SI.com's Grant Wahl cited sources as saying that while Jurgen Klinsmann remains U.S. men's national soccer team coach and Technical Dir, his duties in the latter area "have become more ceremonial than before." Over the past year, U.S. Soccer Federation Chief Commercial Dir Jay Berhalter "has started taking over a lot of the day-to-day technical director duties." Berhalter "even called an important meeting in Chicago in August that did not include Klinsmann." However, a USSF spokesperson said, "Any perception that there’s a power struggle is simply false. Everyone is working collectively to improve the technical side on a daily basis" (SI.com, 10/21). YAHOO SPORTS' Leander Schaerlaeckens wrote some believe Klinsmann "is being undermined and others argue that Berhalter is more effective." Tension between the two "has built." Klinsmann "is already facing myriad questions about whether he has one job too many." His "waning influence is a fairly startling development as it had appeared only recently that Klinsmann had an unshakable hold on both" jobs (SPORTS.YAHOO.com, 10/21),
AT THE COPA...: CONCACAF "has ended its relationship with Argentinean sports marketing company Datisa with regard to commercial rights for the upcoming Copa America." Datisa "had previously held exclusive rights to sell sponsorships and commercial space on broadcasts" for the Copa America Centenario in '16. The rights "have been returned to CONCACAF immediately." Datisa "had been involved in the marketing scandal that involved CONCACAF and CONMEBOL" (SI.com, 10/21).
CSI: GERMANY: The WALL STREET JOURNAL's Joshua Robinson reports FIFA Special Advisor Franz Beckenbauer "is one of 11 current or former high-ranking FIFA officials under investigation" by the FIFA ethics committee. The committee "didn’t give a reason for the investigation, but Beckenbauer has been involved in the awarding of at least three World Cups, processes that have drawn intense scrutiny for years." Of the 11 officials named yesterday, "eight were in some way involved with the awarding" of the '18 Russia and '22 Qatar World Cups back in December '10. The names "include FIFA’s longtime president" Sepp Blatter and UEFA President Michel Platini. The committee said that suspended Secretary General Jérôme Valcke "is also on the list for infringements 'related to the suspicion of misuse of expenses and other infringements of FIFA’s rules and regulations'" (WALL STREET JOURNAL, 10/22).
