http://soccer.si.com/2013/10/10/jurgen-klinsmann-contract-extension-2014-world-cup-england-friendly/ “Yeah, absolutely,” said Klinsmann, who’s in his third year as the U.S. coach, when asked about his interest in extending his contract. “A lot of the stuff we’ve done now is foundation work. It’s really just starting to connect the dots that you always talk about in the soccer landscape in the United States: Getting connected to the youth level, to coaches’ education, getting connected really well with MLS.” “So yeah, that is my interest to continue that work,” continued Klinsmann, whose U.S. team clinched a berth in World Cup 2014 last month. “I’d love to be measured on success. I like that. But also you want to see that people in your environment are happy with how things are going, meaning now Sunil [Gulati, the U.S. Soccer president] and Dan Flynn [the USSF general secretary]. I think they are impressed with what we’ve built now in two years, how we connected the [U.S.] youth teams to us … A lot of the stuff that we laid out and continue now to deepen is happening. Therefore, yeah, there is a big interest to continue that network.” A lot of discussion has occurred in the past that four years is enough for any coach that a bit of "stuck in the same type mud" occurs during the second cycle. That being said, Jurgen has achieved some spectacular results in the past two years and has established his imprint on the National team. He also began about a year into this most recent cycle.
A big part of me really wants to see if this "foundation" can get off the ground. We've already seen MLS express interest in reworking the schedule. The youth teams have been under-performing badly, but changing that setup was always going to take more than a cycle. We'll see if Klinsmann can navigate the next (inevitable) low point in his tenure and transition as well as he did earlier in the spring. Hopefully, for him, he can maintain the Midas touch. Klinsy certainly has some astute critics across these forums and elsewhere in the media. For me, this is way too soon to tell or even speculate. We really need a major international test to assess this tenure. Even if results resemble the past, I will consider it a victory if we play eye-to-eye with the big teams and don't have to claw back in every tournament match.
If we have successful WC, as in getting to the quarters or losing to a very good team in the round of 16, I would certainly like to see him back for the next cycle.
In general, the track record of repeat managers for national teams, at the World Cup, is pretty sorry. Arena had good success for the next three yearsafter 2002, but then came the meltdown of 2006 at the WC, when it counted most. Bradley had almost immediate meltdown after the 2010 WC. I know that JK started "late", and so it is understandable that he would like more time to put his stamp on how the game is envisioned by the National Team, but I would hate to see the USSF commit to him for another full cycle without thinking through the lessons of past experience. Assuming a fair performance in Brazil, perhaps enough to sign JK for another two years, through the Gold Cup, say, and then reevaluate at that point? If all is yet good, by then, maybe ok to say "what the hell, why not give him a second WC?" But, first, let Brazil justify two more years, and if justified then let the next two years justify another round. Otherwise, no.
I guess I'm going to go out on a limb here..... From what I have witness from JK's tenure in comparison to Bob Bradley's and Bruce Arena's tenure, I would definitely give JK an extension. I would even go as far as he should take a position as head of the USSF whenever he's done with coaching. The USSF should do whatever is necessary to keep him in the federation. With JK and the right hires at the coaching and administration levels, US Soccer will transform... quite possibly better than Mexico.
Good post and interesting idea. My objection would be that Klinsmann is already going the route of trying to be all things to all people so giving him 2 years would lead to more of the same. I think your idea is a good one if he has significant success at the WC Brazil and there is clamor to re-up him as manager of the decade
...or...just make him the Technical Director that Sunil's been promising us for years... (You'd thought I'd forgotten, Sunil...didn't you?)
A great follow up question would have been a long the lines of: can you see yourself continuing the progress in a role different then just as the coach? I think he can. In order to get there, IMO JK must: 1. Do well in Brazil, 2. Groom a replacement, 3. Transition the replacement to successful in taking over before Russia 2018. Take a bow as JK will have blazed a trail that can be followed into the future.
So, Brad Evans 5ever then? But seriously, since he came in after the 2011 Gold Cup, then I don't mind him staying until summer 2015. If he wants the whole of next cycle though and he gets it then I'd be disappointed, because however well or badly he does next cycle it shows us that we really haven't learned anything from the last few times we've retained coaches from multiple cycles. Personally I'd rather he move to the Technical Director role he seems to be better suited for after the 2015 GC, but there might be ego at play preventing that.
I think if he gets us to the knockout rounds or better he buys himself another cycle imo (i mean we kept bradley around after 2010 so to me it's only fair). If we go 3 and done he's probably gone (unless we get the group of death and still give a good showing, then he may get the benefit of the doubt)
Indeed. Frankly, I don't think we should even be having this conversation until immediately after Brazil.
I don't disagree in principle, except that I would virtually guarantee that under that scenario, if left up to Klinsmann, that replacement would be Mr. Martin Vasquez. And that, simply stated, would not be good.
We already have all the necessary elements to transform and to outpace Mexico over the long-haul except tradition and love and knowledge of the game from the grassroots up through high level youth coaching all the way through the first division, and the money and sponsorship that said love would entail. We could have a pretty good argument about whether we as a nation, and USSF as a federation have done as well as we might've in fostering exactly that tradition and grassroots love and knowledge, but there's one major factor that hasn't been in our favor in the past, and will be in our favor more and more in the future, and that's time. Coupled with demographics and with which demographics the sport resonates most highly, the obvious conclusion is that things look rosy in the future, though exactly when "the future" is is debatable.
I have a feeling that we'll get a horrendous draw this cycle. As long as the team puts forth a good effort, then escape or crash in group play, I wouldn't mind seeing Yogurt for another four. I for one believe that the time for the U.S to really shine is Russia 2018.
I was thinking the same.... We weren't suppose to get out of the group stage in 2010 and we ended up winning the group with England in it. A lot of people were salty about that. I think we get the group of death or group A this time.
True, but I'm actually very intrigued about Jurgen other assistant, Andi Herzog. I might be a little conspiratorial about this, but I'm noticing that we seem to have gotten better results after his hiring. Hell, he even has a bit of MLS experience under his belt so he was not totally foreign to American Soccer(tm) even before he came into Klinsmann's staff.
I wouldn't say that we were expected to flop, but who would've imagined that we would leapfrog England.
We've just won our 15th game in the last 16 matches. That is Del Bosque numbers. He did pretty well across multiple cycles, didn't he?
25-5-5 since January 2012. We have scored 50+ goals for the first time in a single year. We win on European soil now. Never used to happen. We have won 15 of the last 16 matches. Let him manage till 2018 sure.