Sunil's a company man...Bradley's a company man. If you paid attention and listened to what media reports and Arena have said, rather than how it was packaged, the man calling the shots, who wanted to take much of the credit for 2002 and Arena's success was ...DAN FLYNN, USSF Secretary General (whatever position that is). Sunil has power and creditials, but he just got elected to the position...which is a "figure-head" position at best. No different than the commisioner's of the NFL, NBA, or MLB. He's there to facilitate communication, progession, and business transactions of USSF. He's not the power that is behind the scenes...no real power-player is visible to the public. The question is who really controls the strings...gave the final vote for Sunil's "elected" position. Dan Flynn has been the most prominent adversay of Arena, along w/ Garber. He is the one who stands to lose most if Klinsi had the control necessary to implememnt and mold the program in his image. Folf, we don't have the Beckembaurer's Crurff's or Pele's here. We DO NOT have soccer people, ex-soccer great's (as much as Wynalda, Lalas, any-ex US Nat teamers will have you believe) making the IMPORTANT, strategic decisions for the MEN's National Program. We have guys fighting for power and to feel important, non-global domesticated soccer pilgrioms calling the shots. Klinsi has been the model, epitome of discipline and detail, as a player...as a manager. How do we know that...HIS RESUME tells us that! So go ahead and argue that LAME,defensive argument he's not a proven Nat. team manager...(like after today's fiasco we're sure one get one now)...but all he did was handle the pressure of a HOSTING WC nat. team manager ...BEAT one of the 3 favorites in Argentian by...hold on here...playing OFFENSIVE SOCCER (wasn't that what we were bemoaning w/ Bruce) and going for the WIN w/ the ghighest goal differential of his qualifying group. Also, changing the culture of GERMAN football with regards to fitness...wasn't that one of the pet peeves of the American team? Playing in ITALY, playing Brazil, go after difficult friendlies... Now tell me...what the hell will Bradley do that is better for US soccer now?! Is he more qualified than Bruce...hell no! Did he handle the Metrostars well...so how can you expect him to do a better job in a more political, pressure-cooker scene as the USSF? We blew this one folks...Klinsi was the best candidate willing to come to USSF out there. He's the only candidate that has a name that can put Donovan in his place, get a Convey to listen and humble out, to get a Beasley to toughen up, to get a Dempsey to manage his emotiions on the field, to get an Onyewu to reach is world-potential, to understand the pinch and pressure of what Keller, cherondolo, Beasley, Convey any US international goes through. Who the hell will listen to Bradley if I'm in the trenches like a Demeritt, who could pull a Rossi from Man U.? Bradley's not a step up from Arena! USSF is a JOKE!
I agree with most of your points. However, Bradley is in no ways the Feds long term solution to the coach situation. Obviously if by some miracle, Bradley is a revolution, he will be offered the job. But the coach hunt will continue while Bradley is the coach. I really hope these "power issues" come to light. Hopefully the Fed didn't want to tell JK who his assistants would be, or try to influence him in his decisions.
i think they tried to make klinsmann agree to having a certain number of mls players on the squad at all times
Excellent post. You've hit the nail on the head. The USSF completely blew it, and I'm ripe with anger over the situation. Bruce Arena has been widely regarded as the best domestic coach this country has to offer. Hiring anyone else from the USA is, therefore, a step down from what we had with Arena.
Great points by the original poster. As I've said on other threads, the problem here is much bigger than "Bradley v. Klinsmann"... we have some guys at USSF who need to change and be more receptive to new ideas.
It's like a poor man's urban school district... Too many people in the wrong places of leadership, not qualified to do this job. Approach it from a corporate background rather than with a global "football" strategic design. THE USSF needs a complete overhaul...time to "Office Space" this "corporate" entity. The FA has nothin' on us!
I think you post states the obvious. So many posters are wrapped up in the Sunil and Klinsman angles because those are the visable names in these negotiations, but truth be told USSF decisions are made above Sunil, he recieves the direction and orders and goes and try to implement them. He has NO power to UNILATERALLY decide this hiring. People need to take a step back and relax on this KILL SUNIL banter for a moment and realizr that thiss desicion was never his to make on his own. Of course he cant say that publicly if he wants to stay in his job long. This situation is relvealing to the general public what many of us that have either closly followed the program or have had direct experiance with the federation have known for a while....that the USSF leadership has fundementally flawed policies and that their motivations differ wildly from that of the fan base in terms of how the entire program from the top down should be run and their priorities. I feel sorry for Sunil because he is likely gonna be the fall guy here, and i feel sorry for Bradley who is a really good manager and a guy that deserves a better shake than being the USSF's saftey valve. So many posyers a while ago wanted to castrate Arena for his comments about US Soccer and their leadership, saying he was just bitter about Germany. I viewed it as a sharp soccer guy critisism of the USSF from a guy that probably was fed up with a bunch of crap for a long time that finally figured it was time to speak his mind since he didnt have his job to lose anymore. Great thread by the way. Rep.
Great report from the NY Times... If its to be believed, it looks like Gulati might actually come out of this looking like a good guy. I mean, he did spend the last 6 months trying to hire the one candidate must beloved by the fanbase and most likely to shake things up at USSF. http://www.nytimes.com/2006/12/08/sports/soccer/08soccer.html?ref=sports To quote from the article: "Gulati was believed to have favored a coach like Klinsmann who had the international recognition and the standing to assertively influence the direction of soccer in the United States."
Yup...it's all self-serving interest bullshit. It's too much to ask the powers that be to consider the greater good when their the ones spending the dough. Still, I cannot help but feel completely disillusioned by the USSF, even when you do consider all things....it still hurts,really bad.
You know that is one of the things about U.S. soccer that really bothers me. One can feel this corporate back round just oozing through when the suits use words like, market, product, resource, etc. Yes, Rothenberg and Gulati helped bring the WC to the U.S. in 94 and were instrumental in creating the MLS and they did very well profit wise. I think Rothenberg personally made about 7 million on the WC, but for some odd reason soccer fans in America think that they owe something to them for it. They maybe are good with business and maybe Gulati knows a thing or two about soccer, but the way the federation and MLS is structured is going to keep both organizations down until real significant changes are made. American soccer missed a real opportunity with Klinsmann. I do believe if Klinsmann would have been hired real substantive changes would have been made. This guy takes no guff from anyone. Ask Beckenbauer and Hoeness! I honestly don’t know where we go from here, but I do know that the FAN of American soccer had better find away to be heard effectively and quit acting like a subservient welfare recipient with regards to the U.S. Soccer powers that be. We want a National Team that has a shot at winning big things and a league that is world class. The people running the show want a banal league and a placated soccer public.
You should read their Phase VI business plan on the USsoccer.com website if you want your fill on corporate speak and a lot of words that say absolutly nothing. Seriously read it.
I see a lot of objectives and not enough flesh when it comes to strategy. We some what know what we want but we are not too clear on how to get there. The financials looked very thin. My personal favorite item was the exchange program with U.S. and Italian referees. I wonder what will be learned from them, payola? These guys really need help in the planning department. The presentation was shite as well. http://images.ussoccer.com/Documents/cms/ussf/BP_PhaseIV.pdf
The Pres of US Soccer is a un-paid, elected, volunteer position, I believe, whereas Dan Flynn runs the show at US Soccer House. According to the US Soccer by-laws, this is part of the job description of the Secretary General: 1) subject to approval of the board of directors, coordinate and administer the development and selection of players to participate in Pan Amercian, Olympic, World Cup championships and international competitions. (emphasis added) Given this fact, I'd say if Klinsi had a power/control issue with the fed, esp if it was primarily concerned with junior development and the selection of players, Dan Flynn would have been asked to cede a lot of power to him...perhaps something Flynn had an issue with. So maybe the poster of the original thread was onto something...repped.
Is there another federation in the world like the US???? The media likes to mention the 15 million some odd number playing the game in this country but isn't part of the USSF membership more inclined to emphasize the growth of participation rather than for this country to become a power house threatening to win the World Cup??? In essence, that 15 million essentially keeps us down. I doubt the English FA care about increasing participation in the sport. Please enlighten me.
I recommend checking out this oddly titled book with candid comments from USSF insiders. I don't have my copy right now, but at least one of the interviewees, I think Rothenberg or Gulati himself (back in 2000) made the same observation that the USSF was controlled by a small group that was not open to change. The Amazon description: "Portraits" contains exclusive interviews and photographs with the 15 most influential players, coaches, journalists and executives who played a key role in the development of soccer in the U.S. during the last ten years, considered by many the best decade for men's soccer in the United States. Featured in the book are the eight winners of the Honda Player of the Year Award, given annually to the best player on the U.S. Someone at my TV station put this book on my desk a coule years ago, and it was probably shipped to station as a pre-publication promo. I saw the cover with the photos and thought it was some outdated USSF promo item. In fact, the collection of interviews aggregates to very insightful comments and serious allegations against the USSF's problems before some major changes in the early 90s.
My reference to the English FA and on them having nothing on the USSF refers to the problems English Teams, EPL fans view towards the FA. The FA has a noble cause and their intentions and interests towards improving the EPL and English football, in general, is to be commended. Yet they have a tendency to do things ie. Grossly overpay the previous Errickson. Levy fines for fouls that were not given yellow or red cards to in field of play. The make statements that make you wonder if they just put their foot in their mouth ie. G14(really 18) implications on the EPL. And the last one...hiring their present Nat. team manager, Mcclaren...who, like Bradley...who have to ask yourself was he the best candidate available. Just the overall feeling there is always some tension, power tug-of-war between the FA and English Teams, esp. the EPL teams. In truth the USSF seems to be mirroring the same mistakes the FA has made. Except the have the talent-pool and depth of players to overcome continuous organziational mistakes on the soccer field. Also, the MLS is in bed with USSF...a symbiotic relationship ...difinitely not like in England. Of course the money involved makes it canerverous. Just think of players unions vs. the league/owners, such as MLB to get a grasp of the tension felt between the two in England. USSF needs to downsize and bring in credibile, global soccer minds. Isn't strange the strides made in Austrailia, Japan, and S. Korea football organizations compared to the USSF...But you tell who has the longer history? Shouldn't we have evleved to more than just a "recreational" major sport and idenity. we may never get a 2002 to capitalize on and we're wasting away precious momentum and progress here, folks.
I found a short article in the Bild about Klinsmann. I know that they are not the most reputable journalists but: http://www.bild.t-online.de/BTO/spo...linsmann-usa-absage/klinsmann-usa-absage.html The main point is he didn’t turn the job down because of money but he felt that he would not be able to realize his concepts and had problems with MLS and its management of players. Bild also believes that U.S. soccer wants to hire Eriksson. I hope that isn’t true.
Just wanted to say thanks for this thread I find it really amazing how many people on bigSoccer are completely ignorant when it comes to the USSF. I have to wonder where all these people (posters) have been for the last 12 years? Sunil is just a puppet. How do people not understand this?
Maybe, if Bild's to be believed, Garber is also the one to blame here. One could infer that Klinsmann would have wanted to train his roster much more as a club coach, close to all year round (outside of the regular MLS season). There are two supporting points to this - 1) Arena said last spring that his players lost form when they went back (from Camp Cupcake) to their MLS teams. 2) Way too many MLS teams/coaches play crappy ball by the international standards and Klinsmann wanted to make the top players improve rather than go back to own clubs and, as an example, continue with bad MLS habits such as making safe back passes under even the slightest of pressures. Of course, admitting to that would be admitting its own inferiority and MLS is generally loathe to do that. So should we add Garber (let's not forget he was the guy who wanted to fire Arena during the 2005 WCQs for comments that were perceived as negative to MLS) to the list? Or even finger him as the main culprit in this debacle?