As the European leagues have been off the last two weeks because of the international break, I thought I would turn my attention to a topic that has been the focus of the American soccer world over the last month: the hiring of former German star player and manager JürgenKlinsmann as the manager of the U.S. Men's National Team.
I was among those who thought that Bob Bradley was never really up to the standard of the type of manager that the United States needed. The American team is definitely up to the level of a top−20 team in the world, and a coach whose experience came from Princeton University and the much−maligned MLS just didn't have the quality the United States was looking for — although he managed to hold onto his job for five years.
So in steps Klinsmann, the man who flirted with the job when Bradley took over in 2006 and one of the most legendary European strikers of all time. No, that isn't an overstatement — his performance in World Cup 1990 was one of the greatest in the tournament's history, and his 108 caps and 47 goals for the German team pretty much says it all.
But what about Klinsmann as a manager? The sticking point back in 2006 was the fact that the U.S. Soccer Federation (USSF) would not give the former Bayern Munich manager full control over the national team structure, including player development. Now, presumably, that has been worked out, and Klinsmann will seek to remold the entire system of developing soccer players in the United States.
Already, Klinsmann has called for an extension to the MLS season to bring it more in line with the rest of the world and has called up previously unheralded players, such as Brek Shea and Timmy Chandler, to join the squad. He has also, thus far, led the team to a 1−3−1 record, with the only victory coming against Honduras.
But for right now, the record isn't important at all — it's about setting the team up to develop a core of young, talented players for World Cup 2014 and beyond. Klinsmann has put the United States on that road, with his new call−ups — especially Shea — already making an impact. What the United States needs more than anything else is to develop a bona fide star, and then build around the star with a lot of good role players.
Of course, it's easier said than done, but Klinsmann is in a much better position to do it than Bradley ever was. But the question most Americans want answered is: Where does this leave us for the next World Cup? After all, the tournament is the only time when many Americans watch soccer. And the answer is probably simple: The team will look much the same as it did in 2010 with a few new additions worked in.
That's because for all I just wrote about player development, the best players available for selection to the U.S. side are the old guard like Landon Donovan, Clint Dempsey, Tim Howard, JozyAltidore and OguchiOnyewu. Until Klinsmann is given an extended period of time to work his magic, the best lineup for the Americans is one that is, unfortunately, familiar to most fans.
In reality, no one really knows what will happen to American soccer over the next three years. But in the end, JürgenKlinsmann is probably the best manager the United States could have at this point in time. With a country as rich and as populated as the United States, the soccer talent is there, it's just waiting to be harvested.
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