dwreck1971 Blog
Klinsmann: US Team Needs to Be More “Nasty”
Posted on June 2, 2012 4:43 am
The guys discuss the US v Brazil friendly on The Straight Red Card. Does the USMNT need to be more “nasty?”
The US actually seemed more “nasty” in the Bradley era tbh. I dont remember a single game we didnt somehow get a card in. Maybe that was just his obsession with playing Rico on the other hand though…
I might agree with that. We seemed more ballsy then. The whole nasty Gooch stare down happened back then.
This is called two things: “Milking it,” which, as fellow blogger, I can totally approve of.
And “stepping all over Mateofelipe’s next blog.” That is a capital offense.
According to your fellow podcast bloggers, Landon was 7 for 7 on connecting crosses. When is a winger ever one hundred percent on crosses? Crosses are the lowest percentage of passes. Anouncers praise crosses for merely being dangerous.
Brett? Hello? Jozy is POTENTIALLY a great target striker, based on his skills and hugeness. Since joining AZ, he has improved all the way to half-way-decent as a target striker.
When I have made that observation before, I have gotten criticized for not rating Jozy. Jozy is an outstanding soccer player – quick, fast, skilled, strong. Not a hold-up target forward. Neither Gomez nor Dempsey like to play that spot.
I am still calling bullshit on this ridiculous defense of Klinsmann’s stupid, stupid, stupid statements that beg CONCACAF refs to card us.
These guys made some defensive blunders against Brazil. If they need to have more pride and swagger, fine.
Funny you should mention Harkes and Wynalda together, but neither player was as likely to get sent off as NOTCOBI Jones. The funny thing about those 94 and 98 guys is that some of them were actually good soccer players. Wynalda scored in 94 cause he could hit a decent free kick. I suppose we could have won the whole if only we had played more “nasty” against Brazil. The ref sent Leonardo off for breaking Tab Ramos’ skull. I am sure the reason we didn’t go on to win, despite the man advantage, was not because our most skilled player had a cracked skull, but because we were not “nasty” enough.
And (Bigsoccer let me edit my comments already) I am sure the reason we failed to advance in ’98 was because more of our players should have displayed toughness and pride like Pablo Mastroeni did. I would normally come to praise Pablo, not to bury him, but you, by your obstinate praise of absolute nonsense, force me to highlight his worse moment. And Pablo is a cupcake next to that highly skilled sociopath Jermaine Jones.
I think the “bloody-but-unbowed” example of McBride is a much, much better example of toughness. And if Klinsmann calls him “naive,” I will punch him on the nose, myself.
Ok, look: all I’m saying is that we were giving the Brazilians Y A R D S of space in that match. If the coach of the team says that we need to be more “nasty” I’m going to go ahead and side with him rather than side with the guys who were nowhere near their man.
Step on toes? Hell yes step on toes! Get physical. Make Brazil make mistakes.
Finally, for the record: Aside from the Jermaine Jones tackle, who was the “nastier” team in that match? In my opinion, it was defintely Brazil. They got in our faces and made us make mistakes. I wish we had treated Neymar the way they treated Donovan.
So much arrogance in these comments. “I don’t care if you are Brazil”… LOL. Sure! A team that has only lost to the US team once in history.
Playing “grittier” and making nasty fouls will not get more goals, it will more red cards. It is just stupid.
Reality check: the US has a decent and experienced team but these guys are in their 30′s. Brazil is a team of talented and fast kids in their early 20′s and they have 5 world cups and 100 years of soccer tradition to back them up. The US didn’t give spaces. Hulk, Marcelo and Neymar created them with dribbling, overlaps and great soccer. That’s all. Brazilians are nastier, period! There’s nothing Herr Klinsmann can do about it. If Germany always lose to Brazil, the US team trying to be Germans will always lose too.
Regardless of their ranking position, Brazil is Brazil. Ignoring how dangerous they are is a huge mistake. A little humility would be do much better to the US team than all this talk of playing “nastier” and “grittier”. What the US needs is to stop falling into the Brazilian traps instead of playing with the backs in a line trying to catch some of best world players in offside… That offside trap hasn’t worked since the Dutch lost to Germany at the 1974 WC final.
You can’t go into a game of any sport like that or much less scare. You practically defeat yourself before the game begins. You have to go in w/ the belief that you are better and deserve respect whether its true or not. Reality can wait for after the game is over.
Overconfidence can be a double-edged sword. It’s not about having fear. Just having some respect and most of all caution.
My problem with this video is that it is condoning violence and suggesting that Klinsmann did so too. I doubt it. I think he just can speak English too well and meant something else. I prefer to believe that a great player him would have better sportsmanship. Personally, I would hate to see the US players aiming for the heels and shins and not for the (soccer) ball. Violence can end careers and it is not the sort of behavior you expect from a great athlete, at least not in soccer.
Whoever said the team should ignore how good Brazil is? No one at all. But JK was right to say afterwards that we started the game by giving Brazil TOO MUCH respect. You have to go into every game believing you can win–and carry that intensity into your play (smartly).
I don’t blame the US team at all and I dislike the fact that Klismann does. I saw a lot of bravery in that match. Let’s face it: Brazil is preparing to play his second world cup at home and this time they plan to win it. This Brazilian team is incredibly good. The last time Brazil had such as strong midfield/attack was in 1982, the only difference is that this team is a lot younger. Mano Menezes still have a lot to fix on the defense, but Marcelo, Oscar, Hulk and Neymar are all exceptional. He already has a dream team on his hands.
It’s not arrogance, it’s really the opposite of arrogance. We aren’t as good as Brazil. We will never be as good as Brazil among a ton of other countries. How’s that for arrogance? So we need to be more adept defensively. That’s how Chelsea beat Barcelona, that’s how we beat Spain and Italy.
Who’s being arrogant here, Mr. FiveXChampion?
Italy won three world cups playing defense. That really works.
But being more adept defensively is one thing, and I think that’s what Klismann meant to say. However, the comments on this video are asking for the team to play nastier as in violent and that’s just not the way to go.
5X, I’ll agree that Klinsmann, in the heat of the moment, did not use very good etiquette with his remarks and he needs to learn from that. He’s usually much more restrained and positive after matches thus far. It’s not going to get him any points with CONCACAF referees in the future and probably should have been reserved for the locker room.
Also, he was wrong on virtually every statement that he made questioning the refs: hand ball penalty, offsides goal “by two yards.” He should look at a videotape before making such comments.
That stated, I was glad to actually see a US coach show some fire for a change. Also, I was glad to see him show that he was “pissed off” with the performance. I’m so tired of coaches of the US being so stoic after a win or a loss. I like his emotion, even if it is a bit unrestrained.
That’s my point. I think they did the best they could.
I am not sure if I was clear, but I wasn’t just trying to praise Brazil. My point since the beginning is that the USMNT has been playing great soccer and to scold them for losing to Brazil is unfair.
I remember a time when the USMNT was nothing but a big joke. This generation did a lot already and they deserve credit.
Of course they deserve credit, but to say that we lost to Brazil and “oh well, we we’re suppose to lose” or that there is nothing we can improve on is silly. I think JK may have gone too far when he said we need to “hurt people.” I think he meant we needed to be more physical. And in that respect, I have to agree with him.
I don’t think Jk is saying we need to go play stupid and get red cards–I think he means we have to be more physical and imposing. He should retract his “hurt” people comments.
He has not been challenged. He has been “interpreted.” SA has been squawking, but he has been given a pass otherwise. He may not have meant to say we should play stupid and get red cards, but the effect, especially in CONCACAF, of saying that we should stop on toes and hurt people and collectively complain to referees is more than equivalent of saying we should play unfair and complain a lot about the resulting calls. Stupid, stupid, stupid, and just wrong. If that diving, whining Donovan takes offense, that should tell you something.
Good stuff as usual my friend. I would only add that while Leonardo did take out Ramos, that was the pussiest game that that team had played up until then, while Klinsmann’s teams have been particularly wimpy (as was the US23s) since he took the helm. I think a ball check is in order.
I watched Leonardo playing throughout his career. He was a great player and never a violent one. After 18 years, I still insist that Ramos was holding Leonardo’s shirt and when this tried to get hid of him, Leonardo accidentally hit his face with an elbow. Leonardo was just not looking at him and trying to run with the ball. That freaking elbow landed on Ramos face totally by accident. As a matter of fact, I would punish Ramos for holding the shirt and not Leonardo… regardless if the elbow was intentional or not, Ramos committed his foul first.
It is good to remind that this whole shirt grabbing thing started in soccer around 1994. As far as I remember, no good referee would allow that in previous world cup matches as it violates the rules.
Leonardo’s shirt was held.
Leonardo retaliated with an INTENTIONAL elbow. That was obvious.
Leonardo did not know where Ramos’s head was (it was low as I recall) and didn’t intend to hit him in the head and fracture his skull.
Leonardo visited Ramos in the hospital to apologize.
I agree that Leonardo was not a dirty player.
I agree. I just saw the video of that play again and it looks like it was intentional, but he was tying to hit the chest not the head. Regardless, I blame the referees. Ramos was holding Leonardo and the ref should have stopped the play right there.
Really? The way I saw it Leonardo seemed to be pissed that he was being harassed. People tug at shirts all the time–what’s new about that. That elbow was not only swung blindly, it was one of the hardest elbows I’ve ever seen thrown in anger at another player for simple “shirt tugging.”
“People tug at shirts all the time–what’s new about that.”
If you knew anything about soccer history you would know that until 1994′s WC you’d never see anybody grabbing a player’s jersey without being penalized. If you look at videos from previous WC’s you will notice that guys such as Pelé, Maradona or Cruiff never had to drag an idiot through the field with their jerseys.
It is like FIFA’s referees suddenly turn their eye blind for this horrible practice. it is wrong, it is a display of bad sportsmanship, it is ugly, it is (already) illegal and it should be banned once and for all as it only benefits bad players and bad teams.
Uh, I played in the 80s and 90s, and to say there was no “shirt tugging” during close contact before 1994 is a total falsehood. I think you mean there was no OBVIOUS shirt-tugging like there is now–cos believe me, shirts were tugged before 1994.
PS. I’ll let Brett defend his Jozy comments, but I will say he has improved considerably as a hold up striker in the past US Nats games…
Seconded. He’s actually quite good as a hold and distribute striker now.
He has improved. I got rather carried away, which is just shocking. I never do that. But I don’t really like him as a lone striker. I like him a lot with Dempsey or Donovan or Herc.
I stand by my comment. I think Jozy is a far superior target striker option to Herc. Nothing against Herc, nor am i saying Jozy is a world class target striker. All i am saying is if i want a guy to hold the ball, lay it off then make a run into the box I’d take Jozy.
Herc is a poacher and given the smallest of chances he’ll make something out of nothing in the box.
Jozy originally was not a good target option. He simply didnt know how to use his body and quite frankly was softer. Of course manager after manager has been asking him to play a target role which took time to develop. But given his play over the last year and his time with AZ Jozy has become quite a solid target striker. If he can manage a bit more consistency throughout the season he could have contended for one of the highest scorers in Holland.
Oops. Put my reply in the wrong place. See above. I hear ya, but I am more comfortable with Jozy in a 4-4-2 or 4-4-1-1. Just think that is his highest and best use, rather than lone forward. It’s good that he can, when he forces himself, be more of a target forward than he used to be.
Dont get me wrong, i think Jozy is best when he has someone to play off of. Still you can ask him to play a target role even with a supporting striker.
i absolutely hated the early games with JK b/c quite frankly we saw Jozy isolated up top by himself without an outlet option besides passing back. We created few scoring opportunities and it was unfair to ask a striker to do such.
Jozy is learning how to properly use his body to hold up the play, shield from defenders and distribute to supporting midfielders. He’s becoming a well rounded striker who is not pigeon-holed into one style.
Truthfully, i think we are both making the same point.
Any link for those game stats on Donovan? I counted at least two crosses that did not make their mark from just watching the game. But if someone has the official stats of the game that support that Donovan stat that would be good to see.
For a review of the kind of football Klinsmann is advocating we play, watch how Belgium plays us in the midfield and when we enter their defending 3rd. With every tackle they take a piece of you with them. These are professional players who start the match dictating to the referee how they want it played and unless he makes a clear case early against it, they continue to play. Shea, Williams, Jozy and Dempsey took the kicks to the back of the legs, the scrape on the achilles, etc. Even Torres started to pick up the intensity midway through the half to match their play. This is tough, yet fair football.
This. Prior to the Mexico game in 2002, Bruce Arena laid it perfectly in his pre-match talk: first tackle, first foul, first shot, first goal (whatever the order). Believe he also said, “This is a game for f*cking men.” I see nothing wrong with getting some bite in our game. There’s considerable distance between that and planting your knee in someone’s back off the ball (see Terry, John) or assaulting your opponent (see Mexico, 2002).
Klinsmann’s english is plenty fine to say that if he wants to.
We need chandler on the right for 2014. Cherundolo is getting old.
it would be nice to have him in our pool, but i dont want anyone in our pool who’s mentality can flip flop so easily. We still have Lichaj. I would prefer more depth that’s for certain.
You don’t call a penalty because its early in a game and its a friendly? Since when has that been the case? If your arm is extended in the box its a penalty otherwise calling a penalty on a handball in the box gets ridiculous.
agree 100%.
I happened to think it was a penalty. The announcers didn’t. Derek didn’t. Not sure about Brett. Many think it has to be hand to ball… It did look like Gooch was trying to tuck his arm but didn’t do it fast enough.
listening to myself again just now and i actually agree with you on the subject. A Pk is a Pk. Perhaps my emotions got the best of me in that matter. But i did state that it was a Pk, simply that i hate it when it’s called so early in a game.
But you are right, the ref was correct with his call.
Posted this before about the nasty quote.
Nastier doesn’t necessarily mean going out there to snap legs in half and I doubt that’s what Jurgen meant. I’m starting to wonder if some people have ever played the game or any sport when they talk about silly things about sports. I was a fairly passive player who rarely needed to slide tackle, but even I knew that you needed to get rough and be physical at times. How is playing “nastier” not American? Have people not looked at other American sports and what’s celebrated in those sports? As the wise Gregg Popovich said recently “I want some Nasty” or “It’s A Big Boy Game”.
The hand ball was unintentional by Gooch & shouldn’t have counted but its comes down to the ref’s discretion. The penalty messed w/ the whole team for about 10 or 15 mins after. Donovan was just soft and didn’t fight and let Marcelo have his way w/ him. I loved Gomez but he’s 30 now by 2014 while Altidore is 22, Boyd 21, Agudelo 22.
“Have people not looked at other American sports and what’s celebrated in those sports?” – have people not looked up the definition of a foul in soccer? I can just imagine how people here would react if another team in CONCACAF had said “we show too much respect to the USA, we need to be nastier, hurt people more, argue with the ref on every call”
The US DEFENSE needs to get “nasty.” Few years ago, pre Gold cup, the US was on there way defensively. I dunno if its the 4-4-3 current formation that’s kicking our ass.. But ever Klinsman showed up, our back line looks horrendous.
If it aint broken, don’t fix it.. Let’s get back to the good ol’ days and get rid of this soft ass German. Solution #1
In this sport, teams will do what they have to do to win. It’s all up to whether the ref will be weak about it.
But for years, usmnt fans have criticized other countries for playing hard. Calling them “classless” and thuggish. So now usmnt fans want to join em in the same style they once abhored.
It’s pretty hypocritical to change your stance like that. You can’t respect people who change their principles when it’s convenient.
The overreactions are entertaining, especially yours. Kind of sad though, since it’s obvious that many of us still cannot have a discussion without taking things to the extreme.
Asking someone to play hard does not automatically equate to playing “thuggish”. Playing hard means closing down space, breathing down the other team’s neck, not shying away from tackles, winning headers, etc. You know, the kind of stuff that any of the top teams all across the world do. I doubt Klinsmann was calling for broken legs and bleeding noses.
woah these guys are spazzos
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