Is this a misquote? If not, I'm very concerned. "We, of course, want to beat Germany, and cause a sensation at the World Cup," Klinsmann told Sport Bild. "But we think that Germany will be through by the time of our meeting in the final group game. And we cross our fingers that they will win the World Cup in the end." Also, looks like Klinsmann is once again underrating Ghana: "We want to reach the knockout stages, anything else would be a disappointment. But we are not level with Germany or Portugal." http://espnfc.com/news/story/_/id/1...-vogts-give-us-team-extra-push-report?cc=5901 Here's the original German quote of what Klinsmann said (for German speakers): "Wir drücken die Daumen, dass sie am Ende auch Weltmeister werden", sagte Klinsmann. http://www.goal.com/de/news/1885/na...und-vogts-setzen-löw-und-dfb-team-unter-druck
I don't think think it's underrating Ghana to not immediately rule out the possibility that we're level with them. We at the least looked fairly level with them in our last encounter four years ago.
That's a kind of irritating, if mildly understandable sentiment for him to express. Also, he's right to underrate Ghana, if by underrate you mean "don't put them on the same level with Germany". They're about as good as we are.
he is just keeping it honest to sit here and say USA is level with Portugal or Germany is asinine but he does seem to be underrating Ghana and ESPN FC is a very good source. I am rooting for Portugal as it is the country of my fathers and the country that gave me my love for Football not to mention my mothers cousin is Pedro Pauleta but I am also a USA fan as I live here and work here and so forth. and he is obviously gonna say Germany since he is a German. To me Bradley was the best coach I would love to see someone like Bradley coac h my Portugal the job he did with USA and Eygpt and what he is doing at Stabek is insanly good. he was also a great scout aswell he is the reason players like Mohamed Salah are having breakthroughts in their respective careers
I honestly think no USA player is good enough to make team Germany. The players I could see being good enough for Portugal would be Howard but our keepers look good Beto and Patricio. USA and Ghana look even but Ghana have the advantage with players like Kwado Asamoah, Gyan, Andre Ayew, Jordan Ayew, Boateng, and Wakaso the certainly have better players but their defence looks iffy but i do recall their LB he plays for Guimaraes in PT and he is pretty solid
He's a triple agent. Classic (if even honest) setting of expectations and allowing the USA to play the (beneficial to us) underdog role while letting those great UEFA footballing nations be (perhaps overly) confident. Well, that's going to be awkward if/when the USA faces Germany in the Final in the end in 2014 (or in 2018).
one player to watch is Atsu he has pace for days you guys in the other thread taking about how your Fullbacks ar gonna contain CR7 well Atsu is the one to worry about he is no joke
Ghana scored 2 goals in the group stage in 2010. They were both PK's, and one of them was dubious. Both goals against us were the result of bad mistakes. They aren't that great. The only reason we lost against them is that we got screwed with decisions on goals in the group stage, and as a result our team was burned out. If you think that Howard is the only US player good enough for Portugal, then your bias is hanging out pretty badly. Portugal have 2 players to worry about, and the rest of them are solid but nothing special. Jesus, I can't wait for these arrogant fanbases to get their respective comeuppances
How am I being Bias, Howard for me is the only player that is good enough to be an undisputed starter for Portugal, I would say Bradley but with the emergence of William Carvalho and even Jozy Altidore but considering his situation and players like Edinho have 8 goals in 8 games in the Turkish Superlig and Hugo Almeida is a constant scorer in Turkey not to mention Postiga who is now at Lazio but he was doing pretty solid at Valencia and Zaragoza until then and he scored massive goals for Portugal in the Qualifiers. Plus with Eder regaining fitness. Now Portugal's strikers have always been an issue but how am am I being Bias
I guess we all have to hope for this. But WHAT IF they are not yet through and need a result against US? Honestly, does K. even think before he speaks? We all should be concerned, with not just Klinsmann but significant other German influence on our team. If they are not rabidly for the US all the way at this point, what's the point?
This is why no team with a foreign coach has ever won the World Cup. 2018 will be similar. A German will always believe in Germany. This is also why players in the German 4th tier are getting looks.
This is very different from what you originally said -- and I would not disagree with how you rephrased it.
This is a very different sentiment from what you originally posted. Considering there's only really one undisputed starter on Portugal, I'd be inclined to agree.
The one against Serbia. And I guess I shouldn't say dubious. More like "stupidly given away" since that ball was 5 yards over the attacker's head, going away from goal.
Just wow. I'm a bit more than mildly annoyed. No, Herr Klinsmann, "WE" don't cross our fingers and hope Germany wins. And I doubt the players whom you coach hope Germany wins in the end. Good grief. He needs to shut his mouth.
It's another excellent example of what happens after he gets past the second sentence of a statement.
Curious, but what are the two "bad" mistakes you're speaking about in the match against Ghana ? I only see one, with Ricardo Clark turning the ball over and even then I think it's largely overblown. Clark lost the ball in the midfield, not in his penalty box, turning the ball in this area does not always lead to a goal especially when you considert the fact whole US defence could have stopped him. What Robert Green did against the USMNT in the first match suit more the definition of a "bad" mistake, turning the ball over 50m away from your GK when half of your team is situated in his own midfield ? Much less...
Wtf this actually ticks me off. He honestly sounds like there isn't a chance in the world that we even get a point off the "best team in the world" why in the world is he crossing his fingers they win? Are they paying him the big bucks? No we are. He should be saying the exact opposite. We can and we will go through this group and it doesn't matter who the other team is that goes through with us. I hope this is just some kind of reverse physiology.