Soccer - USMNT Hires Klinsmann!!!

[Baldkin]

I know some people will disagree with me on this, but Bradley needs to go as the coach of the USMNT. After the debacle at the World Cup (really, you had 3 years to figure out your midfield, and you were still figuring it out in South Africa), he's showing the exact same tendencies, and non-forward thinking right now.

 

Bill Barnwell over at Grantland said it best...

 

There would have been no shame in losing to Mexico with a young,

developing team that could take the experience into the World Cup

qualifying phase next year. Instead, Bradley clearly believed that he

could win the Gold Cup with another run from his team of veterans.

The fact that he failed at both is a catastrophe for the current

USMNT and its future. Let's hope, though, this humiliating and

counter-productive loss to Mexico will finally be the wake-up call U.S.

Soccer has needed for years.

[bacon06]

It's not Bradley's fault the talent pool only has 4 quality defenders. Cherundolo doesn't get hurt and we are talking about a different outcome. While Bradley's starting XI aren't always the best, he does make really good in game adjustments to correct these problems. If Bradley gets sacked, who is a better replacement? The search after the World Cup didn't yield too many candidates, although that may have only been a half hearted search to begin with.

[Paulus88]

They have limited options because Bradley refuses to give anyone else any caps. It's sort of like if RRR complained that he only has one 8th inning guy with any experience this year.

 

I don't see him making good in game adjustments but maybe that's because they typically start games so poorly.

 

As far as better options obviously Klinsmann is a popular choice, what about Hiddink? or Scolari? someone with some high level international experience and credentials.

[ninja33]

I know some people will disagree with me on this, but Bradley needs to go as the coach of the USMNT. After the debacle at the World Cup (really, you had 3 years to figure out your midfield, and you were still figuring it out in South Africa), he's showing the exact same tendencies, and non-forward thinking right now.

 

Bill Barnwell over at Grantland said it best...

 

There would have been no shame in losing to Mexico with a young,

developing team that could take the experience into the World Cup

qualifying phase next year. Instead, Bradley clearly believed that he

could win the Gold Cup with another run from his team of veterans.

The fact that he failed at both is a catastrophe for the current

USMNT and its future. Let's hope, though, this humiliating and

counter-productive loss to Mexico will finally be the wake-up call U.S.

Soccer has needed for years.

I don't have any problem with the team they brought to the Gold Cup (only major argument would be for Timothy Chandler). The goal was to get to the Confederation's Cup, which 1 year prior to the world cup would provide really important experience for young players that will need to make an impact in 2014 (specifically on the backline). It's easy to say in retrospect "hey we lost the gold cup anyway, we should have at least done it with a young team to get them experience"...but really, what would have been better: Losing the Gold Cup with a young team, gaining experience against guadaloupe, panama, and canada (and mexico, to be fair)...or winning the Gold Cup, despite using players who might not be around in 2014, so that a young team can prepare for the world cup with matches against teams like Italy, Brazil, and Spain in the confederations cup? It didn't work out the way we hoped, but the latter is the better option.

There is still a lot of time before the next world cup. I don't think the USMNT lost a great chance to develop new players/chemistry/whatever in the Gold Cup. Between qualifying, friendlies, and another Gold Cup, they will likely play 30ish games before 2014. That is a lot of time to develop the next iteration of the USMNT. I just don't agree with criticizing Bradley for the team he used...now if he (or whoever may be coaching) is still using a Goodson/Bocanegra combination in the middle when qualifying starts next year instead of using some combo of Ream/Opara/Gonzalez/Agbossumonde/someone I'm probably missing, then that's a whole different story.

[GAME05]

i'm not a soccer player, but it looked to me like the US team played pretty poorly. i've read articles that agreed that Bradley should go, but that there isn't a strong enough fan base in this country to generate the noise to get him fired.

 

obviously this wasn't the World Cup, but i thought this would have created a lot more fans if we were to have won this tournament. is everything about gearing up for the World Cup? are these other tournaments of so little importance?

[strawbossisevil]

Put me down as one who is really interested in seeing what Klinsmann can do with the national program. I know he would be a bit more of an expensive option than Bradley, but as is the case with many things, you get what you pay for.

 

The US certainly does a very good job at set pieces, that is perhaps their greatest strength. Where they lack is in possessing the ball, creativity (although I was really impressed with Adu - the guy may finally have turned a corner), and defensive coherence. Too often under Bradley, the US' offensive strategy has been punt the ball and run. That works against the very poor teams that lack the height and discipline of a top tier soccer program, but it doesn't work as your only option against the giants of soccer.

 

Watch Spain play sometime or the Netherlands. I love the fluidity of their play, constantly shifting the ball around with quick, crisp passes. Some of that is natural talent, but some of that is also coaching. It is something that needs to be emphasized in order for the US to move the program forward to a higher level.

 

The other major flaw in our team is that we lack a striker with instincts. Watching Mexico's Chicharrito, the guy is certainly talented, but most of his goals in the tournament were simply a result of having an instinct of how to position himself on the far side of the goal for a deflection (the second goal against Honduras comes to mind). As good of a player as he is, his instinct is what makes him a world-class striker. Altidore doesn't currently have the same instincts up top. And if a player like Agudelo is going to develop those kind of instincts he'll need quality coaching. Bradley hasn't shown he can provide that. He had his chances, now is the time to move on.

[Baldkin]

Put me down as one who is really interested in seeing what Klinsmann can do with the national program. I know he would be a bit more of an expensive option than Bradley, but as is the case with many things, you get what you pay for.

 

The US certainly does a very good job at set pieces, that is perhaps their greatest strength. Where they lack is in possessing the ball, creativity (although I was really impressed with Adu - the guy may finally have turned a corner), and defensive coherence. Too often under Bradley, the US' offensive strategy has been punt the ball and run. That works against the very poor teams that lack the height and discipline of a top tier soccer program, but it doesn't work as your only option against the giants of soccer.

Adu will never be a true success, he lacks touch on the ball in traffic and mistimes and makes horrible runs and is a complete non factor on defense. There's a reason he keeps getting passed around by club teams: He simply gets pushed off the ball too easily. Get physical, and he quits.

 

The entire foundation of US soccer needs to be completely revamped if they want to compete on the world stage, really, this needs to start at the top and work its way down. Look at the way successful World Cup teams grow their players: Camps and large pools of young signings. Coaches who know what they are doing coaching even those of a young age.

[yoshii8]

I thought Adu looked much better than I've ever seen him during the Gold Cup, I don't agree that it is a foregone conclusion that he will never be a true success. He's 22 years old, and has bounced around clubs in Europe, he still has a very high skill level, and a great attitude, so I haven't given up on him yet.

 

What do you consider a successful World cup team? US has been in the final 16 two out of the last 3 tourneys. It takes time, but in my opionion the skill level of US soccer has improved tremendously over the last 20 years, and we have a lot of talent available for our national team. I just think that Bob Bradley might not be the best choice to manage the team.

[Eck17]

I decided to bump this thread up instead of starting a new thread. Bob Bradley was fired today as coach of the USMNT. Now I am interested to see who they bring in.

 

http://www.ussoccer.com/N...radleys-Tenure-Ends.aspx

[Baldkin]

What do you consider a successful World cup team? US has been in the final 16 two out of the last 3 tourneys. It takes time, but in my opionion the skill level of US soccer has improved tremendously over the last 20 years, and we have a lot of talent available for our national team. I just think that Bob Bradley might not be the best choice to manage the team.

I think a successful WC team is one who looks successful, who dominates who they should dominate and not one who holds the lead against teams with inferior talent for 4 minutes out of about 300 minutes total.

 

I'm excited that Bradley is gone, I just hope that US Soccer doesn't go with a "meh" candidate.

[brettac1]

They're totally going to get Sir Alex.

[Paulus88]

Well it looks like they got Klinsmann. Hopefully they give him total control over the system.

[yoshii8]

Do you have a link? I'm not sure how I'd feel about Klinsmann, although I definitely like him better than Arena, Bradley and Sampson. Maybe someone should change the title of this thread?

[M Skjellyfetti]

http://www.nj.com/soccer-...smann_is_us_soccers.html

 

There's a link.

[Baldkin]

This makes me happy in my pants.

 

It's good to (hopefully) see that US Soccer has some direction for a change.

[Funketown]

Really happy to see this. I don't know enough to grade Klinsman myself, other than the fact that he managed Germany and Bayern, but I'm usually happy when the soccer pundits are happy, and they seem to be excited about the hire.

[yoshii8]

I loved Jurgen as a player, not sure about him as a coach. He does have a lot of credibility in the soccer world, it's a big day in US Soccer history.

[sbrylski]

From what I'm reading, Klinsmann as a coach seems like just a guy in European soccer circles. However, it's still a super huge upgrade relative to what he's replacing.

 

Sounds like his first priority is tapping into the Hispanic population of the country. Such an obvious move, it should have been done a decade+ ago.

[strawbossisevil]

YES. So happy to have a legitimate couch who should provide the direction the US needs to take the next step.

[twobrewers]

I'm glad to see Bradley let go and replaced with Klinsmann.

 

My biggest argument with Bradley is that he never really set an 11 player team. I started following the US team before the 1994 World Cup. I bet I can still name 8 or 9 of the regular starters from that World Cup. They had a pool of around 15 players who saw regular playing time from the 1994 World Cup till the 1998 World Cup. They were certainly not a great team - but they played so often together that they played above their skill level.

 

Bradley always seemed to have a pool of around 30 players to choose from. He rotated players on and off the squad without ever making a real committment. He always seemed from the "Ed Wade" school of management - just do enough not to get fired. In the past 20 years every one assumed the US would develop better talent - instead they have just developed more average players.

 

I don't blame Bradley for the US not having a Messi-type talent. I blame him for not picking a team and developing them. He seemed to be luke-warm on almost every player - including Donovan. The best thing Bradley did for US soccer was having a son.

 

I just want 15 players I cheer for again.

[tristarscoop]

Those are some really good points, twobrewers. Its been a while since we've had a cohesive "team"

[Funketown]

DFA Klinsmann.

[trwi7]

Don't watch a lot of soccer but damn, the U.S. dominated the last 30 minutes of that game. Had a ton of chances and should have gotten a penalty shot (I think) when that Mexican player took down the U.S. player when he was going to get a breakaway.

[tristarscoop]

Don't watch a lot of soccer but damn, the U.S. dominated the last 30 minutes of that game. Had a ton of chances and should have gotten a penalty shot (I think) when that Mexican player took down the U.S. player when he was going to get a breakaway.

Should have been a red card, definitely, but no penalty shot. Only a penalty shot if its in the box.

[M Skjellyfetti]

I'd say that the call could have gone either way (for red or yellow). I could see a red being given, but at the same time, 2 of the 4 d's (distance to goal, number of defenders) were kind of iffy. I wouldn't have been all that surprised if the 2nd defender would have caught the American had there been no foul. I don't think it really matters either way....playing with 10 probably wouldn't have made that much of a difference. And it was a friendly.