He really does hit on pretty much every question or criticism that is brought up here. From Beckerman's role as a 6 to playing only 1 striker due to Buddle and Jozy not being fit. The 4-4-2 being perhaps the direction he goes in. He mentions how he prefers players who are very good at one particular thing as opposed to a guy who is more versatile and can play many diff positions. For example: he mentions Bunbury is a forward but can also play right midfield. He would play Bunbury at forward because at RM he loses some percent. Emphasizes on maximizing talent at players preferred positions. Now whether you like him or not. This is the best interview I have seen so far that addresses some things. Not the typical interview where he talks about changing things and we're working hard and it's a good camp etc. Here, he actually talks a little bit how he sees things tactically and what his game approach is. I'm not a pro Klinnsman, I'm a pro-USA. Whatever happens, happens. And if he messes up in qualifying and makes excuses I can guarantee I will be on here to drop the hammer and criticize his mistakes. But for now, I will give him time, and be patient. I gave Bob time and I'll give Klinsmann the same. Now he isn't free from criticism, you can criticize him. I'm not saying you have to wait longer to do so. My point would be, especially after seeing this interview, that to try and understand what he's trying to do with player roles and how he see's things. At least for me, this interview hit on some key things.
And then he twice plays Danny Williams at RM, repeatedly plays Mo Edu in the #8 role, initially had Mike Bradley playing a #10 in the Mexico game (granted, he didn't do that again), and so forth. Is there anything at all of interest in his words? Yeah, some. But none of it should really be taken at face value if we're to wonder where he is and what he's doing and the real reasons, factors, or ideas behind why he's doing what he's doing.
Things he says I believe: He does not have a preferred system. He prefers specialists over generalists. He puts a lot of weight on the inner drive of a player (I think he wants to see 11 guys who had his maniacal drive). He thinks the German-Americans are more fit and have a better tactical understanding than their American counterparts. He is a nutrition nut, and he wants his team to develop the same habits. He wants his players to take a lot of risks. He especially wants his attackers to make mistakes and learn from them. I also believe Gulati hired Klinsmann to be a champion for the message Gulati wants delivered across US Soccer. I think being a mouthpiece is part of his job description. So I expect Klinsmann will continue to talk a lot and piss people off.
The fact that he deployed those players as he did doesn't refute the point. It's an insight as to how he saw those players' skills relative to the other players called up for the given game with respect to any given position. You may see them differently, and perhaps he sees them differently now, but it doesn't mean that, given his druthers and the appropriate players in the pool, he won't deploy players accordingly.
Straight talk is an eternal truth. It's what people want. It's what people can count on. Confusing people, even if it comes from a former great player with a German accent, will become tiresome if it doesn't change.
Here is a person who has played all over the soccer world, has earned accolades and yes criticism all over as well. However the fact remains, he is a better judge of talent and will always change tactics to suit the team he has on the field. We sit here in ivory towers with not 1/10th the experience, talent and ability and nit pick every facet of his interviews, statements, player choices, player positions , tactics, formations and in effect EVERYTHING he does on and off the field. Ultimately I feel that the US does not need a head coach, they must however enlist the Posters on BS and give them the authority to get our team ready to annihilate the opponents in the qualifying games and then destroy every team in Brazil with the bad fortune to meet us on the pitch. The byproduct of such a strategy is that all our advice is totally free, unsolicited and worth just about as much. Go get 'em BS.
welcome to the internet where everyone has an opinion... You should probably get used to it rather then posting these types of posts b/c it's never going to change. But if you prefer these sarcastic posts: You are right. We should all bow down and kiss the ground the demi-god Klinsmann walks upon. He is always without fault and quite frankly, i'm surprised we havent built him a temple or shrine on the largest mountain showing our respect and obedience.
I am surprised that it is seen as sarcasm as it is more fact than fancy? Although demigods themselves are a sarcastic invention of jealous gods and jealous humans and are inferior beings hated from below and laughed at from above. Thanks for your non-sarcastic reply. PS I am amused by the gist of the posts and see humor in them.
To be honest I think there are some very smart posters here and some of them may have high level experience. I have no idea, but I get the sense that there are a few of them. People have opinions and disagree the world over. No different here than in China. While I would be completely out of my depth coaching a U5 team in Kalamazoo that doesn't mean I still can't have an opinion. Then of course there is the VP of Common Sense argument. Which is that some coaches think or try to do too much and sometimes the simplest answer is the right one. http://sports.espn.go.com/espn/page2/story?page=simmons/060519 "I'm becoming more and more convinced that every professional sports team needs to hire a Vice President of Common Sense, someone who cracks the inner circle of the decision-making process along with the GM, assistant GM, head scout, head coach, owner and whomever else. One catch: the VP of CS doesn't attend meetings, scout prospects, watch any film or listen to any inside information or opinions; he lives the life of a common fan. They just bring him in when they're ready to make a big decision, lay everything out and wait for his unbiased reaction." I think most BS posters consider themselves to be the VP of Common Sense.
Dont you dare try to edit your post before i can post in return. I'll do you a favor and leave the post off You are going off the deep end again with your rant (that you edited). Kokoplus was pointing out that there are in fact soccer intelligent posters on this site, as well as the US fan base. There is nothing wrong with that. You may not agree with them, you may never agree with them. But in reverse, they might not agree with you. Some criticism has been fair, while others havent been.
well see, that is what I mean, my opinion is a rant but China isn't? if my opinion is considered a rant why are not everyone's opinions rants as well. What is the deep end? I did not try, I did
Your post (before editing) had very little to do with Koko's point. Kokoplus was pointing out that there are in fact soccer intelligent posters here. Criticism has been fair and unfair alike. However, your post was littered with sarcastic quips and glossed over his point. Then you edit it with, once again, a sarcastic post. You made the point that this site has become a carousel of criticism, some warranted some not. But your point was quickly lost within the rest of your post. But in the end, that wasn't Koko's point. Amongst the regurgitation of points and flames there are in fact some quality in the level of posting.
in the post that Koko quoted, you did a fine job at painting a picture of JK as some untouchable who is so much wiser and intelligent compared to the BS posters who have no where near his knowledge and experience. Fair enough, he's done far more with his soccer career then i have mine. However, that does not warrant my opinion of such matters invalid. That does not mean i am incapable of criticizing the guy for mistakes many lowly BSers could have told you was folly. No where in your first post (the one koko quoted) did you in fact mention that the criticism is merely a carousel of regurgitated criticism. You made it sound as if we have no ground to critique the guy.
if that is what you read, it is not what I wrote, I cannot control how anyone interprets what is written. What does intelligence have to do with saying every facet has been criticized to death over and over. And it has been done without the input available to Klinsmann?? Tell me that has not happened, tell me they haven't been repeated over and over?? That includes the supposed justified ones. Then the question becomes, justified by whom, does it not. Then think about it. Was it not a mistake to hire that guy who is doing so many things totally wrong then has the temerity to blow himself up into your demi-god.
When did I say you were an idiot? If you're going to get really upset about people's criticism's/rants/opinions/whatever I suggest you take a BS vacation.
I did not say you said that, I said that, criticisms, rants and opinions are just that. It cannot be argued with thus I called myself an idiot. deservedly so.
Just b/c you meant it to be one thing does not mean it was actually that. Can you specifically quote yourself where you stated that "every facet has been criticized to death over and over." You start off by building JK's resume, state that every facet has been criticized by those who dont have anything near his knowledge and expertise and finally go on sarcastically how USSF should have hired the many posters of BS. The reason they have been repeated over and over again is that we havent had anything to talk about since the Slovenia game. Do you know how boring these boards would be if we could only talk about what was happening that day. Eventually over time arguments are bound to repeat, even in the course of a single day. Sometimes they actually convince the opposing debater. Sometimes it just gets beaten to death again. Sarcasm met sarcasm Truth be told, it'd be hard to find any poster who truly thinks it was a bad idea to hire JK. You'll find some have been vocal about decisions made, especially player positioning and selection. But even those of us who've been vocal have been supportive on several issues.
See even here we are repeating ourselves yet again. Even if I were to agree with you whole heartedly you would just call it sarcasm again. Thus, it is that, which it is.
Great post! Yes, he is a visionary... and i get how he pisses people off because he is too good at makingpeople optimistic at what he brings. Fact is though, he has a gutsy approach, and I hope it pays off. He is asking alot out of our boys, he is working them into the ground... but I hope this will make them faster, attack stronger, and defend better as a group. He has alot of great group of youngsters too that can be the future for us, the future at working well under his system.
After watching perhaps the worst display of USMNT soccer last evening (granted it was a friendly and the team was a B- team) and the apparent lack of any tactical cohesion, it may be that the emporeor has no clothes. If you rewatch the game, look at the movement of players off the ball. To my eye it was shocking, completely static. The team was confused.