MLS Commissioner Don Garber yesterday responded to league-disparaging comments from Jurgen Klinnsmann after he "had heard from several MLS owners indicating their displeasure" with the U.S. men's national team coach, according to Jeff Carlisle of ESPN FC. Garber called comments aimed at the league and certain players "detrimental," "wrong," and "personally infuriating." Garber "was responding to a series of comments Klinsmann made over the last week" about USMNT players such as F Clint Dempsey and MF Michael Bradley "who decided to return to MLS after spending portions of their respective careers in Europe." At issue "was not only the substance of Klinsmann's comments, but that he also made them publicly." The comments "clearly struck a nerve with Garber." Garber: "Sending a negative message to any player -- and obviously to U.S. players -- that signing with MLS isn't going to be good for their career or good for their form is incredibly detrimental to MLS." Carlisle wrote at first glance, all Klinsmann "seems to be saying is that the top leagues in Europe still represent a higher playing standard than MLS." Garber felt that Klinsmann "went further than that." Garber insisted that he "has a good relationship with Klinsmann, and that he was in favor the U.S. manager's contract extension that was given six months before the World Cup." But he added that the game's "power brokers need to 'align with the vision that has been established' and that in Klinsmann's case, 'I don't believe that's happened'" (ESPNFC.com, 10/15).
REAX TO THE COMMENTS: The WALL STREET JOURNAL's Matthew Futterman writes Garber "doth protest a bit much." This is "before even addressing the idea that someone in the U.S. should demand that someone else should refrain from publicly criticizing anything he wants to." The "larger problem for Garber is that history and numbers aren’t on his side." Whatever goals he has to "make MLS a destination for the best players in the world, the overwhelming majority of foreign stars who come to MLS still do so when they are past their prime." While MLS "is a terrific entity," that "doesn't mean it is a great place for the best U.S. players to play." Klinsmann's "mandate is to produce the best national team he can, not do public relations for MLS" (WALL STREET JOURNAL, 10/16). Garber said that he "had not spoken with Klinsmann but that he had sent him a strongly worded letter." Garber added that he "had written a very strong letter" to USSF President Sunil Gulati. He said that several MLS owners "had done the same" (N.Y. TIMES, 10/16). Garber reiterated that the league's desire "is to support the national team programs" (SI.com, 10/15). In DC, Steven Goff wrote the question "is whether, in this case, he needed to defend the league." Garber "responded to Klinsmann like a hitter in baseball charging the mound after an inside pitch." Klinsmann has "different objectives" than Garber, who "is operating a business." But both sides "are looking out for their best interests." They "do not need to be -- nor should be expected to be -- aligned perfectly." Goff: "Garber loses points for raising the issue of corporate sponsors in the context of the national team coach" (WASHINGTONPOST.com, 10/15). SI's Grant Wahl said Garber "went so far over-the-top in being personally angry at Klinsmann." Wahl: “It seemed like a pro wrestling thing …but in the big picture I don't think it's that big of a deal. To me it's the most entertaining press conference I can remember in MLS history." Wahl added, "It's possible to be critical of MLS and also want the league to succeed and sometimes MLS people tend to be overly sensitive to criticism on stuff like this" ("Soccer Morning," SOCCERLY.com, 10/16).
