Jurgen Klinsmann was fired yesterday as coach and Technical Dir of the U.S. men's national team, and he leaves "plenty of unfulfilled promises and what’s sure to be a complex legacy," according to Brian Straus of SI.com. Klinsmann was "tasked with setting U.S. soccer on a new course -- changing and improving the way American players are developed, the way they think about the game and the way they approach their careers." The U.S. in '13 won the CONCACAF Gold Cup title, and Klinsmann "proved to be an effective recruiter and enticed several promising dual-nationals to pledge their international futures to the U.S." However, the USMNT last week lost 4-0 to Costa Rica, marking the "first time in 15 years" that the U.S. had "lost consecutive" World Cup qualifiers after falling to Mexico 2-1 earlier in the month. It also was the first time the U.S. "earned fewer than three points during the first two games" of World Cup qualifying (SI.com, 11/21). ESPN FC's Jeff Carlisle wrote the losses to Mexico and Costa Rica "taken in isolation ... shouldn't have been enough to get Klinsmann fired," as there are "still eight games left in the final round of World Cup qualifying." However, those losses "crystallized much of what has gone wrong during the Klinsmann era" (ESPNFC.com, 11/21). FOXSPORTS.com's Ryan Rosenblatt noted the USMNT's loss in the '15 Gold Cup semifinal loss to Jamaica was their "first to a Caribbean team on home soil" since '69. A March loss to Guatemala was their first loss to that country since '88, and the recent defeat to Mexico was their first home World Cup qualifying loss "to their rivals" since '72. The Costa Rica loss was their "worst shutout loss in qualifying in more than three decades" (FOXSPORTS.com, 11/21).
UNFINISHED BUSINESS: In L.A., Kevin Baxter notes when U.S. Soccer President Sunil Gulati hired Klinsmann in '11 after "years of pursuit, the coach promised sweeping changes that he said would close the gap between U.S. soccer and the rest of the world." However, many of the changes "didn’t work and Klinsmann’s reign became marked more by inconsistency than innovation" (L.A. TIMES, 11/22). USA TODAY's Martin Rogers notes in letting go of Klinsmann after "five years in charge, U.S. Soccer also had to be game enough to let go of a dream it had chased long and hard and admit that it had been wrong." That includes the belief that Klinsmann could "bring about a golden era of stylish, winning soccer to the national team program." Whatever happens next, there will be "none of the fervent optimism that greeted Klinsmann’s arrival" (USA TODAY, 11/22). U.S. Soccer is expected to name Bruce Arena as Klinsmann's replacement, and SPORTS ON EARTH's Cy Brown wrote the move would be a "staunch rebuttal of everything Klinsmann valued" (SPORTSONEARTH.com, 11/21).
POLARIZING FROM THE START: In N.Y., Sam Borden writes Klinsmann from the beginning of his tenure "was a polarizing figure as the United States coach, attracting both praise and disdain from hard-core fans throughout his five-year tenure" (N.Y. TIMES, 11/22). SPORTING NEWS' Mike DeCourcy wrote Klinsmann had an "insatiable drive to prove himself the smartest person in whatever room he entered" (SPORTINGNEWS.com, 11/21). In Orlando, Alicia DelGallo notes Klinsmann "frequently criticized his players, especially those who fell short of expectations" (ORLANDO SENTINEL, 11/22). SPORTS ON EARTH's Brown wrote Klinsmann "didn't endear himself to many fans as he frequently blamed his own players in the media after losses" (SPORTSONEARTH.com, 11/21). ESPN’s Shaka Hislop said, "I don't feel that he's ever truly respected U.S. Soccer. I don't think he ever truly respected CONCACAF football." Hislop: "He's belittled MLS, he’s belittled the academy system, he’s belittled the college system. ... I'm not sure how U.S. Soccer is better now than they were five years ago” (“ESPN FC,” ESPNews, 11/22). In L.A., Dylan Hernandez writes Klinsmann was "fired because he was incompetent" (L.A. TIMES, 11/22).
NOT ALL BAD: The GUARDIAN's Jamie Trecker wrote Klinsmann "leaves soccer in America in a better place than he found it." He "got big wins" against world powers like Italy, Germany and the Netherlands. The USMNT also "finished a respectable fourth at the Copa Centenario ... and got out of the Group of Death in Brazil" in the '14 World Cup. Klinsmann also "brought real wattage to the American game" (GUARDIAN, 11/21).
GULATI'S REP TAKES A HIT: In California, Jim Alexander writes the "most striking" thing about U.S. firing Klinsmann was that it was "actually willing to do so, after ... Gulati had staked much of his reputation" on him (Riverside PRESS-ENTERPRISE, 11/22). SI.com's Straus wrote Gulati "staked so much of his own reputation and the federation’s finances" on Klinsmann (SI.com, 11/21). ESPN's Taylor Twellman said, "Sunil Gulati put all of his eggs in one basket. ... There's part of me that is a little surprised that Sunil Gulati had the guts, so to speak, to admit it's not going well." ESPN's Kasey Keller added he also was a "little surprised that Sunil made that decision at this time" ("ESPN FC," ESPNews, 11/22). In N.Y., Stefan Bondy writes Gulati, "clouded by his longstanding love of Klinsmann, allowed this to go on for way too long" (N.Y. DAILY NEWS, 11/22). In Miami, Michelle Kaufman writes Gulati had "been a longtime fan and staunch supporter of Klinsmann’s, wooed him for years and was ebullient when he hired him" (MIAMI HERALD, 11/22).
WILL THINGS GET ANY BETTER? In California, Scott Reid noted Gulati's decision "might be the right short-term answer but it doesn’t solve Team USA’s long-term problem -- that the current generation of American players is not good enough to beat the world’s best teams in the world’s top tournaments" (ORANGE COUNTY REGISTER, 11/19). ESPN's Michael Wilbon said, "We have nobody in the top 100 (players). How's Klinsmann or anyone else going to win? ... What does firing a coach mean if you don't have players?" ("PTI," ESPN, 11/21).
