Jurgen Klinsmann Fired As US Soccer Coach

[Mr KLC]

Jurgen Klinsmann, the German soccer great who coached the U.S. men’s national soccer team since 2011, has been fired, U.S. Soccer announced Monday.

The move comes after the Americans dropped the first two matches of Hexagonal round of World Cup qualifying — a 2-1 loss to Mexico in Columbus, Ohio, and a 4-0 defeat on the road at Costa Rica.

http://newyork.cbslocal.com/2016/11/21/jurgen-klinsmann-fired-as-us-mens-national-soccer-team-coach/

[freeVICK]

Recruit lebron to be goalie. We wouldn't lose

[lakerboy]

We all have radios and TV,s.

[intermission]

Thanks the lord

[jjgold]

It's about time he did a so-so job I don't know what type of coach they can use though

[beavis13]

I have an idea. Let's bring a european in. They know soccer.

[funnyb25]

Very sad times for US Soccer. Haven't been relevent in years

[lakerboy]

I have an idea. Let's bring a european in. They know soccer.

I have an idea. Learn how to play soccer.

[beefcake]

I have an idea. Let's bring a european in. They know soccer.

Dam the guy was German...Come on man!!

[Stackzilla]

He was more focused on the future of US soccer and developing young players like they do in Germany. No one told him we don't care about what you can do for me later, it's what can you do for me now.

[thetrinity]

team has mediocre talent at best, doesnt matter who they get

[Mr KLC]

Los Angeles Galaxy coach Bruce Arena is the favorite to succeed Klinsmann, and his hiring could be announced as early as Tuesday. Arena coached the national team from 1998 to 2006.

Read more here: http://www.miamiherald.com/sports/ar...#storylink=cpy

[thetrinity]

The president of us soccer Gulati is terrible.

He should be the next one to go.

[RudyRuetigger]

I am fine if we drop soccer altogether

[Ralphie Halves]

Not Bruce Arena again, noooooo!!

[TheLangster]

look, we have to be realistic

in every country everyone dreams of playing soccer so all the talent goes there


in u.s. all talent goes to football, basketball, baseball and hockey first, whatever is left goes to soccer

us will never be an elite soccer team, unless somehow soccer becomes big and kids choose it over other sports

[dreamchaser]

I think he got a bad wrap from the high expectations he set for himself. To me, the measure of a coach is this: is his team playing at a level greater than the sum of its parts (players). I think for most of his tenure, you'd have to say yes. Certainly in the last world cup. We sent home two superior teams from our group. We did have some really bad games under Jurgen that do expose some of his flaws as a coach: questionability as a tactical manager, lack of ability to inspire a group winning mentality (especially under circumstances with little time between the team gathering and the next match), and a general restlessness/uneasiness as a sideline presence. I think these got exposed in the more recent surprise losses to Costa Rica and Jamaica in the Gold Cup.

You could sense he felt pressure to make the US team great on a World Level. But I don't know how you do that with our talent pool. We're simply not as good as Mexico, and really, I think we're at best, level with Costa Rica. These teams have strikers that we simply cannot match. Yes, Wood is decent in our own context, but not on the World Stage. Did you see how easily Joel Campbell put away those two goals after coming off the bench in our last game? We have zero strikers that finish as calmly and consistently as that.

He also was really hammered by the USA Soccer analysts such as Lalas and Twellman, consistently. They have both been really pushing for his firing for a long time now. And I don't really know why, other than they don't like him as a person or because he's German. I think it's good to have an international coach because they have a better chance of being impartial towards the players, where as Arena will most certainly favor MLS players and American-born players.

Jurgen was primarily responsible for getting Brooks, Johnson, Green, and Chandler to play for the US. Brooks and Johnson are arguably our best attacking midfielder and defender. He was doing anything he could to gather new talent to the pool. Most coaches would not have gotten these guys into our program.

I will say that I found some of Jurgen's selections and substitutions questionable. In the recent games, with Jones not totally fit, why not play the in-form Kljestian, who had a career year? And when Chandler, who despite fantastic club form, looked really clumsy and received a yellow vs Costa Rica, why not sub in Yedlin, who adds more pace off the edge, especially when we're down?

In the Mexico game, I feel Jurgen was onto something with Pulisic as the number 10. We did look much sharper in attack than I have seen us while we were in that formation. Pulisic looked quicker and sharper on the ball than anyone in a US shirt. Problem was, it didn't match up with Mexico's midfield on defense, and we got embarrased. The simple solution, for me, was having a 4-2-3-1 with Pulisic as the no. 10, and EITHER Wood or Altidore alone up top. Put one of them in, sub the other at 60 minutes. They're nearly the same player anyway. But Pulisic in that central attacking role, did look bright any unlike anything we've seem from that position in recent years.

I think Jurgen is a good off-the-field manager, as we can see by the players he's brought in, the changes to the training regimens and policies of the whole US Soccer system, etc... but there are far better game managers.

My question is, who could we replace him with that is any better? I don't think anyone from MLS is a step-up from Jurgen. Not even Arena. To fire Jurgen, I'd want to have a candidate pool with at least one reputable European manager with a proven track record. And those guys just aren't coming to the US to manage a sub-par player pool.

So for me, despite the recent bad run of form, the firing is overall a bit of a head-scratcher. Especially with Arena nearly certain to take over. Seems like a step backwards.

[sportsbook_12]

the USMNT will just get more political

[sportsbook_12]

From ESPN

http://www.espnfcasia.com/team/united-states/660/blog/post/3001347/five-issues-plaguing-the-us-that-jurgen-klinsmann-replacement-must-address

1. Foster confidence in a team that has none

2. Establish a functional role for Pulisic

3. Replace Jones (and Bradley?) in central midfield

4. Deepen the pool

5. Win, and win well