coaches in the world? He has never won anything as a coach. He has no experience. He is full of ****. He got fired at Bayern after 10 months, after "leading" the club to one of its most embarrassing defeats ever, and to a bad record in the Bundesliga. He tried to change things around at Bayern and introduced a lot of that California bull****. I know several people who worked with him. None of them like him. Everyone was glad when he was gone. He smiles a lot, but backstabs people. All that said, he was a pretty good player. Plus, he is German, so, by default, he knows more about soccer than any American or anyone from most other countries. P.S.: He is gay (or at least bi). Not that there is anything wrong with that.
I think given what he's been handed, he's done an outstanding job. Also keep in mind, change is not for everyone, and it's especially not for Bayern - who have had a strong resistance to any non-traditional coaching style. Going with the youth at the beginning of Klinsmann tenure as Germany coach saw a LOT of resistance and a total lack of support publicly. German football fans typically valued experience over youth, and it was not easy for him to convnice them. The German national team was on its last legs and needed an overhaul. 3-4 years before the world cup, Germany being in the semis was not a huge possibility. Taking one of the youngest squads to 3rd place in that situation was phenomenal. I understand the criticism of Klinsmann given he hasn't won anything, but I think he has shown that he can win something if he has a strong team that's willing to accept his coaching views.
Complete nonsense. The German team for 2006 was only slightly younger than 2002 (average age 27 instead of 28). There is not one player Klinsmann "discovered". He plays favorites. It was not one of the youngest squads at all, see above. None of the younger players he played were discovered by him, maybe with the exception of Odonkor, who later turned out to be a dud anyway. And 4 years before the world cup 2006, Germany was in the finals of the world cup 2002. So much for your statement "Germany being the semis was not a huge possibility" 3-4 years before. No, he has not shown he can win anything. He has never won anything as a coach. His experience as a coach is limited to 4 weeks world cup and 10 unsuccessful months at Bayern. To call him one of the world's best coaches based on that is laughable. All that said, he may be the right guy for the US at this time. It looks like change and some kind of inspiration is needed, and he might be able to bring that. Maybe he has also learned from his mistakes. And one thing he did at Bayern and the German team (settle old scores and mob proven winners like Oliver Kahn and Sepp Maier out of the respective organization), he won't have to do with the US team.
1) The average age of the squad was lower, but more importantly, I assure you the average age of the starters was even lower than that. I'm not sure how Klinsmann discovering a player was important. Maybe there was no one to discover? 2) Germany being in the Finals the year before? Really? I'm sure you've watched enough football for me not to have to shred this theory up. 4 years is a long time and the 2002 team was extremely different in style and substance from the 2006 team. The German team continues to play in the mold that Klinsmann brought, with perhaps slightly better player selection. If I'm not mistaken, France lifted the world cup in 1998 after not qualifying for the previous one? What happened there? 3) I think he's one of the best in the world based on that limited sample (btw, 4 weeks my a$$). I'm not sure why you're surprised, a smaller sample dictates that people will have very different opinions - exactly as is the case with Kevin McHale and the Rockets. 4) Exactly, I think he's a perfect fit for the US where fans are desperate to jump-start the stalling development of the team, and where they are more willing to take new ideas on board - in stark contrast to a country like Germany which has a very long historic tradition in the football game and will naturally show resistance to a change in style. Truly, there are maybe a handful of coaches who could fill this role better, and I don't think the US would be able to get any of the top guys who focus on infrastructure like Wenger or more recently Mourinho. A great move and a great fit and a chance for Klinsmann to prove himself - I have faith that he will show himself to be an excellent football manager, even if not a tactically gifted one.
No, it wasn't. When it was really younger was 2010 - several years younger. And the scary thing (for the other nations) is that we have some amazing talents coming up who are not even yet on the international radar. Mario Goetze from Borussia Dortmund (19 years old), for instance, is, in my opinion, one of the greatest talents worldwide, and one of the greatest talents in Germany in the last 20 years. He somewhat reminds me of Messi in terms of skill. 6 goals and 16 assists in last year's Bundesliga season (at age 18). Not the year before. In the previous world cup, which was 4 years before. I was responding to this statement of yours: It doesn't make any sense to say that a team that was in the finals is not a possibility to be in the semis at the next world cup, sorry. Plus, Germany being in the semis is ALWAYS a strong possibility. We were in the semis in 7 of the last 10 world cups and 11 of the last 15 world cups, and never bowed out before the quarterfinals in any world cup since 1954 (except 1978 when there were no quarterfinals). If you want to bet money on something, I recommend you bet money on Germany being in the semis at the next world cup. No, it wasn't, not at all, actually. Several key players were the same (Metzelder, Ballack, Frings, Klose), the main difference was switching Kahn for Lehmann. Playing style was similar. This is ridiculous. First of all, as shown above, Germany has always been successful in soccer, way before Klinsmann was even born. Secondly, they are not playing "in the mold Klinsmann brought". Klinsmann was a motivator (for some), he did not introduce a new playing style - at all. He is not van Gaal or Mourinho or Wenger. He is still learning. Zinedine Zidane happened (and being the host of the world cup). 'nuff said. I agree that the USA would have had difficulties to get someone much better. But someone like Hiddink IS much better. Klinsmann is more flash than substance, until he proves otherwise. But again, he at least has the potential to get there.
