So ... five year's after the fact Sunil Gulati finally found a way to wrangle in his fair-haired boy, Jürgen Klinsmann to the U.S. soccer fold.
Call it a (possibly) good day for U.S. Soccer and an (assuredly) great day for umlauts.
However you want to look at it, in the Baker's Boy, the U.S. has a bit of the best of both worlds: a legit German legend with both a World Cup and European Championship to his name as a player, who'd probably rather be a California beach bum. At least that's how it goes in theory.
He's the European coach some people seem to think is so imperative for the U.S. to take the next step in the World Cup "process," yet he's lived in America and is familiar with the unique flower that is soccer in the States. Again, in theory.
Naturally Klinsmann's surprise hiring -- after turning down the job in 2006 and 2010 -- makes you wonder how he and Gulati were finally able to figure out a deal. In fact, the hiring only raises questions. Hopefully these will be addressed Monday at the formal press conference in New York City.
For now, all there is are questions.
Will Klinsmann be the man to turn around U.S. Soccer?
Will he be the man to snap the senior national team out of its post-2010 World Cup doldrums?
Will he be able to inspire a young generation of players like he did during the 2006 World Cup with Germany?
Will he be able to turn the U.S. striker pool into the next generation of Rudi Völlers? (Mullets not included.)
Will he have to borrow some of Joachim Loew's ever-so-stylish cardigans to get the job done?
The bottom line, there's absolutely no rational way to project how successful Klinsmann's job with the U.S. will turn out. It's going to tough to evaluate it, really, until 2014 at the next World Cup -- assuming Klinsmann doesn't pull a Sven Goran-Eriksson style flop and put the U.S. in danger of not qualifying.
And what is success for the U.S. National Team at this point? World Cup quarterfinals? Semifinals? Smashing teams routinely 5-0 in CONCACAF?
Where we'll really see if Gulati was serious with Klinsmann this time around if there are institutional changes with the way U.S. Soccer runs its show. If there is money spent on new youth development coaches and trainers, trying to establish a pattern of play starting at a young age and moving through the ranks. One man can't make all that much of a difference, can he?
More than anything, it comes down to the players. You could create a Frankenstein's monster, using parts from Arrigo Sacchi, Brian Clough, Valery Lobanovsky, Herbert Chapman and Béla Guttmann, if the player's don't improve how much can (perceived) European tactical nous really do when push comes to shove? Look at Paraguay as a recent example at the Copa America. Gerardo Martino had a smart system and disciplined pros. It wasn't a fun team to watch, but Paraguay made the tournament final, eventually being outclassed by a better skilled team -- Uruguay.
The crazy thing was, under Bob Bradley the U.S. tended to play up or play down to its opponent. It could look great against a Spain or an Argentina while completely hapless against, say, Panama.
As it stands right now the U.S. national team pool is in a bit of flux. If Klinsmann's track record with Germany counts for anything, he wasn't beholden to play the old guard of German players and took the chance on a few younger players, although Loew seems to probably have been the driving force here as we've seen with how he unceremoniously told Michael Ballack his international career is over.
How that applies to the 30+ brigade of U.S. internationals? Time will tell.
For now it's a much-needed shot in the arm for the U.S. team, for better of worse.
If there's one concrete fact from today's Klinsmann hiring, it's that it's a different approach. Gulati and the rest of the USSF are trying something ... different. (Change for change sake?) Not sure why they strung Bradley along for almost another full year with the axe dangling above his head. Regardless, as Albert Einstein put it, "Insanity: doing the same thing over and over again and expecting different results."
Anyway, enjoy the highlights.
Labels: bob bradley, jurgen klinsmann, Soccer, sunil gulati, USMNT
Continued from last comment thread (30f):
People upset about the whys and wherefores of how Elder got fired can just go take a nap. These things are always painful and uncomfortable. There is no 'good' way to get the axe. Elder gave good service to the USMNT and deserves our thanks, but it is (has been?) time to move on.
I'm not overly concerned with the injustice of it all so much as what it says about the Fed.
If the move had been made shortly after the World Cup or immediately after the Gold Cup, then I'd agree. Seems like there's been ample time to handle this professionally though.
Stringing everything along like this has made Sunil and the USSF look weak, indecisive, and unprofessional (rather confirmed it in the eyes of many, I suspect).
Couple that with the additional responsibilities within the setup that they've allowed Klini to have (after denying it once or twice before), and we've got an odd set of decisions. The lack of expectations and fan/media pressure on the USSF has been a recurring theme around these parts, so I wonder what was special about this time that caused them to cede control over player development? It's all a bit curious.
Excited to see what someone else can do with the team, though.
Drew -
I hear you, but I less than care. Thinking that the timing/execution of Elder's eventual firing is what is making the USSF and Sunil look weak is like the losing general in a war being concerned that the chair he sits in at the surrender ceremony with the victorious general is not ornate enough and that will make him look weak. It ain't the chair, general, it is the whole 'losing war and surrendering' bit that reflects poorly.
Klinsman wanted more control in the past and the USSF not giving it to him was at least in part of why the German didn't take over. How that has played out (and will play out) is key. The USSF will have to let the guy and his team try new things if they want new results. That and spend some more money on the development end of things.
I just take it as a sign that any forthcoming changes are likely to be cosmetic in nature given who's still in charge. They are who we thought they were. Perhaps that's pessimistic.
I could also see the USSF reneging on a promise or two and Klinsmann walking. If it takes three times to get the negotiation right, obviously something was ceded against someone's will or interests at the USSF. That's definitely pessimistic.
Hopefully we'll find out more details on Monday.
On a different note, which Jürgen Klinsmann theme song is better?
I don't think the appointment of an individual makes much of a different. I think organizational strides have been made, with this decision, Claudio Reyna as technical director, and Wilmer Cabrera as U-17 coach.
I read Hirshey's column on ESPN. I agree with him that Klinsmann would LIKE to incorporate a more inclusive idealism to Soccer in the States. Sadly that is impossible. Cultural change takes time. To be completely ignorant and to act like certain ethnicities are better athletes than others you will not find an inner-city where individuals are drawn to soccer. Soccer is a stigmata.
You don't change this by attitude. Yes we can tap more into our immigrant population that still is insignicifant when compared to an entire country of Mexicans who bleed the sport. Soccer shouldn't be a game of priviledge but it is viewed that way here for a variety of reasons.
A comment on Bob. He can fuck off. You don't stop talking with National Team players because of personal grudges. I think someone like Bobby Convey is now shit but for the National Team coach not to speak to you for a number of years is ludicrous. Especially when you can't find a U.S. player with a left foot. Also Michael is sadly our best central mid bar Edu, or Holden, but I am not of that nepotism crowd.