Photo: Earl Gardner
Jurgen Klinsmann has been relieved of his duties as U.S. men’s national team coach and technical director.
U.S. Soccer confirmed the move Monday, and U.S. Soccer President Sunil Gulati will conduct a media teleconference call Tuesday afternoon to discuss the change.
Klinsmann began his tenure as head coach on July 29, 2011, and compiled a 55-27-16 record during his tenure. The U.S. has lost its first two World Cup qualifying matches, including an embarrassing 4-0 defeat in Costa Rica last Tuesday.
Gulati said in this afternoon’s statement:
Today we made the difficult decision of parting ways with Jurgen Klinsmann, our head coach of the U.S. Men’s National Team and Technical Director.
We want to thank Jurgen for his hard work and commitment during these last five years. He took pride in having the responsibility of steering the program, and there were considerable achievements along the way.
Many are aware of the historic victories, including leading us out of the Group of Death to the Round of 16 in the 2014 FIFA World Cup, but there were also lesser publicized efforts behind the scenes. He challenged everyone in the U.S. Soccer community to think about things in new ways, and thanks to his efforts we have grown as an organization and expect there will be benefits from his work for years to come.
While we remain confident that we have quality players to help us advance to Russia 2018, the form and growth of the team up to this point left us convinced that we need to go in a different direction. With the next qualifying match in late March, we have several months to refocus the group and determine the best way forward to ensure a successful journey to qualify for our eighth-consecutive World Cup.
There has never been a greater time for soccer in this country, and with the support and efforts of the millions of fans, sponsors, media and friends, we look forward to continued progress in the game we all love.
wow. well, let it begin.
Had to be done at this point, as it was really starting to sound like he was losing (or already lost) the players, including key leaders on the team.
Agree that it was pretty necessary. Time to change was right now.
Ideally no MLS coach takes over in the long-run. If it must be “one of the boys,” then Pareja is the only hope.
When does Sunny boy get the boot? He did do one thing right though.
Harrumph! Harrumph! Case of the Mondays……..gone!
This says more about Sunil Gulati than Jurgen Klinsman IMO… when somebody hold the economist accountable?
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The only right and proper action is a toppling of the entire body.
Let him sit in his ivory tower at Columbia……..let football people run the show!
I’d prefer he sit in a tower in Colombia.
I agree, what has Gulati done to greatly increase success here? Who oversees him?
If this was going to happen, which I agreed it should, now had to be the time. We have a few months between now and the next qualifiers. If nothing else it will hopefully make none of these players feel safe and light a fire under them. There are a rare few who are automatic choices right now.
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I totally get the Arena choice, but I would prefer it not be him. Give us some young blood with hunger and some advanced tactical knowledge.
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From an outsider/world view, how do you think is job is looked upon?
Update: Bruce Arena to be named manager. I get the reasoning, but for some reason my gut says bad move.
It’s about time. He had to go. Wrong guy for the job.
This is good. He was a heck of a talent-gatherer (if that’s a term… which I think it isn’t)… but a poor in-game manager. Glad the move was made now too… time to prepare.
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As for Arena being the choice… it’s a safe one, so I get it. The next hire will be hugely important, since a lot of the youth JK has been gathering will be in their prime, and the WC will probably be here (at least in some capacity).
Yup —- for that round of 16 overmatching again. Mediocre. Which is what it is, has been, we are, and will continue to be… unfortunately.
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Arena did a pretty good job last time and learned a lot in the last 10 years. I think he’ll do a great job. I saw him lead a coaching seminar 10yrs ago at Rowan college. Was very impressed with him. Looking forward to see him coach the MNT again!
Hiring Bruce Arena again says the last ten years were a complete waste… reading comments about how he got us the quarters of World Cup … he also garnered one point in the next one.
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An unequivocal step back for US Soccer.
Eh, Klinsmann wasn’t a step forward, if anything this is a step to the side.
I personally consider having a coach with the balls and DESIRE to sometimes say “I want my players to challenge themselves at the highest level and always stay hungry” to be a step forward.
Because it’s true, because it needs to be said, and it needs to be repeated.
Sure, I bet none of the other coaches wanted their players challenged…The team was no better or worse under Klinsmann. He did not move us forward as a soccer country in any meaningful way. The best thing that can happen to US Soccer is to have MLS teams get better and each of them have strong academies.
Agreed. To say that Klinsmann pushed us forward in any major way is pure propaganda.
Last time he coached we did not have a DA and we did not have many players like Pulisic growing up abroad. Since 2006 US Soccer has come a long way; Because of that I believe Arena can do a much better job than before. I do not see it as a step backwards. Can’t wait to see players hungry again and give everything to the cause; they did not under Klinsmann!
Yup, If you repeat nonsense enough, it seems to develope some kind of perverse legitimacy to it. The only balls here is the temerity to try to con us with bullshit like “I want My players to blah, blah blah, blah trivial tripe. When you aint got nothin to offer that is concrete, give them the old stay hungry crap. Someone is bound to eat it up.
U.S. soccer conspiracy hot take: U.S. soccer fired Klinsmann to deflect attention from the Deloitte pro/rel report…. boom.
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Seriously, though, I see the wisdom in re-hiring Arena, but it really feels like a lateral move at best. I think it will ensure the U.S. gets through the Hex, but it doesn’t do much to set up the team for success beyond 2018. In some ways, who replaces Klinsmann as a technical director may be a lot more important than coach.
Please get it thru your thick skulls that any national team coach does not teach technique,there is no time for that. He or she organizes the individuals to form a cohesive unit after evaluating the realities of the given talent and puts them in a position to succeed. Psychology and tactics are the most important things. Do not ask them to do what they are not comfortable with. There is NO TIME for that given the limited training time available. Make them feel strong, give them the old USA mojo back. Stop the useless phantasies and get real!
Who on earth are you ranting at Dr. K? Most in this regular group of commenters don’t have “thick heads.” With all due respect, I think we can discuss this stuff without getting hysterical, no?
K is FIRED UP…..just like at those Amway Meetings I went to as a kid.
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FIRED UP!
FIRED UP!
I think the team needed change, but hiring Bruce Arena was not a change to me. Like many said here a safe hire and a step to the side more of the same not advancement. Where is the new thinking? Why does it always seem like they want to move backwards? They weren’t that good a team before and they will continue to not be that good.
Well they tried the new thinking… and when you reach out to try the new thinking and it apparently doesn’t work, you hire Doug Pederson.
Klinsmann’s time is done, as it should be, he demonstrated he CAN NOT coach on game day, let alone create & keep a proper line up & or strategy… or even take the talent you have/given (which he alone had control of…) & elevate them to their best. Let’s NOT forget how ‘HIS” coaching staff has FAILED miserably with the under 20, and younger teams!! It’s now time to give Bruce Arena a second time at the helm which he will bring 10 more years of experience on top of his record of his first go round. I don’t see the problem, excellent coach with great tenure and a decade more experience to compliment his direction. Hey el P, a bit harsh to compare Bruce Arena to Doug Pederson, an in-experienced ‘Rookie’ nfl coach… isn’t it ?? USA USA USA USA USA USA USA USA !!!
My, my, the curse of being clever by a half. Skipping like a stone across a smooth pond.
i’m glad this happened but it was long overdue. he never took any responsibility for the teams results and he never seemed like he learned anything about how to use the players he has to get the best results