Jurgen Klinsmann is the Head Coach of the USMNT; he is also the Technical Director of US Soccer. Holding these two titles at the same time can be a slippery slope to navigate, and if we’re grading Klinsmann on his ability to do both simultaneously, he deserves a ‘C’, which is generous.
Klinsmann’s strongest attribute is his vision. He excels with innovation and changing the way a Federation approaches their structure and preparation from the lowest levels all the way to the top. He is a relatively good coach of the National Team and has changed the way the US finds emerging talent, though some would say he is just as great at ignoring obvious talent in the domestic league. The problem is that these are two full time jobs, and there just is not enough time and attention to be paid to both roles to show an outstanding success rate for both.
Klinsmann the Head Coach
If you look at Klinsmann the Head Coach, you will see a relatively young team of players most of the country had never heard of mixed in with some of the more common names. He has introduced a positive mentality and a competitive edge of applying pressure to opposing teams, instead of relying heavily on the traditional style of play the US is known for, defend and counter. Klinsmann has milestone wins against strong opponents such as Italy, Germany and The Netherlands; as well as signature wins against CONCACAF foes like Mexico. He has qualified for a World Cup and made a run to the round of 16, only to be out classed and dominated by a Belgian team that somehow only managed to beat an inspired Tim Howard two times. It also should be noted that he has ignored certain players with big success in Major League Soccer, see Benny Feilhaber, a league that feeds a lot of the youth system and USMNT player pool. He has had some hiccups along the way as well, just look to the Gold Cup this past summer and the horrible showing against Mexico with the Confederations Cup berth up for grabs. Overall, his success outweighs his failure in this role.
Klinsmann the Technical Director
Now let’s look at Klinsmann the Technical Director, a record that is not as attractive. Part of this job is youth development, which he has not lived up to the expectation up to this point. While new measures have been put in place to help educate coaches and align the youth structure with that of our European counterparts, the proof lies in what we can see today. Today, the U-23 MNT Olympic team is on the brink of not qualifying for the Olympics; a team that is coached by Andi Herzog, a man that was appointed by Jurgen Klinsmann directly. If they can pull off the upset of beating Colombia in a home and away one off qualifier, then some of the heat will be off of Klinsmann in that aspect. However, if you look one level below at the U-20 MNT, they were out classed by Germany in the Four Nations Tournament by a score line of 8-1. It should be noted, that Klinsmann changed the way Germany approaches their system, and if that is any indication, the future is bright.
One should also look at how the USMNT team has performed recently, and the questionable call-ups and line-ups that Klinsmann has put into place. With a horrible showing at the Gold Cup, and then an uninspired showing against Mexico with a spot in the Confederations Cup on the line, one would have to ask if Klinsmann the Technical Director would continue to stick with Klinsmann the Head Coach if they were not the same person. The leash is always a little longer when your boss is the same person you see when you look in the mirror.
The truth of the matter is that the Klinsmann legacy will be defined by youth development, both within the USMNT and the levels that precede it. Making the United States into a powerhouse within the soccer community is not an easy task, but one that is possible with the growth of Major League Soccer and US players continuously playing around the world. The group that Klinsmann called into camp for the two upcoming qualifiers shows just how much he understands these dynamics. Names such as Altidore, Jermaine Jones, Beckerman and Besler are being complimented with young players Morris, Nagbe, Yedlin and Wood. These players are the future of the USMNT, and the legacy that Jurgen Klinsmann will leave behind; once Klinsmann the Technical Director is done with Klinsmann the Head Coach.
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