Found this article in my local newspaper ...



Klinsmann still top candidate to coach U.S. team
by Charles F. Gardner

Juergen Klinsmann has said he is engaged in informal talks with the U.S. Soccer Federation about taking over as head coach of the U.S. team.

But it's clear that U.S. Soccer officials view those talks in a bit different way.

Although he would not talk about the specifics of the coaching search, U.S. Soccer Federation president Sunil Gulati gave every indication in a Monday conference call that Klinsmann remains the leading candidate for the job. The former German national team star adapted well to a pressure-filled coaching role, leading Germany to a surprising third-place World Cup finish in his home country during the past summer.

"I'm not going to deny we've talked to Juergen Klinsmann," Gulati said. "I've said before, Juergen brings a lot of positive qualities to coaching the national team. We have not made any decisions or any offers.

"We've had four or five people that we are still talking to, and most of those people are coaching teams currently. The most important thing always has been finding someone who has a track record of success in coaching. That's still the No. 1 thing."

Gulati said he and U.S. Soccer secretary general Dan Flynn have formally interviewed 13 candidates for the job.

"One (of the candidates) might consider it informal, but we probably consider it formal," Gulati said.

Gulati defended the process that has taken place since Bruce Arena was informed on July 14 that he would no longer be the national team coach. Arena led the U.S. team in two World Cups, helping it reach the quarterfinals in 2002 but presiding over the disappointing first-round exit in Germany this year.

"We thought it was critically important to take our time and hire the right person," Gulati said. "Traditionally in the first six months after the World Cup, we have been very light on the schedule.

"The second half of the year is a critical time for MLS (Major League Soccer), and many of our European (-based) players are going back to new teams. To pull those players out, even on international fixture dates, doesn't make sense for us."

The U.S. team has not played since its 2-1 loss to Ghana in Nuremberg in its final group-stage match in the World Cup.

Gulati said the U.S. program will move forward in earnest in January with a training camp under the team's new coach and several international games. He expects a new coach by late November or early December.

Gulati also announced that the U.S. has accepted an invitation to play in the Copa America tournament next summer. The U.S. will participate as a guest team in the South American nations championship for the first time since 1995, when it beat Argentina en route to a fourth-place finish.

The Copa America will be played in Venezuela from June 26-July 15. The tournament starts two days after the finish of the CONCACAF Gold Cup, but Gulati said an agreement has been worked out to allow the U.S. to play its opening Copa America match at the end of the first round.

"We had to make sure our new coach would be comfortable with this, playing in both competitions," Gulati said. "There was unanimity among all the candidates we are still talking to."

Gulati said the U.S. would put together a strong team for both competitions, but the exact selection of the squads would be left up to the new coach.

"It will not be two completely different teams, but it's likely there will be some different players," Gulati said. "Some of the coaches have their own ideas."

Getting back in the mix in Copa America offers long-term benefits for the U.S. program, which needs more challenging competitions in the years between World Cups.

"The results over the summer have not been a wakeup call," Gulati said of the Americans' 0-2-1 record in the World Cup, "but it emphasized that we needed to get some additional competition. There was always a balance between the needs of the league (MLS) and the players in Europe.

"But the balance needed to shift for this summer as we shift to a new (World Cup) cycle."

MLS Commissioner Don Garber gave his endorsement to the plan and said his league is willing to work with U.S. Soccer, even though it means some star MLS players may miss a month of the domestic league season.

"Unquestionably this will be a difficult challenge from a scheduling point of view," Garber said. "This is a strong statement that we are committed to do what we can with U.S. Soccer to move this sport forward."

SOURCE


Being a Germany fan living in the US, my heart is all aflutter. Sure, I knew that Klinsmann was in the running, but top candidate? I'm so excited!!!!