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Klinsmann, Bradley discuss approach vs. Guatemala

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  1. You people dont really know about soccer ist better to have a draw so that way it b easier trip going back to guatemala than going all the way to jamaica and i am sure that thats what the players will do today both teams are oredy in the hexagonal lets let them kill eachother next year

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    • I’m sure Klinsmann would be happy with a draw and moving to the Hex, but it would be crazy to play for a draw and risk Guatemala scoring a last second goal to win and Jamaica beating Antigua by three goals and the USMNT out of the Hex. The guys have to go hard to score early and win.

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  2. i can never get this kind of video to play for me. i never get to see MLS highlights as a result. i wonder if it is a google chrome thing.

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  3. It is interesting to see the body language of Klinsamann and Bradley. Klinsmann is leaning back with his arms folded and seems to be feeling the pressure of underperforming as compared to expectations. Bradley on the other hand is leaning forward toward the reporters and exudes confidence. When he says that the team is going to imposed themselves on Guate from the opening whistle, I believe him.

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    • The irony of the situation is staggering. Cannot be easy for Klinsmann, who has been taking massive heat all week for not meeting expectations, to be at a press conference before a big game sitting next to none other than the son of Bob Bradley, whose supporters cannot stand him and probably deep in their hearts are still holding out hope that Klinsmann will be fired after tonight’s game. I’m surprised Klinsmann did not ask Bocanegra or Tim Howard to participate. Seems more like a PR ploy from Klinsmann than from the heart. Klinsmann needs to stay strong and realize that if he gives them an inch they won’t stop until they have whole mile.

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  4. You remember Freddy Adu, he was an underage plauer on the U-17 WC team with Bradley.Bradley quietly moved to the Metrostars for a year to recover from an injury and played a season there with his father as coach.Bob got let go and Michael moved to europe shortly thereafter. His carrer has been mostly one of steady improvement (such things are never straight lines, but the general trend has been ever tougher teams, ever better performance.).
    For Guatemala all the US has to do is hold them scoreless to advance. I do not expect an exciting game, And all Guatemal has to do is hold the US scoreless to advance. It will be very tactical!

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  5. I actually love the change. For all his previous expounding and philosophical discussions to now exhibit that kind of terseness…. makes folks take notice. When a guy like that starts to change is tone and answer with “win the game” and little else, it’s pretty clear where he is in terms of his fuse. I’m pretty sure he’s ready to start from scratch.

    I have never been one to forget that the only real cakewalk matches the USA has ever had in CONCACAF is when they play Barbados. Other than that it’s never easy, never pretty and always stroke-inducing. And yet every cycle it’s the same thing: Mexico “waltzes” through, we don’t win games 4-0 and everyone starts keening like it’s the end of the world and calling for the coaches head. Everyone in this region always gets up for playing the USA, and frankly the USA is always little more nervy that it should be (call it an institutional inferiority complex).

    Every time an opponent plays bunker-ball or anti-football or whatever you want to call it, the team trying to play prettier fizzles, I don’t care it it’s a new-look USA or Arsenal or Bayern… maybe Brasil and Barca are the two exceptions…. I get that it’s still maddening to live through, but really why are we surprised and why do we think the insertion of (insert untested name here) would make that any different?

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  6. Klinsmann definitely did not appear like himself. He seemed tired, worn down and stressed. Its almost like he is thinking, “damn, this has been a harder job than I thought.” To the contrary, MB is calm, composed and totally in charge; quite like the way he commands himself on the field. MB has been around so long, I often forget how young he still is. As mentioned above, I think he can develop into a world class talent if he continues his seemingly methodical approach and work ethic.

    As far as tomorrow’s game goes, the most important thing is advancing, and the fact is, it is in both team’s best interest to draw. It would not suprise me if the game ends up being a bore.

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      • No doubt on MB as the next captain. Boca is a warrior, but his time has come…I think it needs to happen at least 9 months before the WC. Sad to say if Boca is in our backline we’re going to struggle. He’s struggling to close on players and his recovery speed at the WC level is nil. He’ll have to foul to keep from getting beat. The only thing that saves him is if JK values his leadership over performance, or if changing the captaincy would completely ruin team unity. Somebody has to step up at CB.

  7. This press conference reminded me of the situation before the Egypt game at the Confederations Cup in ’09. We’d lost badly to Brazil and Italy and the press/fans were all over the team. The team responded very well to that criticism as we all know.

    It also illustrates how much Bradley has matured. Remember how emotional he was in responding to that criticism?

    The US always plays better with a chip on its shoulder. The non-verbal communication from Klinnsman and the statements of Bradley indicate to me that these guys know they haven’t played their best. I am expecting an inspired a** kicking tomorrow.

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  8. I have a huge problem with Klinsmann when he explained the game at A&B. He told the players going in to A&B that this was the game of their lives!!! Really against A&B, not Spain, Mexico or Brazil. What a huge hit to the moral of the team. No wonder everyone played like crap. The only one who played like it meant anything was EJ cause it did mean more to him than anyone else

    Ives linked it in a story on Sunday or Sat.

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    • When you’re playing to go to the World Cup and every point matters, A&B was most definitely the game of their lives.

      What does Brazil, Spain or Mexico have to do with that match?

      Hate on JK all you’d like but that kind of perspective reminds me why you’re posting on a messageboard and not leading men in a sport.

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      • Lets just say its sad that it got to that point where playing A&B was the game of their lives. Unlike playing Spain or Brazil in the Confed cup or Mexico in a world cup, or England in a world cup.

        Can you imagine Demps saying, gather around grand kids let me tell you of the time we played the game of our lives. It was against the mighty A&B. We played like crap but yet we won on a last second goal. We had this amazing coach that promise change. We played very defensively unlike our previous coaches.

        If Klinsmann had any tactical abilities, we should have already qualified for the WC before this game.

        Oh and old school I’m sorry if I offended you by hating on the man that you love and cherish.

      • EJ wasn’t the only player who had a good match. Actually I thought Bradley and Dolo (in that order) were the players that had ‘good’ matches. EJ of course gets a good grade for the goals, but his play in an out-of-position midfield role was lackluster when he was forced away from the goal.

        A WC match is more important than a friendly. By definition.

      • Your entire hyperbolic reaction is offensive to sanity.

        The haters on this board have become school girls with their whining. It’s becoming hard to read.

      • Frankly, you are responding like a school girl whose crush has been insulted.

        If you are not at least raising questions about JK, you are not paying attention. And the dounbts are hardly limited to posters here. A quick check of soccer journalist will find plenty of doubters out there-more so then believers

      • If you’re basing your opinion of soccer writers, I can see why your response is so disconnected.

        Talk about school girl crushes.

      • +1 Tony

        Old School is always wearing rose colored glasses and attacks anyone who doesn’t wear them too

        old school my butt, that’s how my 8 year old acts

      • how do you know he wouldn’t say that if we were actually playing Spain or Brazil (again) in the Confeds Cup or Mexico or England (again) in the World Cup?!

        you’re upset with him for not saying something about some games that are hypothetical repeats of games in the past????

        what i CAN imagine is a group of guys who needed to win to help their chances of advancing to the next round of qualifying. so yes, in a way, it was a game of their lives because a lot of these players have yet to go to the World Cup.

        Old School is not hating because he loves and cherish JK, it’s because your point is absolutely ridiculous.

      • He was saying that Antigua and Barbuda were playing the game of their lives. Many minnows consider playing the USA or Mexico as the biggest match of their lives because many do not qualify for the world cup finals.

      • listened to it again. you’re right he was talking about A&B.

        But does not change the fact that we played horrible. Yes the field was crap the weather was crap but both teams had the same conditions to play in. If we play away games like we have played against Jamaica, Guatemala, and A&B in the Hex I don’t like our odds.

        I know in the Hex you win at home and have to draw on the road. But we will be playing better teams. I hope Klinsmann and the boys get their acts together. I’m just afraid Klinsmann does not instill confidence in his players. But prove me wrong Klinsy prove me wrong

      • OK, so you said at first that the US players played like crap because Klinsmann told them the A&B game was the game of their lives, now you’re saying that well, they still played like crap – even though you were dead wrong about your fantasy of Klinsy’s speech in the locker room.

        Haters gonna hate. Did you watch the game? My 9 year old daughter plays on bigger fields than that. True, both teams played on the same pitch, but it was to A&B’s advantage to play on a smaller pitch. The other thing that most people are neglecting is that most of the A&B players play on the same club side, which gives them an advantage in communication. All those USL games they play are essentially also national team games. That strategy has paid huge benefits for them. The US has tried that in the past, but that was after the NASL folded and before MLS. Credit to A&B for making it work for them.

      • Yes, I manage to sit through the game. When we first scored was sure we were going to put up 2-3 more goals in. I was not too worried when they answered back in 5 min. Started to get real scared when they were out shooting us. And it felt like a loss even though we won.

        To be honest I was excited to see Klinsy! I thought Bob did a wonderful job but grew stale. I thought Klinsy would be a breath of fresh air. Was okay that last year friendlies went poorly, you have to give a coach time. But when the team looks just as stale as it did with Bob in the Gold cup and when it looks like the US has gone backwards and not forwards (excluding Italy and Mexico, friendlies) the coach is to blame and the one who hired the coach too.

        I agree with your reasoning of most of those guys play on one team and that helps a bunch. Look a Spain it is mostly made up of Barca and Real players. But they still play in a very very low league. And our core players have been playing for the Nats together for a long time too. I know not exactly the same but the professionalism is also not the same.

        Anyways, do you think they played well? Did they switch fields at the last minute and pull a fast one on Klinsy and the boys? Klinsy should have know the field would be small. That’s his job, to know the opposing players and any other conditions important to the game. It’s his job to prepare accordingly. Bring in the right guys to play on a small field and come up with tactics for a small field. Did he bring in the right guys? I think so. Did he use the right tactics? Maybe but I doubt it, just look how we were out shot in the second half until the last 5 min or so. Plus I’m dumbfounded that he did not call in additional players for the 4 that were hurt/sick. At worst it’s 4 bodies on the practice field, at best 4 guys who can play in case others get hurt or sick or red carded. If you still think I’m a hater, please no matter what Klinsmann says don’t drink the red cool-aid.

      • Yeah, they play on the same club… Antigua Barracuda in the US Pro Division. That’s two levels below MLS, full of semipro teams, and Barracuda doesn’t do well there. Granted, they have the synchronization advantage via club familiarity. But it’s a club team that struggles against semipro teams. That’s who nearly tied the U.S. on Friday. Small field or not, that was eye-opening. Now, we’re playing Guatemala at home, and people are nervous about it because we need a tie. Guatemala has never been to a World Cup and only has qualified for the Hexagonal four times. Their biggest attack threat is only MLS quality. That’s how far this national team has slid. Four and eight years ago, this game would have been seen as an easy one. Going into tonight, people are nervous.

      • i’m with you about Johnnky. he was complaining that JK didn’t give a “play for your lives” speech to the team in some made up games that weren’t even happening.

        it’s one thing to criticize JK, he certainly deserves some. but being mad because he didn’t give some speech to the players about hypothetical rematches makes NO sense. especially when JK didn’t give that speech to begin with, he was repeating A&Bs speech.

    • Uhhhh… before you get too over the top offended, maybe consider that you may misinterpreted what JK was saying. The quotes I saw… Klinsman was explaining to his players that they needed to be prepared because A&B would come out and play at their very best because coming playing vs the US in a WC qualifier was to be the game of THEIR lives.

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    • I believe you have misinterpreted what JK said. Actually, I’m almost positive he said that it was the game of the A&B players’ lives, not the USA players’. He was just letting them know that A&B was going to come out with crazy intensity.

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  9. JK seems unenthusiastic and/or concerned. I think he knows the team needs to have a solid showing. I want to see 90+ min of full dominance of this match, with more than 2 Goals to account for and of course the 3 points.

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  10. Exactly what I want to hear from players and coach. Exactly. Cannot wait for the game. Seems like ‘tactical discipline’ will be the foundation for tomorrow and beyond.

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    • Exactly. He thinks like his father and talks like his father. Sometimes, I think losing Bob Bradley wasn’t the worse thing in the world, because now we have two coaches, Klinsmann on the bench and Bradley on the field.

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      • I think there’s something to what you are saying. MB has clearly turned into the best midfielder the US has, possibly even the best ever if he keeps developing. His story, and current role of Roma MF, is incredibly impressive and has showed that he has progressed constantly over the last four years. I say this as someone who did not see him ever being as good as he is, but am thrilled at his development.

        The cool thing, then, is that he IS the general on the field, and will be on into the future. Bob Bradley had his limitations (inability to adjust quickly to a game, by changing appropriate line ups and personnel). MB does not have any limitations, and Klinsmann seems to embrace his role as leader, and it shows when he talks about MB (he gets really excited). This all plays into a very cool and exciting chemistry that the US is showing, one that includes Bob Bradley, since he groomed MB for most his life, and obviously did great things for US soccer (despite the naysayers – the same ones who call for Klinsmann’s head I’m sure).

      • I’m saying this as a life-long Metrostars/Red Bulls fan who saw a 16 year old Bradley play for NY/NJ and NEVER EVER thought he would become what he is today.

        Bradley is already the best American midfielder ever (don’t argue with me…I’m in too deep with this) and he’s still only 25. Wow.

      • I know what you mean. I went through the exact same process as a Metrostar fan and couldn’t figure out why he got so much playing time. I mean, he was good for a 17 year-old certainly, but didn’t flash any special skills like a Luis Gil. It wasn’t until he started racking up goals at Heerenven that I became a believer and started noticing the nuances of his game.

        I’m not sure he’s the greatest MF ever for USA yet, though. Harkes and Reyna had long runs for EPL squads and Tabare is still the most skilled player to ever don a USMNT kit, imo.

      • Well, Harkes spent three years with Sheffield Wednesday but only saw one year at top flight EPL (Division 2 in his first year, promoted up to Division 1, and then EPL). He was then sent to Derby County (Division 1) on a season-long loan.

        You make a better case with Reyna who, after graduating from the University of Virginia, went on to spend most of his professional career in Europe.

        Bradley was more groomed and brought up in a different environment. At 15, he was entered into the U-17 national team residency and then at 18/19 he signed with Heerenveen in the Eredivisie. He never got the accolades Reyna got but he was already getting his pro career started — earlier than Reyna got started. Oh, and he scored 16 league goals (18 in all competitions) in his third season there, thus breaking the record for most goals by an American in a single season.

        It took Reyna 7 seasons overseas to score 16 goals TOTAL (13 in league over that time span).

        I don’t know man, I still think Michael Bradley is already the best American midfielder ever.

      • You really have to take MB’s Heerenven goals out of the equation. That was just a fluky season and almost all those goals were virtual tap ins off of late runs and rebounds. In any case, goals aren’t really the measure or the prime objective of either player, and CR never played in a league like that. Both are/were excellent defenders and string pullers. MB probably is the more physical player while CR was the more technically sound tackler when he needed to be. Both play excellent long balls and both have great touch. I’d say CR was a bit better at controlling the game, while MB is better at joining the attack himself.

      • Nah, he’ll take over as coach for the GMNT in 2032 (Germany), because the German press and fan base will be calling for him to take over each time the GMNT loses, draws, or wins but not in a blowout.

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