Jurgen Klinsmann assesses the Olympic qualifying effort

One of the real bummers of this Olympic qualification failure – and there is such a buffet to choose from – is the “opportunity lost” factor for players like Brek Shea, Juan Agudelo and others.

They don’t get a platform from which more European opportunities may beckon.

Even more important, they miss the experience that heavy-pressure matches in a major, international tournament can provide. They forfeit the tests and proving grounds that can steel young men for bigger and better ahead.

Performing on such an illuminated stage, as with London this summer, could deliver meaningful wisdom, recognition and understanding that may be summoned in big moments future.

That was among Jurgen Klinsmann’s messages as the U.S. national team manager assessed the aftermath of it all.

I feel bad for the players in a certain way because it’s a huge set back in their own development, because they cannot play in such a high profile tournament. It means that players like Brek Shea, Juan Agudelo, or Bill Hamid, or all the players that we already have partially integrated into the senior national team program. … The main goal of this team is to develop players for the senior national team, so for these youngsters now it’s actually far more difficult to break into the senior national team because they do not have the stage of the Olympics in London.”

Klinsmann had lots of interesting things to say, including the messages he personally delivered to the young men in the moments of high disappointment, immediately after Monday’s crushing result in Nashville.

It’s all here from U.S. Soccer.com.