The Klinsmann Coaching Thread v.3 N&A Edition [R]

Not to mention the dual national talent he helped us get. When the books are written this might be his most significant contribution.

 

Better question, how did we extend his contract, at huge payout, through 2018, without even waiting for the stress test that is the WC?

 

Probably because he has won a World Cup as a player and coached a team to 3rd place. Also, making contributions to upgrading the German National Team program (told by a few germans).

He's clearly not a masterful tactics manager, but he has a winning mentality that few in the sport can demonstrate and no one (based on numerous threads) on Big Soccer can comprehend. Its really admirable. He is a risk taker and its terrifying/exciting depending on your own personal philosophy.

 

or both.

in the end, i prefer us soccer win and grow more than i prefer us soccer win and grow in a manner to my total understanding and comfort.

 

here is a Bennett article on the 2006 Italian player Materazzi.

It's a good read, but he mentions the semi was like a final with Germany in Germany. I felt the same way. Watching the match go the distance in a close hard fought battle for 90'. Then Lippi throws on two strikers, basically calling JK's bluff.

Here is the article:

http://www.espnfc.com/blog/world-cup-central/59/post/1845253

I have to think JK learned an important lesson that day: it is one thing to talk about risking everything to win and another to risk everything to win. In the end, Lippi called his bluff and Italy beat the Germans for the 600th time in a row.

My biggest take away from this article though is how the players view the coaches subs. They take pride and confidence in a manager going for the win.

 

That game was intense.

I remember Del Piero who was at that time being looked as almost being over teh hill, off the bench to win it for them in the 120th min...sickness....

 

That pirlo pass unlocked them.

 

Michael Wilbon on PTI, "I'm sick of this guy, already. Please just get him out of here." Lol

http://www.espnfc.com/team/united-states/660/video/1864263/wilbon-calls-out-gutless-klinsmann

 

IMO way it's over the top, and really has very little to do with Klinsmann, but I can't believe it's taken this long for the mainstream sports world to backlash against him a little bit. The honeymoon has lasted a long time.

 

Lol, JK is calling out the contract, not the black athlete. . . .

Sure, it's over the top and it's a backlash.

It 's a shame that JK has not learned yet, when to quit talking. Right before the team leaves to go to the World Cup,it would be best to move into coachspeak mode . . .

 

They did pick up on the tone of much of what Klinsmann has said and done in the press recently. He's had a habit of casting himself as the Herb Brooks fearless-maker-of-big-decisions guy that you credit if something goes right, while pointing out clearly that if something goes wrong, it's because our players suck, and that ain't his fault.

That's bound to piss people off the press sooner or later.

 

And Wilbon was "Ride or Die" when talking about Klinsmann before.

Although, with Wilbon, if Juergen had said an NFL contract instead of NBA Wilbon would have agreed.

 

There is so much wrong with this.. Being honest about our WC chances is now "attacking the team." Cutting Donovan (right or wrong) is now "attacking Donovan." Guess what.. It happens when a coach selects his best team to represent the country. The blow hard he asked the question to didn't even address the question. They act like two kids in middle school, real schoolyard garbage.

JK is actually right about all this.

 

Great post.

I hope he stays for at least another four years. He's been a major upgrade.

 

You can paint the response how you want. Jk mentions kobe and more will come running. I also lime that it hooks in soccer with the NBA.

No, he called out an athlete who happens to be black so of course Wilbon has to jump around and defend him. I know nothing about basketball, when bird and magic quit, so did I. So Kobe might have all kinds of talent left. Nonetheless I'm glad JK began associating the importance of US soccer with the NBA.

 

I guess it depends on if you spin with your left hand or right hand.

Let's see...
Klinsman led Germany, one of the best teams in the world, to a third place finish in the 2006 world cup which was held in Germany.
So. Korea, also one of the best teams in the world, finished fourth in the 2002 world cup which was held in Korea.
Klinsman managed at Bayern Munich, one of the most talented teams in the world. His departure was, shall we say, not on good terms. His vision was disputed.
Klinsman led the US to qualification. Early on, it appeared that the USA would be eliminated by a Caribbean island country with a population of 37, but then we hit our stride and finished strongly. This was unlike our previous managers who failed to finish strongly.
Klinsman led the team to a Gold cup win.
Klinsman also led the team to some historical, if meaningless wins against Italy and Germany.

None of what I have said means anything except that Klinsman is highly unproven.

• He got a good result as manager of Germany, but it was hardly a result that ranks as outstanding, or even particularly noteworthy. The only reason he may have exceeded expectations in Germany is that they were not playing well and the team seemed on the verge of kaos before the world cup.
• He qualified out of CONCACAF, but that is not exceeding expectations.
• the US tied Mexico in Azteca during qualifiers, but we were hardly alone this time around. Costa Rica (tie), Honduras(win), Jamaica (tie) all took points in Azteca.
• With the US, he has no track record of success outside of CONCACAF in meaningful games. (He was arguably successful with Germany but arguably not so much with Bayern).
• There is also, that little Donovan issue. I won't talk about that.

So what am I saying? Klinsman hasn't done anything to earn our trust in his decisions but, at the same time, we are stuck with them. I do, however, trust some of our veteran leadership and hope they get us through. Now if you trust Klinsman, or think he has exceeded expectations, than good.

 

Wilbon is correct to criticize JK for his egotism and his effort to make himself a genius if he wins and blame the players if things go bad. But the rest of it is rascist, jigonistic American exceptionalism nonsense. JK has the right to an opinion since he hasn't been to the top of a sport that is played in part of the world, but of a sport that is the most competitive in the world. Diminishing JK's accomplishments because they are not in American sports is not worthy of much respect.

 

Yeah, that was pretty much my point.

 

Which part was egoistic? My ego meter does not generally detect others. I find arrogance more often than not pretty entertaining. .

 

You can read the NYT piece. For me, it reeks of egotism (reminds me of Mourinho), but that's just my opinion.

 

I did read it. Didn't sound egotistical to me at all. Sounds like a guy being himself as coach without 65% of the usual american PC filter. Maybe I lived abroad too long.

 

People have a lot of questions about Jurgen but the problem is:

 

How on earth were we ever going to realize that the US doesn't produce world class talent if Jurgen never told us every five minutes in the week before the world cup?

You seriously think the issue is that Jurgen is hitting people with some kind of truth hammer that their emotions can't handle? And that's why a lot of fans are miffed about the comments he is making right now? I'd say 99.9% of N&A posters are acutely aware of where we are in the world pecking order. The timing, circumstances, and tone of his comments, combined with some decisions he has made, is why people think his ego is getting the best of him.

 

I think there's a chance for a some of on-the-fence USMNT fans (on the fence about Klinsmann that is) to rally behind Klinsmann in a "yes he's an arrogant, bombastic ass, but he is OUR arrogant, bombastic ass" kind of way.

 

Absolutely, you can even see that on here.

And there is a method to his madness. For sure, it is him really being himself, that's who he is. To a certain extent, his success as a player and as a coach from Germany, make it a bit more palatable. He's taken seriously, because of his background, even given some outlandish stuff. He occurs a genius/mad scientist working his magic formula, that only he knows the recipe.

If the players buy in, that's really what matters at the end of the day. And, for sure, this routine would be very tough for an American coach and it might get tiresome with American players.

And really, props to him for being real. I don't agree with may of his decisions, but I do like that about him.