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Bayern Munich fires Klinsmann

Juergen Klinsmann (Reuters) 

The Juergen Klinsmann era at Bayern Munich is over.

The German champions have fired Klinsmann, ending his one-year tenure with the club as Bayern Munich sits in third place in the Bundesliga standings. Jupp Heynckes will take over as interim head coach for Bayern's remaining five Bundesliga matches.

Klinsmann was regarded as one of the top young coaches in the game after guiding the German national team to third place in the 2006 World Cup. His well-publicized courtship with U.S. Soccer led Klinsmann to be considered the favorite to replace Bruce Arena after the 2006 World Cup, but he eventually landed with Bayern Munich last summer, which he helped lead to the quarterfinals of the UEFA Champions League this season. It was his club's form in the Bundesliga that ultimately led to his departure.

Where will Klinsmann go next? That's anybody's guess but something tells me he will wind up in the English Premier League. Could Manchester City come calling? One thing you can bet on is Klinsmann finding another job pretty easily.

What do you think of this news? Disappointed to see Klinsmann fired? Amused by all the turmoil at Bayern? Glad that Landon Donovan didn't wind up staying at Bayern? Think Klinsmann and Donovan might be reunited? Do you see Klinsmann moving back to California?

Share your thoughts below.

Comments

  1. I think the system that Klinsmann tried to instill was designed for a young, American type players and was not the kind of thing Munich superstars of a European pedigree were ever going to buy into. All of the bashers on here make me laugh because 99% of you were crying when Goony Suni could not seal a deal with him as U.S. National coach.

    He is a new age guy with new age processes he wants to instill and new methods he wants to implement and that don’t fly in old school Europe with a team of jaded superstars. His system is for the young and open minded. He should be a coach in the USA, Australia or Asia where he will be greeted with effort, enthusiasm and faith whether as a national team manager or at the club level.

    In short- he should be the US national coach and if we get run off the pitch at the Confederations Cup perhaps that can be revisited. If not it’s 3 and out in WC2010 with our current brain trust and soccer acumen. Mark my words and I will be the happiest guy in the world if I have to eat them but my money would be on the that I won’t have to by a long shot.

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  2. Please come to teh Galaxy and stop this boring Arena Ball. Bring Ribery with you because the Galaxy offense is hideous.

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  3. Is it possible that Klinsmann is maybe a little over ratted?

    I know there aren’t THAT many international coaches living in the US and playing pick up soccer on the beach, but it seems his whole reputation based on leading a HOST COUNTRY to a better than expected performance in a World Cup.

    Guess what? The host country always does better that expected. I wonder if the US fans will be drooling this much of whoever South Africa’s coach is when by some miracle they advance out of group play like the US did in 94.

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  4. He’ll get another job but I’d be shocked if it was at a big club. Coaching a national team and managing a club are two completely different jobs. I’d like to see coaches like Klinsmann and Bilic take the path Zola has. Go to a mid-sized club, like West Ham, before moving on to a power house.

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  5. Leaving Klinsmann with no forwards, Klose injured, Toni, and Lukas in poor form was an upper management decision. Will they resign?

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  6. And just my opinion, I feel bad for him. The coach always takes the brunt of the kick in the a$$ from the front office. They are still 3 points I think out of first place and can easily win the title. Their problem is inconsistency and injuries, which is crazy because they are one of the most decorated clubs in Europe, so depth should NEVER be a problem.

    Just my .02 cents, aka my savings account.

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  7. Klinsmann should help the USMNT if he has no other job offers at the same level.

    If nothing else he will give our program some credibility and could help us in the battle to lure talented prospects from Europe.

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  8. This is my guess:

    Klinsi and his family return to Cali to chill out. Juergen is a bit of a free spirit, despite being German,…and he hooks up with BA as an assistant. You heard that right! He is comfortable with his standing in the game. BA needs help and is coaching LA where Klinsi lives. Talk swirls about all sorts of job openings but JK puts his family first and stays on the coast and enjoys the sun and surf.

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  9. I think for years that the US has grown quite content with making it to the World Cup, regardless of who is at the helm. I look at Klinsmann, and I honestly think he is overrated, and that he might have been a one hit wonder with Germany in 2006. I certainly realize that Bradley is not the greatest coach in the world, but the man has gotten results. The player pool is a heck of a lot deeper (in some spots, not all like LB) then it ever was with Arena in charge. I look at the results over the last two years, Bradley has taken points away from matches that we were suppose to get points from (including the El Salvador disaster, and I am of the opinion that Arena’s teams would never have salvaged a point from that mess in San Salvador).

    I think that the next year will ultimately decide what Bradley has done. When you look at what is yet to come (Costa Rica x2, Honduras x2, a trip to the Azteca, and oh by the way: Brazil, Italy, and Egypt), I think this will give quite the indication of whether or not this team can hack it on the highest of levels, and the same can be said about Bob Bradley. I think Bradley has done his job as a transitional coach, and he was the right hire at the end of the day, even after Klinsmann said no. We are in a better spot than we were in 2006 in terms of the US playing against better and stronger competiton, and that there are more players over in Europe playing at high levels. Bradley is not the ideal coach, but I think that he has done one heck of a job considering he will always be viewed as a second choice manager. Bradley knows the American system, the American player, and the American mentality, and for this time period in USMNT history, he was the right fit. For those clamoring for a foreign coach, it will happen eventually. The women has Pia Sundhage, maybe it is only a matter of time for the men’s team.

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  10. I’m in the middle when it comes to Klinsmann. I think it’s pretty absurd to call him a great coach at this point, but I also think it’s a little ridiculous to say he’s not a good coach, and never will be. He has VERY little coaching experience at this point. However, I do think he would be an improvement over Bob Bradley at this point. I don’t understand the people who think Bradley is great. I also don’t understand the logic that says because they are in first place in WC qualifying Bradley has done no wrong. The U.S. has not played that well against VERY WEAK opponents. They have not even had the strong test that they usually get from Mexico because Mexico is playing so poorly lately. IMO Bob Bradley will NEVER be a great coach. He is very overrated. He may be a likable coach who is average to slightly above average, but he does not have what is necessary to take the U.S. to the next level. I think the U.S. will go out in the first round of the World Cup, and sadly, that is probably what will be necessary for Bradley to be replaced. I think far too many people tie a coach’s coaching ability to how likable he is.

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  11. It would be beyond awesome if US Soccer could actually convince Klinsmann to work as an assistant to Bob for the next year. Many US fans believe that a foreign coach would not be knowledgeable of the system. What better way to get acclimated than work as an assistant for a year?

    Then, after next summer, Klinsmann can take over for the 2014 cycle.

    I can dream can’t I.

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  12. He was bad. He said he would make his players better; they are certainly worse. They gave him loads of chances to redeem himself. The fans wanted him out after he blew that match against Barcelona.

    He just didn’t have the experience to lead a team for a whole season. Probably just as important is the fact that Klose and Toni got injured. But to not realize that two forwards on the wrong side of 30 just might get injured is another sign of his naivite as a coach.

    Landon was the beginning of the end. By scoring goals against weak teams he stole the thunder of the real studs thereby covering up the huge holes in the team.

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  13. One year is not enough time to reach a final verdict on Klinsmann as a coach. Bayern obviously has outsize expectations, but this is the first time JK has coached club soccer, and it’s very different from coaching a national team (as Phil Scolari also discovered).

    Frankly, I think it’s better when it’s not the same team winning the league every year, so I welcome Bayern’s struggles, but they’ll be back by next season… dammit.

    As for Klinsmann, I hope he’s learned from the experience and will do a better job next time.

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  14. You are all off your rocker.

    He is going back to California and probably going to be a consultant again.

    I agree with Mike F.

    While with Germany, he had Lowe helping him with tactical matters.

    In the Bundesliga, Bayern looked terrible this year. They seemed flat every game. How can you score only 1 goal against Armenia-Bielefeld?

    For those Landon lovers – dream on. Didn’t you watch any of the games he was in? He showed nothing and did not make himself available.

    Donovan is never going to make it in Europe. He simply has no confidence.

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  15. Canada needs Klinsmann. The powers that USSF wouldn’t give him the CSA should. They didn’t qualify for the World Cup, or U-20 or U-17 events.

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  16. I hope that that the Philadelphia franchise is on this. Klinsmann would be a perfect fit for the start-up Philadelphia MLS team.

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  17. LOL @ the guy who said that if Donovan had stayed at Bayern they would be in first place now.

    I hope that was a joke.

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  18. Osorio IS the problem, sorry to say but as a manager you make what you have work, he chose this “team”, he needs to make them work. OSORIO OUT KLINSY IN!!!

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  19. this makes two straight teams that Klinsy has managed who have underperformed. the run in Germany was nice, but they were the first team to host a world cup and do worse than their previous outing. and, of course, this was basically the same team that Low took to the Uefa 2008 finals, so it was hardly a bit of bad news bears coaching.

    yes, they played some exciting ball in Germany, but it’s not like Germany making the semis of a World Cup held in Germany would actually shock anyone, right? (psst, just as a hint, Brazil will be heavily favoured to win 2014, no matter what shape their team is in)

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  20. I just hope someone stateside will jump on the opportunity to grab him. He’s a natural fit over here in the U.S. He got screwed at Bayern! Too many cooks in the kitchen. On top of it all, he had the Kaiser himself watching over his shoulder. They should have just let the man coach! I hate to say it but had Donovan stayed on that team, they would be in first right now. Klinsman wanted Donovan, but the anti- American upper brass at Bayern did not…And then would you believe, Klose and Toni get hurt..You would have had a proven offensive utility man in Donovan for cheap during that major injury spell of your two main strikers…

    Watch Bayern still end up winning the league this year…

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  21. There’s no need to rock the USNMT boat yet. They’re in first so what would be the point? Klinsmann should not be collecting any unemployement benefits for very long.

    MLS,EPL..etc.etc.

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  22. WoW… after watching what Juregn did to Bayern and the level inconsistency they displayed…you all still want to hire the guy for your national team headcoach despite the fact that you currently sit atop the standings of CONCACAF…

    I am all for upgrading where you can but what exactly has Bob Bradley done wrong?

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  23. Mike – Home teams that have an average age of 22, generally are a long shot no matter what the home field advantage odds are.

    You should have seen what the German press was saying prior to WC06 about those kids under Klinsi….no chance…lucky to advance….etc.

    I’ve been the biggest American Bayern fan since PBS showed Soccer made in Germany in the 70s, then came Kaiser to the Cosmos-my childhood hero.

    The Bayern brass did show much immaturity, starting with Heoness.

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  24. no chance he goes to the MLS. Highly doubt the USMNT will pick him up, although they should. Bayern was playing awful the whole year and anyone who follows them realize this. Unfortunately the coach took the brunt of it, always happens. Hopefully bothe BM and Klinsi will move on to better results.

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  25. Ah yes…I’d love to see a guy who can lead a dominating team with dominating players into multi-goal massacres that made the Kaiser blanche take over our US National Team. That’s just what we need…to go from first to fourth in qualifying. The Galaxy on the other…have nowhere to go but up. My bet, though, is that he ends up coaching Hollywood FC in the PDL.

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  26. why is everyone assuming klinsmann is going to get another job quickly? he was one of my favorite players when i was a kid so i want him to do well but he was completely exposed this year. anyone who watched bayern week in and week out had to have realized that he had absolutely no idea what he was doing. it was frightening.

    and i dont mean to rain on his parade, but home teams make runs in the world cup (south korea??)… you have the home crowd, you have the soft group. klinsmann is incredibly overrated. the US national team lucked out by not buying into the hype…

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  27. I, for one, am not thrilled about the prospect of a full year of Klinsi/USMNT links and speculation in the run up to 2010. Save it for Football Manager, folks.

    But maybe he can play left back!

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  28. The Bayern brass pulled the trigger way too quick, but that’s life in Deutschland, both on an off the platz.

    A team of studs turned duds let the trainer down. Conversely, a team of young kids with a heart showed that Klinsmann has what it takes to lead those who want to win.

    Go back to LA and wait for your USMNT call, then show Germany where the sun doesn’t shine.

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  29. F the Galaxy.

    Dear Mr. Klinsmann,

    Please Contact:

    Mr. Sunil Gulati

    c/o

    U.S. Soccer

    1801 S. Prairie Ave.

    Chicago, IL 60616

    (312) 808-1300

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  30. I hope he sits out a year or comes over and take FC Dallas (please fire Hyndman) or Toronto and then becomes the next national team coach of the US.

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  31. He’ll have to move back to California when he takes over the Nats in late July, after the Nats get hammered in the Confed Cup and crash out of the Gold Cup. 😉

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  32. Minor correction, ‘he helped lead to a Bundesliga title last season.’ He did not take over till this season, although he was announced as the next Bayern boss during the previous season. Oliver Kahn would never have stood for Klinsy being his club coach.

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  33. As one of Jurgen’s fellow countrymen (a very beautiful fellow “countryman,” I might add) would say: In soccer, one day you’re in, the next you’re out.

    If you get that reference, then you, like me, have sold your soul to make the compromise with your wife/girlfriend allowing you to watch soccer and other sports in return for putting up with the likes of Heidi Klum and Tim Gunn.

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  34. Glad Donovan did not stay. Klinsman was correct in bringing Donovan in, he would have helped. It was not the coach’s fault, and good thing Donovan won’t be stranded there. Klinsy will recover nicely, no telling where he will go, he can go anywhere!
    I would like to see Donovan ending up on a Klinsman led European squad. He would get respect and a starting role.

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  35. While 3rd place in the Bundesliga is certainly NOT acceptable, thinking that BM will make it past the quarters of the UCL is a bit overly optimistic. I know they had some injury issues, but just wonder about changing coaches with 5 games to go. They MUST have thought he couldn’t maintain their position in the top 3 and were afraid of being out of the UCL next year.

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