Blog Archives
Jamaica’s Cool Run is America’s Headache
(Fox News)
Jamaica 2 – USA 1
Jamaica earned a 2-nil lead in the first half with spectacular goals by Darron Mattocks and Giles Barnes. Michael Bradley got a Donovan like-rebound a la USA-Algeria 2010 just minutes into the second half to split the worst lead in soccer. But despite a constant flurry of offensive crosses and shots through the final whistle in the 94th minute, the Jamaicans held on for a monumental upset against the Americans on American soil in the first semifinal of the 2015 Gold Cup. The United States Men’s National Team (USMNT) did not play well enough to win. Half of the blame certainly rests with them. For the other half of the equation, let’s cut to the question everyone is asking:
Should Jürgen Klinsmann be fired?
As a recruiter of young, dual-citizenship talent, absolutely not. But as a manager, that’s now 50-50.
Klinsmann has proven to be deftly insightful at putting in super subs, but his painfully cautious approach in the 2014 World Cup in Brazil, breakthrough friendly victories against the Netherlands and Germany squads earlier this summer (in Europe, mind you) and the shocking and unacceptable 2015 Gold Cup semifinal loss to severe underdog Jamaica in Atlanta, Georgia and you’ve got a cloudy sky of recent results.
Looking towards the horizon for U.S. Soccer, is cloudy good enough anymore? Is this where the United States wanted to be or should be thirteen years after their impressive run in the 2002 World Cup?
Klinsmann’s contract and influence in U.S. Soccer is huge, but if his team does not win the third place Gold Cup game motivated by pride in wearing the red, white and blue and ultimately qualify for the Confederations Cup by means of a playoff this fall, then yes, he should definitely be fired. Even without these future achievements, his future as the USMNT head coach needs to be acutely examined based on results, roster selections (many on the current roster shouldn’t be on the senior team), formation choices, individual and collective success and improvements and the growing cohesiveness of his best starting 11.
While there may not be a blockbuster coach waiting in the wings at the moment, rest assured because when a top-level coach has a roster filled with athleticism and immense, impressionable potential like the United States, someone’s ego will ignite and a pen will be held by a famed manager to sign a contract to guide the USMNT.
Pep Guardiola has expressed interest in one day coaching the USMNT. In fact, reports revealed he was very interested in managing Brazil last summer. National teams are clearly on his mind as a potential challenge in the short-term. And with all the talented youth, waiting to be molded by a defining formation and style, the United States could provide a uniquely perfect situation and challenge for Pep or another big name coach.
Regarding the lineup, widespread competition is good, but part of the manager’s job description is to determine the best players and the best fit. The valuable chemistry of reacting and not thinking in high-pressure situations due to familiarity is too high a commodity to throw away just for curiosity’s sake.
The current roster and tactics are not good enough.
The back line continues to be abysmal and its goalkeeper is just not up to the task of being world-class. Tim Howard is rumored to be coming back, but he’s 36. His return would be a band aid (however helpful) on what needs surgery. Mix Diskerud and Michael Bradley work well together, except that Diskerud needs to be the creative force (and start) while Bradley hangs back in defense with the occasional and highly-effective surging run. Forward Aron Jóhannsson needs to watch Robin van Persie highlights on a loop and Wil Trapp also needs time on the pitch as a Bradley substitute and student. Attention and playing time also needs to be granted to Ethan Finlay of the Columbus Crew (teammate of Trapp’s), who is the only true outside midfielder producing results from the right flank and is the current MLS leader is assists. Julian Green, despite lack of playing time at an elite club, needs to be unleashed as another outside midfielder. He’s shown flashes of attacking prowess on the left side.
Jürgen Klinsmann does a great job of identifying American talent in Europe, but he needs to start watching (and respecting) MLS more to find the players who are the best fit. Sometimes they show up in stats, sometimes they don’t. The best coaches find these players, design and share a vision for success and inspire his team to produce results in exciting, dynamic fashion.
That team hasn’t arrived yet. Will it?
Coach Klinsmann has put himself in an awkward position of not necessarily confirming that he should be fired immediately, but he also hasn’t proven that he should continue as leader of the USMNT before the 2018 World Cup qualifications begin.
You could say he’s been given a yellow card with a stern warning by America’s soccer fans.
From Sea to (Shining) Sea
America’s shining, beautiful soccer jersey?
The 2015 away kits have been revealed for the USMNT and USWNT. The human Bomb Pops appear to have finally melted away its final steady defender (sort of like the real USMNT) in favor of a jersey that features shades of blue, blue and blue.
(Footy Headlines)
The above design is virtually the exact same for both the USMNT and USWNT, with the primary exception of the two World Cup stars for the women. Also, the design is the same on the front and the back. Considering the fact that the shade of blue closest to the one stitched on the American flag is the darker portion at the bottom, that seems like a really peculiar miss for Nike. By the way, did Nike run out of the color red or is that going to be more prominently featured in a new home jersey? It’s kind of a great color. After all, the U.S. is the red, white and blue.
Speaking of which, what was wrong with the “Where’s Waldo?” jersey?
As has been mentioned on this blog before (as starting points), the collar should be blue to represent a gritty, relentless blue collar work ethic with a jersey design that is sharp to symbolize a cool and innovative white collar style of play. This would encapsulate the spirit and identity of America and its daring declaration of independence, from its inception in 1776 through today and into the future.
The new jersey is better than the Bomb Pops, but it looks like a training shirt. When the designers and the brightest minds at Nike Soccer have the American flag, its beautiful combination of colors, our nation’s history (soccer and non-soccer) and lots of time, it’s a sincere mystery how this becomes the final product.
Perhaps I’m being too harsh, except I don’t think I am. It may look a little better on the field with names and numbers, but it still begs the question of what the design could (and should) have been.
Most of all, I wish American ingenuity had been a component for this new soccer jersey.
The Worst Call Wasn’t Made During a Game
There was a story today in the Columbus Dispatch that, for all intents and purposes, revealed the Columbus Crew SC effectively chose Kei Kamara (30 years old) over the future #10 on the USMNT for years to come in Mix Diskerud (24 years old). In no universe driven by good judgement, insight and a high soccer IQ does this make any sense…at all. Mix and Kei are not on the same level whatsoever, which is clearly evident for any soccer fan who has seen them both play. After a failed attempt to sign Diskerud’s services last year, which reportedly broke down at the very last stage of negotiation (ended by Mix’s father?), the Crew then signed Kamara. The allocation system for MLS knocked Columbus off the coveted number one spot after signing Kamara, which ended the Crew’s chances of adding Mix’s dynamism and relentless effort (offensively and defensively) to the black and gold.
And if you’re thinking this seems like déjà vu, you’d be absolutely correct. Kamara was an average forward (though admittedly young) for Columbus from 2006-2007. Now, he did score a good number of goals later on for the Houston Dynamo and Sporting Kansas City. However, he fizzled out of his most recent clubs at Norwich City and Middlesbrough.
Will his stock rise again in 2015? Possibly, but that’s not the point.
It needs to be noted this is nothing personal against Kamara, but rather a reaction to Columbus impatiently and purposefully forfeiting the talent, vision and future stardom of Mix Diskerud to the already stacked NYCFC. What’s more is that Mix had said that he would be like to play in Columbus, citing the atmosphere and American soccer history related to “Dos-a-Cero” as a reason to come, among other reasons like the city itself. The best soccer managers strike while the iron’s hot and, after 2013 and 2014, Mix Diskerud’s stock was a broker’s dream. Buy low and watch as his valuation takes-off like Apple (AAPL) after a new product announcement. Despite the fact Mix get on the field in the World Cup because Klinsmann chose a defensive Fort Knox central midfield against superior opponents as opposed to splashing creativity in the middle (which was a coaching mistake), Mix is part of a fantastic generation of young players in their mid-early 20s who will lead the USMNT from this point forward.
This news is still just simply surreal. If there was ever a window for Columbus to get Mix, the past several months were it. Literally. Now, Berhalter and Co. (with venture capitalist and Crew owner Anthony Precourt) deserve credit for going after him. That’s certainly acknowledged. But to give up these efforts by signing a former player, who is six years older than Mix and who was forgettable in his final-third finishes for the Crew is mind-boggling. Imagine the partnership of Wil Trapp and Mix Diskerud for the Columbus Crew SC: young and talented workaholics with vision who, quite likely, could be the future central midfield for the USMNT. Mix’s style positively defines teams with a competitive identity and consistently leads to goals, assists and, yes, wins. His addition would’ve helped in last years playoff disaster against the New England Revolution (as well as a competent defensive line, a forward who scores goals and a comprehensively dynamic strategy).
I have said before and will say again that Mix Diskerud is the future #10 (jersey number and talent wise) for the United States and is a superstar in the making. He is a player worth an exhaustible effort and investment. While it’s possible that the Crew knew he would never sign after their initial effort, it’s also quite possible that they caved to the unknown for the known, which includes the record-breaking re-signing of play-maker Federico Higuaín (currently #10). When Sigi Schmid orchestrated his Crew team that won the 2008 MLS Cup, it was a squad that included players who were Columbus Crew staples (Chad Marshall), UCLA-friend Frankie Hejduk and players barely known to the everyday fan (Steven Lenhart), as well as Argentine superstar Guillermo Barros Schelotto. Schmid took chances and got the exact right players for the exact right positions for a remarkable championship season.
In other words, the Crew had the right mix…
The Other Beautiful Game
As player’s have regained their energy and coaches alike have had time to reflect on the group stage and exhausting round of 16 World Cup finale versus Belgium, the USMNT will likely feel equally proud, yet unsatisfied. While not all of their young and exciting talent was utilized (ie- #10 Mix Diskerud and #9 Aron Jóhannsson) and key players failed to shine to their full potential (ie- Michael Bradley), there are signs that point to a bright future for the Americans. DeAndre Yedlin showed he has world-class pace, raw talent and a skill for crossing dangerous balls into the opponent’s 18-yard box as a defender on the flank. John Brooks is clearly an offensive threat on corner kicks and Julian Green has vision that will soon impress Bayern Munich manager Pep Guardiola for serious senior team consideration between now and 2016 and 2018.
The rub: If the USMNT is going to take the next step and compete for a World Cup and not just in one, it must have faith in itself and dare to go for that dream. Overloading the central midfield with defense, which leaves a creative void in the middle that was desperately needed to bridge the gap with the forwards, sends a message to the team and their opponents that they are, in effect, surrendering the mental chess game.
Teams cannot win the World Cup playing only checkers, waiting to jump the competition one or two times in 90 minutes.
Speaking of daring to play and engage in a game of chess versus a grandmaster…
Seems like he’s got the mindset to be pretty good at breaking down opponents’ defenses.
If given the chance to play, he’ll be passing and/or shooting his way to checkmates left and right for the USMNT.
Jimmy's Daily Planet 