Tag: Jurgen Klinsmann

Howard unloads on ex-USMNT boss Klinsmann: We won in spite of him

“He specialized in fluff and philosophical rhetoric. But there was zero soccer”

Tim Howard apparently didn’t much like playing for Jürgen Klinsmann.

The former U.S. men’s national team goalkeeper unloaded on his former coach in an article for the Daily Mail, saying that the team won in spite of the German manager.

Klinsmann was in charge of the USMNT from 2011 to 2016, a period during which Howard was usually the team’s starter in goal.

The ex-Germany coach’s time in charge of the U.S. was full of highs and lows. He led the team to the 2013 Gold Cup before guiding them out of a difficult group at the 2014 World Cup.

But Klinsmann’s methods and popularity with his players were always in question, and he left two games into a World Cup qualifying cycle that ended with the team shockingly missing out on the 2018 event in Russia.

Howard’s column in the Daily Mail was ostensibly about the USMNT reportedly closing in on hiring Mauricio Pochettino, who would be the team’s first foreign coach since Klinsmann.

But in addition to praising the rumored new hire, the USMNT legend had a lot to say about his former coach. For example:

He organized a lot of team excursions. He specialized in fluff and philosophical rhetoric. But there was zero soccer.

We went to Versailles, we went to the 9/11 memorial, we went on boating trips. He made us come into lunch and sing the national anthem. He dictated when we slept and when we woke up. He decided what we wore.

He replaced sugary snacks and enforced tighter curfews. He tried to change our breathing, he sent us on ’empty stomach runs’ at dawn. He hired people and literally made up staffing positions for them.

Jurgen tried to reinvent the wheel but he didn’t teach us a lot of soccer. So we had to on rely on the likes Michael Bradley, Clint Dempsey, Landon Donovan and Jozy Altidore to bring the team together and win games – in spite of the manager.

The lesson for Pochettino to learn from Klinsmann? Understand the American player. Don’t make it about yourself. Every culture has different nuances – wherever you coach around the world. So, yes, players have to be pushed out of their comfort zone, but you have to learn what makes people tick.

After leaving the USMNT, Klinsmann had a brief stint in charge of Hertha Berlin before he took over as South Korea manager last year. The 60-year-old was sacked in February after the Taegeuk Warriors were eliminated by Jordan in the Asian Cup semifinal.

[lawrence-related id=45491,32733,76722]

Report: Marsch closing in on South Korea coaching job

The American could be set to take over for ex-USMNT coach Jurgen Klinsmann

Jesse Marsch has emerged as South Korea’s top choice for its vacant men’s national team coaching position, according to a report from Sports Chosun.

The South Korean publication said that the ex-Leeds manager recently completed an interview for the job in England, and has been elevated to the top choice out of three final candidates.

Another meeting between the South Korean federation and Marsch is set for Tuesday, and an agreement could be announced shortly after.

The South Korea job has been vacant since February when another manager with strong U.S. ties, Jürgen Klinsmann, was sacked in the aftermath of the team’s disappointing showing at the Asian Cup.

Marsch has been out of work after being sacked by Leeds 14 months ago, having previously coached with Montreal and the New York Red Bulls in MLS, and with Red Bull Salzburg and RB Leipzig. Should he take over the Taegeuk Warriors, it would be the 50-year-old’s first international head coaching position.

Canada has also reportedly contacted Marsch recently about its vacant men’s national team head coaching position.

Marsch coached one of South Korea’s top players, Hwang Hee-chan, at Red Bull Salzburg and RB Leipzig. The striker is currently starring in the Premier League at Wolves, where he’s scored 11 league goals this season.

After a shocking Asian Cup semifinal exit to Jordan, the South Korea national team was thrown into further turmoil after two of its star players, Lee Kang-in and Son Heung-min, were involved in an argument that left the latter with a broken finger.

Next up for South Korea will be 2026 World Cup qualification, with the third round of Asian qualifiers kicking off in September.

[lawrence-related id=64286,55469,41426]

Under pressure after four games, Klinsmann says Korea job ‘huge learning curve’

The former USMNT is already on the hot seat after just six months in charge

Jürgen Klinsmann has admitted he’s faced a “huge learning curve” during his brief stint as South Korea head coach.

Klinsmann has been in the job for just six months, but is already under pressure after failing to win any of his four games in charge so far.

Draws against Colombia and El Salvador, and defeats at the hands of Uruguay and Peru, have ramped up the pressure on the former U.S. men’s national team coach ahead of friendlies against Wales and Saudi Arabia.

At a press conference ahead of Thursday’s match against Wales at Cardiff City Stadium, Klinsmann said he was happy with the progress his team showed in his first four games despite a lack of results.

“I think we did quite well the first four games,” the former Germany international said. “We didn’t get the results, but I was pleased with the way the team showed up and dominated all four games.

“We didn’t have Sonny (Son Heung-min) in the last two games because of his injury, and we didn’t have (Kim) Min-jae either, but for me, it’s a huge learning curve. I want to see the progress happening with every game. I want to win absolutely, no doubt about it, but the must-win comes in Qatar (host of January’s Asian Cup).”

Klinsmann has been criticized in South Korea not only for the team’s results, but also the fact he’s continued living in Los Angeles during his tenure as head coach of the Taegeuk Warriors.

Korean media calculated that Klinsmann has spent just 67 days in the Asian country since his appointment in February.

“The fans are very disappointed with the fact he is spending most of his time in the USA rather than in Korea,” South Korea journalist Lee Sung-mo told the BBC.

“[K-League] games are being played every week, and there are many talented young players there,” said Lee. “The fans expect the manager to visit to see them himself and communicate with fans, K-League clubs and players.”

In a press conference last month, Klinsmann defended his decision to spend most of his time away from the country he is coaching.

“Maybe it’s something new to people that are used to doing it differently. I don’t blame anybody when they say, ‘Where is he?'” Klinsmann said. “The work of a national team coach is international. I need to know what goes on in Europe. I need to be in touch with the coaches of the [Korean] players in Europe.

“I am a workaholic. I love to work like Koreans love to work. If I’m not maybe 24/7 in the country, I still work 24/7.”

On Wednesday, Klinsmann acknowledged the criticism of the team’s on-field displays, adding that it comes with the territory.

“That is normal,” he said. “You can also win all four games in the beginning and there will be still criticism — maybe the way you play, maybe the way the team plays, maybe the way you sub, maybe whatever. That is part of your job. You’ve got to live with criticism every day, probably 80% of your paycheck is that everybody’s allowed to tell you what to do. But it doesn’t bother me at all. It’s a wonderful experience so far.”

[lawrence-related id=14607,10021,27511]

The Jurgen Klinsmann Experience is heading to South Korea

The 58-year-old returns to coaching for the first time in three years

Former U.S. and Germany men’s national team head coach Jürgen Klinsmann has been named the new boss of the South Korea national team.

Klinsmann, 58, has signed a three-and-a-half year contract and is set to lead South Korea through the 2026 World Cup in North America.

The ex-Germany national team star takes over from Paulo Bento, who stepped down after leading South Korea to the round of 16 at the 2022 World Cup in Qatar.

“I know that the Korean national team has been improving and achieving results over a long period of time,” Klinsmann said in a statement. “I am honored to follow in the footsteps of the great coaches who have led the Korean national team, from Gus Hiddink to my predecessor, Paulo Bento.”

It will be Klinsmann’s first head coaching position since he stepped down after just 10 weeks in charge of Hertha Berlin in February 2020.

After a legendary playing career, Klinsmann took over as Germany head coach and led his country to a third-place finish at the 2006 World Cup on home soil, which was seen as a major achievement.

That tournament was followed by a less successful spell in charge of Bayern Munich before he took over the USMNT in July 2011.

Klinsmann’s time in charge of the U.S. was full of highs and lows. He led the team to the 2013 Gold Cup before guiding them out of a difficult group at the 2014 World Cup. That tournament was proceeded by perhaps the most infamous moment of his time as U.S. coach: leaving Landon Donovan off the team’s roster.

The German was outspoken in his belief that American players should strive to play in Europe, which rankled some who saw it as disparaging of MLS. Klinsmann’s ultimate downfall, though, was the USMNT’s slow start to 2018 World Cup qualifying, which saw him sacked in November 2016 despite previously having signed a contract extension through the 2018 World Cup.

Bruce Arena was brought in to save the U.S. but to no avail, as the team shockingly missed out on Russia 2018.

Klinsmann will relocate to South Korea, per the federation’s announcement, after previously residing in Los Angeles for many years.

[lawrence-related id=10021,11140,10923]

Jurgen Klinsmann: ‘There’s far more respect now’ abroad for U.S. players, coaches

The ex-USMNT boss has seen a lot of progress since his time in charge

AL-RAYYAN, Qatar – Eight years after leading the U.S. men’s national team at Brazil 2014, Jurgen Klinsmann stepped back into the World Cup spotlight in a very different role on Saturday.The charismatic German-American is one of the headliners on FIFA’s latest “Technical Study Group,” a group of former players and managers convened to analyze the action in Qatar, present its data aspects to teams and fans alike via cutting-edge analytics technology and glean observations about the sport’s future.Klinsmann joined legendary manager Arsene Wenger, who chairs the TSG, to present an overview of their work and field questions from reporters at the FIFA media centre in suburban Doha. And the final query of the session took him back to his old job, as he praised both MLS and the USMNT’s talented generation of youngsters for the growing profile of U.S.-reared managers like Jesse Marsch and Gregg Berhalter.“Personally, I think it has changed a lot over the last 10, 12 years, how the world looks at American soccer,” said Klinsmann, who later reeled off the list of U.S. players contributing at high-level European clubs as he tipped the USMNT as a team to be reckoned with in a chat with German-language media. “The world looks at America as not only from a national team perspective, but also from a developmental point of view, with Major League Soccer now being there over 25 years.“So I think there’s far more respect now, not only for the players, which now play in Champions League teams in Europe, but also from a coaching perspective, where you see coaches coming through, coaching in different countries in Europe. It has improved a lot.”The ex-USMNT boss also predicted “a tournament of bravery and high quality” in Qatar over the next month. Noting that European-based players will arrive at the World Cup from their clubs in midseason form, Klinsmann reasoned that the event’s compact size and carefully cultivated playing surfaces will make for aesthetically pleasing soccer.“You take them out of their club system and you go right away into the tournament,” he said. “You don’t need to kind of build them physically anymore, their clubs are in full swing. So it’s more down to the mental aspect of the game, to get them really zoomed in, to get them focused, to get them the right balance of energy, and then obviously, to have a positive approach into the tournament.”He also foresees “room for surprises,” with non-traditional contenders rising in comparable fashion to the upsets of the 2002 World Cup, the event’s only other Asian locale to date.“If it’s maybe an African nation, if it’s an Asian team, if they’re courageous, I think you can go actually far in this tournament,” he said. “This is not a tournament to kind of just sit back and defend. I think it’s a tournament that really invites you to go to be courageous to go forward. I don’t think that you go far if you just have a very defensive approach in this tournament now, because the teams are fit, the teams are hungry and they want to get going.”

[lawrence-related id=10015,10009,9985]