I believe that 2/3 of the pool of current MLS managers would be a clear improvement over Klinsmann. I'm not saying all of them would be an ideal pick, but it's not hard to improve on a guy like Jürgen, who is more politician than manager and whose bag of magic tricks has run out. Gregg Berhalter, Oscar Pareja, and Peter Vermes would be at the top of my list. (Pareja is actually my dream candidate for Tab Ramos' youth technical director job.)
But one shouldn't be limited to the pool of MLS managers. There are TONS of managers worldwide who are better than Klinsmann and any number of them would be happy to take on a NT gig like this. We're not talking about Bielsa. You don't need much to improve on JK.
Let's consider Alejandro Bedoya. Hasn't really been effective for the US in recent times. And yet -- he's killing it in Ligue 1 for a club in contention for a Europa League spot. Over the last couple of months, he's been one of the most in-form US players for a club that is doing pretty well in a top five league in Europe [
genuflect]. So the real question we should be asking ourselves is why even in-form players look terrible under Klinsmann. Instead, you assume that the players look bad for NT, so they must suck.
The talent pool is what it is. The manager can't change it. The technical director can't change it, not for years. So all we should be evaluating is whether Klinsmann is making the most out of the current talent pool. And even a blind man can see that he's utterly failing to do so.
It's not just an MLS thing. Liga MX players look bad. Euro-based players look bad. Everyone looks bad. It's really hard to get to the conclusion that all the US struggles are on US players when players are regularly underperforming for the NT relative to club performance. The team looks totally rudderless and players are routinely used out of position or given idiotic roles (Mix as DM).
I mean, Guatemala started two players who have failed to crack the 18 for their MLS team this season, including a rookie who has never played a pro match in his life. They started a rotational starter from a third division team in Germany. But yup - it's the talent.
It's Klinsi-logic. Jürgen cannot fail, he can only be failed. Seriously
@soxfan121, there's plenty of room to acknowledge what is in front of our noses without being forced to bow down before the Don and kiss Garber's ring.
I just want a manager who can make the most of the given US player pool right now. Forget revolutionizing the US style, we need a manager who is competent enough to coach a team that can beat inferior CONCACAF talent. Klinsmann is not competent enough to do so. We're now being regularly outplayed by shittier teams, even on home soil.
Klinsmann's "revolution" right now is like Bora Milutinovic without the results. It's depressing. We're dealing with a manager who is well below replacement level and people are throwing their hands up because we don't have a shot at Jurgen Klopp or whoever.