In the future earlier than the U.S. nationwide workforce kicks off the most important match seen in these components since 1994, Jurgen Klinsmann expressed confidence in his workforce, and revealed some lofty expectations.
BY
John Godfrey
Posted
June 02, 2016
10:45 PM
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SANTA CLARA, Calif.—Jurgen Klinsmann likes to speak about studying curves. He used that expression a minimum of a half-dozen occasions throughout Thursday’s press convention within the freshly scrubbed concrete bowels of Levi’s Stadium.
Bobby Wooden had a studying curve a couple of years again as he struggled to seek out enjoying time in Germany’s second tier. DeAndre Yedlin had a studying curve when he transferred to Tottenham and was compelled to regulate to the next stage of competitors. The nationwide workforce’s poor displaying in final yr’s Gold Cup—yep—that was a studying curve too.
The Copa America Centenario, nevertheless, is not about studying. It isn’t about educating both. No, this match is strictly a report card for Klinsmann, his gamers, and your entire U.S. males’s soccer program.
“This is a big benchmark,” Klinsmann readily acknowledged. “We wish to see the place we’re between two World Cups. This can be a present given to us from CONMEMBOL and CONCACAF, and for our workforce it is only a fantastic alternative.
“In this specific moment, you want to see where you stand, where you are. For this moment, this is about measuring yourself.”
Friday’s check will probably be brutal (9:30pm ET; FS1, UniMas, UDN). With temperatures anticipated to achieve the mid-90s, an American workforce lacking two of its high strikers, Jozy Altidore and Aron Johannson, will sq. off with a Colombian squad that’s presently ranked third on the earth and encompasses a quick, technically gifted, battle-tested squad let by Actual Madrid star James Rodriguez.
“Are we capable to compete with them, eye to eye? To beat them? And make it far in this tournament? I think we are,” Klinsmann mentioned. “I think we have the capability. I think we have the qualities. We have the drive. I know we have the talent. But you’ve got to prove it. Now you’ve got to prove it.”
Unprompted, Klinsmann added an extra level of emphasis: “The same for the coach as well.”
Now in his fifth yr on the helm, Klinsmann hasn’t all the time performed a terrific job within the accountability division. He has positioned the blame for some losses squarely on the ft of his gamers, claiming that they lacked health or that they cowered in opposition to powerful competitors.
After being known as out within the media for throwing his gamers beneath the bus on a number of events, Klinsmann has solely just lately begun to take duty for poor outcomes—however these statements typically felt a bit insincere. Reporters often need to nook Klinsmann into acknowledging his failings, and the coach’s tone throughout these exchanges convey irritation relatively than contrition: You need me to say it is my fault? Nice. It is my fault. Completely happy now?
At present, although, Klinsmann’s alternative of phrases, and the way he uttered them, felt completely different: “The same for the coach as well.”
The ruthless striker who gained a World Cup with West Germany in 1990 and a European Championship with a reunited Germany in 1996 appeared to be united, lastly, together with his gamers. And he wasn’t shy about celebrating their attributes.
“We respect them a lot and they deserve our respect,” Klinsmann mentioned of Friday’s opponent. “I am an enormous admirer of Coach [Jose] Pekerman and we all know how briskly they’ll transition from defending into assault. They’re very harmful and rating very many objectives. We find out about their strengths however we additionally see that they go away somewhat weaknesses behind as nicely, so hopefully we are able to reap the benefits of that.
“On the other side, we have no fear.”
“We have players that can match up with those players. That’s a big stage for Michael Bradley. That’s a big stage for Clint Dempsey. That’s a big stage for Jermaine Jones. That’s what they want to play. Now they have the opportunity so go out there and play that stage.”
Observe the repeated use of “we.” Additionally observe the distinctly defiant tone.
“Colombia is a very good team with very good individual players,” Klinsmann continued, “but I think so far that during these 10-12 days of preparation we are making progress. We are fine-tuning elements, we are making progress, and we cannot wait to challenge the big names from South America.
“I feel now we have robust sufficient, gifted sufficient gamers to beat Colombia. Sure, we do have that.
“If you ask the Michael Bradleys and Jermaine Jones and Clint Dempseys if they are capable to win [this] game, they will respond to you, ‘Yes!’
The Yanks last played Colombia in 2014, jumping out to a 1-0 lead on a 10th-minute Jozy Altidore goal only to concede two second-half goals and ultimately lose 2-1.
“We performed them in a beautiful pleasant two years in the past in London,” Klinsmann recalled. “We misplaced to them within the final minute with a objective. We have been shut there. We missed some 100% probabilities there—Bobby Wooden missed certainly one of them. Hopefully that probability comes once more and he places it in. Let’s discover out.”
Wood, along with national team newbies Darlington Nagbe and Christian Pulisic, are expected to be key contributors throughout Copa America Centenario. But Klinsmann rejected the notion that he will make an extra effort to get them onto the pitch with an eye toward the 2018 World Cup.
“They need to battle for his or her enjoying time,” Klinsmann said. “Nothing is given free of charge right here since you’re younger. That is Copa America. That is about now. This isn’t about two years from now when hopefully we qualify for Russia.
“That is now about the most effective workforce representing our nation with the intention to get outcomes. That is all about now.
“It’s about winning.”
John Godfrey is the founder and editor in chief of American Soccer Now.
