Dave, either you are softening up, or an imposter has seized control of your keyboard . . . Assuredly, WC 2014 was the highlight of Klinsi's coaching tenure. The 2013 Gold Cup, the Copa America and the 2014 Hex qualifying were also pretty solid. In case you need a refresher, here is the dark side: http://www.foxsports.com/soccer/gallery/11-awful-usmnt-milestones-set-under-jurgen-klinsmann-111516 I might also inquire if you watched the determined spirit, the acceptance of the specific tasks and the joy and satisfaction in victory on Friday night. When do you remember last having seen that? We had lost that somewhere along the way. It was nice to see it come back so quickly.
You've left out the Copa Centenario run, beating 3 top teams in a row in Costa Rica (dominated 4-0), Paraguay, and Ecuador. And, of course, once JK had to make a decision (no JJ against Argentina), we got mauled by Argentina partly because JK has no balls and started Wondo + 10 defenders. And, yes, those 11 milestones (there's a longer Twitter version) are bad. That's the bad side to the JK experimentation of his tenure, and eventually, those start to take too much of a toll on results, and he gets fired. But we had some good milestones too. First time losing to Jamaica @ home in competitive play? We also beat Jamaica for the first time away from home in the 2014 Hex. First loss to Mexico at home in WCQ in 4 cycles (that one's worse than the positive foil here) and first win in Azteca ever. First time losing to Guatemala in 30 years in competitive play, also first time beating Germany (twice), the Netherlands, and Italy. Now, reason I say this is, I think people, especially MLS writers, got pissed at JK's constant slagging of the league (regardless of how many MLS players he routinely called in, and regardless of the fact that US players were never punished for going from Europe to MLS), and started jumping all over him the last 6 months of his tenure after that Guatemala loss. They miss the forest for the trees, and start concocting largely stupid stuff like the article you posted, as "reasons" why JK should be fired. But, at that point, it's people creating non-soccer reasons to fire a coach because the coach is mouthing off in a way that people don't like, aka non-soccer reasons. And we should guard against that. Like, with Arena, people here are worried about his history of over-reliance on veterans, for example. But so long as the results are acceptable as a whole, the pitchforks shouldn't come out on Arena's losses (unless they're really important). He's got flaws, all coaches do, but as long as he gets enough wins and isn't doing anything illegal, let him coach.
I think in many ways you have nailed one of Klinsmann's greatest faults. He had no balls. If you look at many of his "greatest" accomplishments against truly good teams Germany, Netherlands or vicious environments against very good teams (Mexico in Azteca) he had nothing on the line. Against Argentina, it was a real competition and he refused to take chances. Even against Belgium in 2014 he waited until we were behind before he tried to attack and score a goal. Disclaimer: I am all talk. I have no balls either so don't hire me for USMNT coach after Arena!
We had Portugal beaten ,and he told our whole front six to press up,which left our back line exposed.I remember wanting to scream at the TV and his stupid armwaving,couldn't wake the kids though. Germany was essentially a friendly.Belgium was a miracle that it went to ET.
How about the rest of a multi-paragraph post? Particularly the bit about how the whole "bad milestone" list-making is a total crock? For example, the Mexico loss in WCQ is used to create three list items. It's cherry-picking of the highest order, which creates narratives of the stupidest and least useful kind.
December 12, 2013 is the inflection point: US Soccer signs Jurgen Klinsmann to a 4-year contract extension http://www.ussoccer.com/stories/2014/03/17/12/19/131212-klinsmann-extension There was a lot of grumbling about Klinsmann before December 2013 by people like me, but the day-to-day flaws look better, or at least less relevant, in the rearview mirror. The 2012 phase of WCQs were underwhelming, but at this point, nobody really cares. Mexico's implosion gifted Klinsmann an easy Hex in 2013, probably the 2nd-easiest after 2005, but that cannot be held against Klinsmann. And the 2013 exile of Landon Donovan worked out masterfully, as Donovan ensured that Klinsmann didn't end his US tenure trophyless. After the contract extension, however...
Arena is having a riot sniping at Klinsmann, but he better stops before it starts coming across as petty.
For Klinsey WC 2018 group play is where the proof is in the pudding. Whether in Europe or elsewhere. He will be ready to jump at the opportunity
I don't really have a problem with anything that Arena said. I see it more as an honest answer shrouded in humor than an attack on Klinsmann. It is true that Klinsmann did/said so much that would be considered as unconventional (anyone can play left back) that any answer (sarcastic or otherwise) that Arena gives that is based upon conventional wisdom can often be seen as a swipe at Klinsmann if you are looking for it to be. Example of possible non sarcastic/joking answer. Of the left back options that we had, I felt he was the best. I did not want to play a player out of position because I want them to be comfortable in their role. (this would give at least two opportunities to accuse Arena of swiping at Klinsmann: playing people out of position and comfort zone). If Arena answers a question honestly, many will accuse him of being critical of Klinsmann whether or not it was intentional. I know he could have just said that Villafana was a little ahead of the others but I think that would have been a shot at Klinsmann.
C'mon, you'd do the same thing, even if that would be how it was perceived in the end. Klinsmann showed a real lack of empathy, which you acknowledged, and he was no stranger to throwing everyone under the bus to save himself, really that included the pool as a whole and Jorge himself, so it's only fair he gets a taste of his own medicine.
Klinsmann said stuff that went against the grain. Pretty much any straightforward response is going to be a "snipe" at Klinsmann. For example, (What I imagine will be said). Why is Johnson playing in the midfield? Bruce: That is where I see him being the most effective for this team and that is where he plays at club level. Why did you pick X over Y for the roster? Bruce: because I felt he brought something to the team that Y did not.
The only thing I will give Klinsmann credit for was the resurgence of Bobby Wood and the discovery of Jordan Morris.
Morris came up through the Sounders academy and the U.S. Soccer Development Academy, so did Klinsmann "discover" him. I guess Klinsmann discovered Wood playing for his local team.
Klinsmann also "discovered" Morris when the NT scrimmaged against Stanford's squad in the leadup to WC '14, where Morris apparently did well. If anything, Morris fell into his lap. It was a bold decision to call him up, so credit to Klinsmann for that. But in reality, he simply happened to see firsthand that Morris could compete against NT players.
Oh, boo-hoo. Comfort zone, yadda yadda. How is Jurgen supposed to get better as a coach without people reminding him in public how he messed up?