Personally, I find Klinsmann to be a loudmouth, pseuodintellectual attention-whore. Professionally, though he's gotten the job done and made the right moves. This about sums it up:
Has zero to do with my Galaxy fandom. But your attack has everything to do with you being a Jurgen apologist.
What all your postings seem to lack is a sense of the bigger picture. Yes, last time you had 5 points, but last time you also had an easier group. Yes, last time you also advanced, but (and i do not mean this to insult anyone here) you also played like schoolboys. You were all heart zero tactics. You clawed and fought your way through that group only by heart. This time around you had tactical concepts for each game, this time around you actually played some soccer, this time around you actually have been seen as a great soccer nation in the makings. The biggest difference from last time to this time is not what you accomplished, but how you did it. Last time people thought of you as the headless chicken that got lucky, this time people actually recognized your team as an actual soccer team that can upset any other nation. I wouldn't call klinsmann a genius, but klinsmann is a future guy. This time around you saw a lot of improvements, maybe not on the scoresheet, but on the field. And this is his doing. This also plays a role in the whole donovan thing. Sure he might have been a solid option this time, but he also is that one huge figurehead everybody else can hide behind, and he certainly is no guy for the future. Klinsmann did the right thing by leaving him at home. Sure there is no proof for it, but i bet if donovan was there a lot of young guys whould have taken the opportunity to hide behind him, maybe your team would have been better on paper, but i doubt it would have been better on the field. All those young guys had no one to hide behind, they all had to work themselfes, and they did. They learned a lot and they will only get better, whereas donovan maybe would have had one somewhat decent worldcup in him. Klinsmann doesn't care too much about this worldcup, he cares about 2018 and if he has to sacrifice an ageing guy for that he will and he should. It's not like donovan is a pele or zidane, he didn't cripple his team by leaving him behind. He traded a somewhat decent player for a little bit less decent one. This quote from Bruce Arena "If there are 23 players better than Landon Donovan, then we have a chance at winning the World Cup." shows exactly why klinsmann is a so much better coach than him. Klinsmann knows it's not about winning this worldcup, you wouldn't win it with or without donovan, it's not about making the best out of what you got now and skate by, it's about creating something for the future. And you don't do that by clinging to an ageing idol, especially when this ageing idol is only a mediocre player in the grand scheme of things.
Full disclosure: I have been a Klinsmann fan for 25+ years. He may not be the best club manager, but he makes a great national team manager. Sure, I haven't agreed with every decision he made. For example, I would have selected Boyd over Wondo, and I would have sat Bradley versus Germany. But overall, he's been great for US soccer. 1) He makes the tough choices Whether it's leaving out Donovan or demoting a long-time friend and coach, Klinsmann will do what he thinks it takes for the betterment of the team. People may not always agree with a given move, but for a country like the US that wants and needs to progress in the world of soccer, being comfortable with the status quo will hold you back. As he did for Germany in 2006, sometimes that means leaving home a proven but fading veteran and going with a promising youngster. 2) He makes good substitutions Whether it's been John Brooks, Yedlin or Zusi, his subs have done very well. Sure, there's an element of luck, but he also deserves a lot of credit for pulling the right strings at the right time. 3) Eternal optimist Klinsmann is always positive. Sure, Americans can misunderstand his German tendency to be objective (winning the WC is not realistic), but overall, it's hard to argue that his attitude is very positive and encouraging. He gets his players to believe in themselves and brings that German "never give up" attitude that is consistent with the American philosophy. Culturally speaking, he's a great fit for US soccer. 4) Spokesperson for soccer Related to being an optimist, he speaks very openly and eloquently about what is needed and the reason for the decisions he has made. He shows great enthusiasm from the bench. 5) Contacts Given his stature in global soccer, he has coaching contacts that can help US players (if the US player has the guts to pursue it). He can also arrange better friendlies and bring in experienced coaches. He can call almost anyone and seek their advice. 6) Open mind He is open to almost everything, whether it's training techniques, learning from other sports, understanding other cultures, or bringing in other high profile coaches, his intellectual curiosity and lack of arrogance keeps him nimble. 7) Experience Having played in big tournaments (winning WC in 1990, captain for 1996 Euro winning side), he knows what it takes to win. And this extends beyond the match preparations to include less obvious things like securing several locations in Brazil far in advance of the tourney even starting. 8) Demanding While he is positive, he also demands a lot. He's not content when Donovan, Dempsey, and Bradley don't push themselves by playing in the MLS. And that's a good thing.
Oh dear...you are correct but you are just going to get dismantled by people who have preconceived notions. good post. but no one is going to care.
Apologist? I don't think anyone on this thread is apologizing for klinsmann. He's done well, and it's not his supporters who now feel compelled to suggest that things aren't as they seem.
Hey we made it to the knockout rounds in a very difficult group. Regardless of whether I agree/disagree with his decisions or how I've felt about him in the past in terms of coaching and handling the press I'd say he and the team have been satisfactory this world cup
Hysterical. You're so right. I mean, why did we even play the games? I mean, the rest of the group just handed us second place. They weren't trying to advance at all!
Your argument: Landon is the best USA soccer player of all time. Fact. Therefore he is obviously still our best player even with his fat self. No even close to true. My argument: We needed warriors to get out of this group, Landon let himself down by not being ready. Still holds a dear place in my heart. But seriously let it go. Just let it go. He's not here, he's not going to magically appear. Go celebrate an have a beer.
That's not really my context. I mean that there is a significant segment of Jurgen supporters who refuse to critically reproach him as long as they think everything is hunky dory. As such, they find any reason to demonize or utterly dismiss the Landon contingent. There is absolutely no middle ground because their mindset is not as such to think critically. jmo.
Alright Klinsmann deserves credit but you just called Donovan mediocre. Compared to German players he is but to Brad Davis he isnt. I really dont want to have this discussion because they just advanced out of very tough group.
How does greatest of all-time automatically equate to greatest now? I don't deal in fallacies. Suit yourself if that's your deal.
Apologize for Klinsmann being the only coach to beat Ghana? To take us out of the group, consecutively for the first time? In the group of death? To have the winningest record of any USMNT manager? Or apologize for leaving you favorite player at home?
I understand that, and i congratulate you for it, you deserved it! I also do not want to start a huge discussion about it, but it seems to be the #1 thing people hold against klinsmann so i mentioned it.
Ugh I hate responding with such a tone because it makes it seem like I'm a JK hater and I'm not. Buuuut... Right. So let's ignore 2002 where we advanced out of a tough group and got eliminated by a German team who got away with a non-called handball which blocked a goal. And in 2010 when Ghana barely edged us out in the second round in extra time. Yet somehow JK turned around our program that was on a downward trajectory? Nah. Don't buy it. We've got some results but it looks like his (somewhat) poor roster selections might be hamstringing him moving forward (Gonzo rather than Goodson, inclusion of Davis, lack of Boyd and/or Agudelo when it looks like he has no faith in the other forwards he *did* bring). If you didn't respect this team before this cup that is on you. I sorta agree with the sentiment that not advancing would be a failure. I mean it's not 1990 any more. We aren't expecting quarterfinal or semi-final appearances (or God forbid a final appearance). Just getting out of the group. It's not unreasonable. It was a tough group. But good teams beat other good/decent teams. And I think we're a good team.
And you want to assume that we wouldn't have beaten Ghana with another coach? That seems "foolish." Frankly, of the three Ghana games, we played our worst in the 2014 game. Funny how things work out.
Do people really still care that Donovan missed the cut? We just advanced from the freakin Group of Death down a striker and with our "most consistent" player being very below average. I think Landon should have been there just as much as the next guy, but how can you question the move at this point?
I assumed nothing. I'm going on results. You're the one in here bitching and moaning about an assumption that any other coach would accomplish the same as Jurgen, right after we f'ing advanced out of the group of death after our best striker went out with injury moments into group play.
He played a brilliant game today. Showed really quick recovery which probably prevented a goal or two.