The last few days before last night’s epic win over Costa Rica in Denver have felt like a referendum of sorts on coach, Jurgen Klinsmann.
Of course three points and 2nd place in the ‘Hex’ have shut the detractors up for now however I’m sure they’ll be back in force should the team lose to Mexico on Tuesday. Let’s not forget the fact that the Americans have never won a world cup qualifier at the Azteca Stadium in Mexico City though but that’s beside the point.
My beef is why are critics and fans moaning about Klinsmann, he’s the best thing that’s ever happened to US Soccer hands down. The man is a born winner, who has been there, done that and worn the t-shirt all over the world.
Perhaps you haven’t seen his resume. It’s impressive!
At the club level he played in Germany, France, England and Italy winning multiple trophies. At the international level he represented his country 108 times winning the World Cup in 1990 and the European Championships in 1996 as captain. As a coach he took Germany to the semi-finals of the World Cup in 2006 playing an expansive brand of football that the German national team still plays to this day. His only failure, a short spell at Bayern Munich, a club with a notoriously short fuse where many have failed before him.
What Americans have to realize is that Klinsmann has two short-term goals and neither of them have anything to do with style, making friends or being liked.
1. Qualify for the World Cup finals
2. Take the USMNT further than they’ve ever been before.
Nothing else matters in the next eighteen months. So to those of you who have got your knickers in a twist about what he is and isn’t doing with the national team, cool your jets and let him do the job he was hired to do. If he fails, then you can come out all guns blazing.
Here’s a poll that’ll make it simple for you to make a clear headed choice. I already know the winner!
[polldaddy poll=6985795]