I don't think Klinsmann has had a huge effect on dual nationals as some think. First, Jones, Chandler and Yelldell all accepted call-ups under Bradley. Same with Mix (who played for u-23's as well). Corona was called-up by Bradley right before he was fired, and then later accepted Jurgen's invitation. (I don't think JK influenced his decision much.) Terrence Boyd, Danny Williams and Fabian Johnson received their first caps under Jurgen, but they would have played for anybody - they were all committed to the U.S. regardless of our coach. (I think Boyd played for US' u-20's before Jurgen was named head coach.) Only exception might have been Aron Johannson - he was definitely pissed off by the Icelandic coach, and Jurgen buttered him up. But I think any American coach would have done the same. Brooks' might also have been also swayed by Jurgen, but he's not cap-tied yet (fatal mistake). And JK has noticeable failed to convince some of the more promising Germ-american prospects: Green, Parker, Toljan. He's not infalliable.
I'm not one who thinks you need to automatically change coaches so I think this really depends on what happens in Brazil, as really is the case for pretty much all the coaches bringing a team. Do well and you get to make the call if you stay or go. Look bad and you're gone. I highly doubt Klinsmann will be an exception to this pattern, although fans and the USSF may have differing interpretations of what doing well entails.
Not really. There's a decent chance JK won't even want to re-sign if he gets offers from Europe or other national team sides. Even if he does well, I think he'll realize he's gotten as much as he can out of our players.
Yes really. He could always resign if he had a longer contract and take a job elsewhere. Happens every day.
Sure but you were asking what the point of a 2-year contract was. I gave an example of why you may want to get rid of a coach before full 4 year WC cycle.
Yeah, I really don't understand Kreis' thought process here. Why would he leave a solid RSL team which he built to basically not coach for all of 2014, and then start with an expansion squad that probably won't be very good? If he's smart, he'll stay with RSL until after 2014 WC, then weigh his options. Get an exit clause in the next contract.
Who would you trust handling dual internationals (especially Germans)? Jason Kreis or Jurgen Klinsmann?
Honestly, I think Kreis would handle it well, even though he doesn't have same name recognition. Players like to play for personalities - not "names". The biggest names can also be the biggest schmucks (Sven Goran Erikkson, Maradona, Domenech, etc.)
Jurgen Klinsmann: As a player, WC Winner, UEFA Cup Winner, Euro Winner, 38 goals for Germany As a coach, managed Bayern and Germany Jason Kreis: As a player, played for the Dallas Burn and RSL, 1 goal internationally for the US As a coach, done some great for RSL, and is now wanted for NYCFC. Who are you taking?
Who would you trust in helping to build the US program to the point where it doesn't need (or want) to rely on "handling dual internationals?" (Not that I think one JK is a better option than the other JK in terms of answering that question.) Yes, getting the available dual internationals if/as they may become available is certainly part of the job, but the bigger job (imo, and in the long term) should probably be focused on developing (rather than importing) the American player(s). Most dual nationals (I would imagine) realize that their international playing career would last longer than any specific coach's contract with some nation. And dual nationals (for the most part) opt not to "come and play for the coach specifically" in the US, but because they want to come and "play for the US" (and/or aren't likely to get much playing time with some other nation). The USMNT program is bigger than any one coach. Coaches come and coaches go. (I'm not convinced that more players will choose to come to the USMNT simply because some specific coach is currently in charge, or not.)
I agree with zero or four, nothing in between. JK lost a year and that may end up costing the team. A cycle should be a full cycle, to have time to test players in both GCs. Also, USA, like Mexico, Japan, S. Korea, Ivory Coast and Ghana, happens to be in a confederation where finding strong sparring partners is tough (since the rest of the teams are weaker, with one exception). Every chance to play a game against strong rivals from outside the confederation is precious. Can't afford to lose what one coach finds out due to a mid-cycle change. JK has said he intends to stay as manager, but we don't know if someone else may come about with a juicier offer. In that sense, doing quite well in Brazil may have the side-effect of JK getting an offer he could not refuse, from some club or country.
How about a level of comfortability with a coach? Especially when a language barrier could be an issue? Getting acclimated to a National Team with a german speaking coach is a lot more appealing than a strictly english speaking coach. Not saying it will turn players away, but its a lot more appealing for some players to have Jurgen Klinsmann calling them to see if they have interest in the US than _________ (Insert MLS coach here) calling.
It won't be an "MLS coach" calling. It will be the next USMNT coach calling. (Slight but significant difference there, for some player(s) taking that call.) How many more German-Americans will/might be coming the USA's way? At some point, that pipeline is going to dry up or continue on, right? (And that's going to happen with or without Klinsmann coaching the US, right? And is the US truly benefiting from players who are potentially more comfortable with a National Team coach that can speak German? What about a coach who spoke other languages?
I agree that the pipeline will dry up, but we have some very interesting dual internationals coming up for this next cycle. Some that just might be good enough for Germanys full NT team. And the US is benefiting RIGHT NOW (in 10 years I agree, I think this nonsense is over), but just for now take just Fabian Johnson out of our pool and our attack is significantly worse IMO. I think Jurgen should have next cycle, after that, I'll take the other JK.
I say Kreis, but I have a bad feeling that it might be Ramos if JK isn't the coach anymore. I got a thought though. What about David Moyes? He is going to get sacked by Man United at the end of the year. Manchester United is not going to accept a season where they don't qualify for the UCL, and currently it doesn't look like they will. Moyes likes American players and his GK coach is on the USMNT coaching staff. It would be a decent hire. What about Klinsmann as Technical Director and Moyes as the coach?
Whether or not we go with Klinsmann as manager next cycle, he's worth splashing cash on to keep him within USSF. I do believe the ultimate job for Klinsmann, a much more difficult job, really, would be as Technical Director. The single greatest and most important factor that separates us from the great soccer nations that we all want to equal and overcome is player development. Coaches around the country with varying agendas seem to respect Klinsmann like no other voice in American soccer, really, and the same personal vision and mentality that he brought to the USMNT might do some good in the world of American soccer coaching. Because that's the next frontier. It's a much, much more vast and challenging one, and he's the one single guy at this point that I think would have the greatest chance of succeeding there where no one has really been able to have widespread impact yet. Short of winning the World Cup outright, I think that's where he could make the greatest impact on the (future) USMNT and the American soccer landscape, more than say another WC quarterfinal berth.
How is it nitpicking to point out that Klinsmann could walk when the cup ends. We could ostensibly extend him today on his expressed desire to stay on or we could wait and see how it goes and risk losing him or risk paying a lot more on inferior terms. I'm guessing you never held an executive job from your post.
Because Klinsmann can walk at any time. While not rehiring him may not technically be firing him, it will feel as such and be portrayed as such in the media. And no I'm not an executive.
Yeah, I understand that the coach's motivational tactics can get a little old, but I see a substantial portion of our roster turning over after this cycle, and if JK really has a way of improving our development/pipeline method, it would be the next four years that shows it, not this cycle.
The problem with 2nd cycle coaches is rosters don't turn over as much as they should. I'm fretting seeing Eddie Johnson and Brad Evans out there in their early to mid 30's. It's bad enough now when they are in their late 20's. So I can understand the question posed for this thread, regardless how Klinsmann fares at the WC. He'd need to get to the quarters AT LEAST, if not semis, for him to warrant being retained, IMO. Look at how Arena fared in his 2nd cycle vs. his 1st. And it was in part because he wouldn't move on from over the hill players who had served him well for so long like Claudio Reyna. As far as improving the pipeline, I don't see it. The only way you achieve it is snowballing success internationally and domestically by American players. Kids need role models to show them the way and people like them (in some superficial way even) to be prideful about and in turn inspire them. It's not going to come from playing a little more at early ages without passion and belief behind it. It seems like Klinsmann's youth philosophy so far has been to find as many Latin American kids as possible kicking it around on dirt fields, put them on grass, and expect them to flourish with a little time. But a few years in, they still seem to suck. I watched the U.S. u-20 World Cup, and it looked like a regression to me if anything. We had more promising young players in previous cycles. So I don't see cause to keep him for the presumed better development of youth players finally taking effect. We don't see a direction yet. It'd be blind faith.