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CONCACAF suspends Klinsmann for Gold Cup final

Juergen Klinsmann

Photo by ISIPhotos.com

By DAN KARELL

The U.S. Men’s National Team will be without their head coach in Sunday’s Gold Cup final.

CONCACAF’s Disciplinary Committee made public their decision to suspend Jurgen Klinsmann for one match due to what the Committee called “showing dissent towards the referee by throwing the ball in a violent manner.” The action occurred in the Gold Cup semifinal match against Honduras, which saw Klinsmann sent off by the referee for the incident. The suspension may not be appealed.

Former Chivas USA head coach and current USMNT assistant coach Martin Vasquez is the likely member of the coaching staff to take control of the team in Klinsmann’s absence. The U.S. plays in their fifth straight Gold Cup final on Sunday against Panama from Soldier Field in Chicago.

What do you think of this news? Do you agree with the decision? Do you believe the suspension can have a huge impact on the final?

Share your thoughts below.

Comments

  1. Klinnsman was only protecting his players as any good coach would , but facts are facts the Salvadorian ref. is a joke , blatent fouls were commited and not flagged by the ref. He simply did an awful job. CONCACAF chooses to look the other way, its an ignorant attempt to not embarrass itself further. The real joke is, that the same Ref will be used for the Final . Listen this Ref thing is simple especially for the Gold Cup , use European Refs on the pitch and CONCACAF Refs for Linesmen.

    Reply
    • whatever, it’s our region. From an American’s perspective in this region it could look weak and opponents would howl foul if Klinnsman was reinstated just about whatever the circumstance, like whatever interpretation one believes or is spinning regarding the Honduras game

      I just want to win tomorrow. it’s the answer as always in the face of the BS and has been in this region for as long as I’ve been following

      Reply
  2. I can’t help but think of Hoosiers, when gene Hackman was ejected and it forced Dennis hopper to finish out the game. Lets run the old picket fence at them boys. Tab rAmos for head coaching duties on Sunday

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  3. JK was rightfully ejected and wrongfully suspended. His petulance was certainly no worse than typical physical on-field conduct that results in a yellow card, but ejection was appropriate because managers conduct has to be held to a higher standard than players. It shouldn’t have gone further than that though. The ball he spiked was not intended to, nor did it, strike anyone. He did not physically confront the officials. He did not run onto the field or engage in prolonged histrionics on the touchline. He apologized and did not make outlandish attacks on the officials postgame. It was probably happenstance that the ball went on the field — punishable, yes — but intent should matter. But having said all of that, I don’t see how you can get worked up about this too much. I don’t think this was right, but I’m also not opposed to the presumption that judgements against managers who step over the line will be harsher than otherwise warranted by the circumstances.

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  4. The investigation that needs to be started is on the bank account of the Costa Rican center official because there certainly was some money deposited for him to be that one sided bad.

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  5. Chairman of the disciplinary committee was from Honduras, Vice Chair is from Panama…. so JK’s fate was decided primarily by the team we just beat in the semifinals and the team we must beat in the finals.

    I wonder when we will hear about the sanctions for the referee due to his performance?

    Reply
  6. Where is JK during the match? I’m wondering if he sees the team at halftime? Can he communicate with the coaches on the field? If he wants a sub to be made, will it happen?

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  7. By the way, Ives…why not have a like button under posts available to us so we can show our support for comments we dig?

    Reply
  8. As if we needed any added incentive.

    It doesn’t matter who steps in to manage the bench, the players will take care of business for JK knowing he put himself at risk for speaking out to defend their safety on the field.

    Reply
  9. look even JK admitted he went over the line. the suspension might be harsh but I dont see how you can say it’s totally unexpected.

    I also think it wont make a damn bit of difference on the field. USA 4 Panama1

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  10. This is good practice because the refs in the WC will try to screw the US as well. Klinsmann better be ready for that as well.

    Reply
    • 2002( Dallas against Germany), 2006(Merk against Ghana), 2010 (Coulibaly against Slovenia, De Bleeckere against Algeria we all know that Deuces goal was onside).

      I am most certain we will get at least won crap ref in 2014.

      Reply
      • There is an apparent trend.

        Throwing a ball at the ground is considered violent conduct but hacking at Bedoya, Beasley and Holden for 90 minutes is entirely permissible?

        We are all invested in this team and what it represents but Klinsmann is invested more than any of us at this juncture. His “protest” was entirely warranted at that point in the game. The Hondurans lost and lost badly. They were made to look silly for 30 minutes, tired rapidly and began making ‘professional’ fouls. It was bound to happen. However, instead of incurring the standard infractions they were continuously awarded for making late, violent challenges.

        Every country feels this way and has their selection of awful calls… however, Quesada was obviously inept or worse. To put it as lightly as possible the referee was highly sympathetic to the Hondurans. To be clear, it is very difficult to be a referee and make split second decisions… but to make that many that badly over the course of an hour and a half is disgraceful.

        Klinsmann’s outburst was warranted. It was the right decision for team morale and it was a proper response to very poor officiating.

      • Very well said!! But maybe Herr Klinsmann should have responded a little less “violently” and just called the ref a real “Dummkopf und Idiot”!

      • Dalllas clearly refereed the 2002 game against Germany with the biased outlook that the Americans could not compete against the Germans without fouling. He was anticipating fouls all the time, not even mentioning the “handball”

        I remember poor Eddie Lewis having a foul called when he came within a foot of Neuville on the wing. He looked around for any help, and none came

  11. We saw some terribly referring during this cup. BUT — we also saw some lousy soccer as well.

    CONCACAF, like every competing nat team, have used this tourney to give their refs some VALUABLE experience.

    My guess is that JK will not make this mistake again.

    Based on our play thus far, I expect the US to win comfortably on Sunday. With or without JK.

    Reply
    • Yeah – we will win. The expulsion will be some extra motivation. Also – what no one has mentioned – we got CONCACAFed with lousy refereeing, yet again. But, but we still won the game in convincing fashion. When Beasley got sandwiched and practically mugged in front of the bench, and Klinsi blew his stack, Beasley got up with his cool game face on and didn’t even gesture at the ref – ready to rumble and play football, he ignored the illegal tackle – like a man. This team knows that they will consistently get the short and dirty end of the stick from most CONCACAF officials, therefore, play soccer football and keep your head together – that’s the most important thing.

      Reply
  12. I think the biggest atrocity is that EJ got the only yellow card in the game. There were terrible tackles all over the field. Most of them from Honduras but the US got away with their fair share. What the ref always do? Sprint up to a player and talk to him. Correct me if I’m wrong but I don’t remember seeing the 4th official or ref ever give a talk to Jurgi. And he was hot for most of the game. Why couldn’t he just come over and tell him ‘that’s enough or else I’ll boot you.’ I think the decision is terrible (I understand it) but it could have been handled so much better.

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  13. Pardon me if this has already been asked…I quickly skimmed the comments and didn’t see anything.

    I would be very curious to read exactly who is on the CONCACAF disciplinary committee and what countries they represent. Does anyone know this information?

    Reply
    • From CONCACAF’s website:

      Disciplinary Committee
      The Disciplinary Committee shall preside over disciplinary matters where tournaments other than the Gold Cup regional championship are concerned, having a say in the length and severity of suspensions and fines resulting from foul play. The Disciplinary Committee will serve as the final appeal recourse for Associations where competition related matters are concerned.

      “Chairman: Alfredo Hawit (Honduras)
      Vice Chair: Ariel Alvarado (Panama)
      Members: David Sabir (Bermuda), Peter Campbell (Cayman Islands), Luis Hernandez (Cuba), Carlos Mendez (El Salvador), Jose Ernesto Mejia (Honduras), Enrique Bonilla (Mexico), Rolando Lopez (Nicaragua), Lincoln Sutherland (Jamaica) and Mike Edwards (United States)”

      So the chairman is from the country we were playing, and the vice is from the country we are going to play.

      Reply
  14. Can anyone respect CONCACAF? What a joke.

    SanFran, I believe this is the first time I’ve ever agreed with your posts. Cheers.

    Reply
  15. Klinsi informs the team he will not be coaching them in the championship and tells to go ahead and win it without him. They then meet with renewed vigor and discuss how they should dismantle panama and make a goal to score on half their good chances while keeping a clean sheet.

    This is what this US squad will do.

    Reply
  16. Well, I think Ives put it best so far on twitter: CONCACAF determined Klinsmann threw a ball in “violent” fashion. So, an elbow to the face=not violent. A ball bounced to the ground=violent?

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  17. Am I missing something? Ok he threw the ball down, but the ref did not eject him from the game till atleast 10 seconds later after a verbal lashing. How can the ref claim he threw him out because he spiked the ball, when it is visable that he did not throw him out for that?

    CONCACAF is and will always be a joke, the conference should be dissolved and these small shitty nations should not have so much power when they do not matter in any of this.

    Reply
  18. CONCACAF is a joke run by idiots. The US should play in South America or Europe because the quality of the players, refs and organization is pathetic. How can you ever win a World Cup if the US plays with such clowns.

    Reply
  19. GENTLEMEN….
    HEAR YE HEAR HE…..
    With every moment of adversity comes opportunity…

    Can you think of a better motivation and rallying cry for the Championship match???????

    As if this hungry group of warriors needed an extra boost…It’s the Red White & Blue vs. The rest of the world….

    Go forth and take what rightfully belongs to you….F#$% em all!!!!

    Reply
  20. GENTLEMEN….
    HEAR YE HEAR HE…..
    With every moment of adversity comes opportunity…

    Can you think of a better motivation and rallying cry for the Championship match???????

    As if this hungry group of warriors needed an extra boost…It’s the Red White & Blue vs. The rest of the world….

    Go forth and take what rightfully belongs to you….F#$% em all!!!!!!!!

    Reply
  21. I sat and listened to Jay Heaps curse the 4th official the entire game on Saturday in Columbus with no warning at all. This was clearly a referee with an agenda. There is no consistency in the rules and there is no way to punish poor refs.

    Reply
    • Because an MLS referee is weak and instructed not to do anything to coaches who are jerks? No, league games are much different than international games. Players are on better behavior during international games (semis and finals not included). They know the referees better at the league level and they go after them, knowing they’ll take it.

      Big Conference tournaments are a different thing, with FIFA referees you don’t see very often. You have to behave better, because they’re not going to take your crap. You’ll notice that the US players weren’t surrounding the referee like they do in the MLS, because they knew it wouldn’t make a difference.

      Reply
  22. Give me a “C”, give me a “O”, give me a “N”, give me a “C, give me a “A”, give me a “C”, give me a “A”, give me a “F” CONCACAF!!!!

    Reply
    • I think you meant keine Scheisse Herr Klinsmann but with such a Scheisse referee it is very understandable why he got so pi$$ed!!!

      Reply
  23. Short answer is the US should actively repeal the travel visas of some of these refs who feel like they need to cheat and turn a blind eye against the US. Would be funny, but would never happen. CONCACAF officiating is so poor it is not even funny anymore.

    Reply
    • It is a sad joke. And quite frankly, I’d rather have a Mexican ref, outside any game we play versus Mexico, than any other ref in Concacaf. Outside of the US and Mexico, the refs are clownish for the most part. Perhaps I exaggerate; I’m sure there are other good refs. Who wants Courtney Campbell?

      Reply
      • Right? Even as a complete an utter US fan and apologist, I think Mex refs probably set the standard for Concacaf, but US and MLS ref are catching up, certainly the top ones. However, once you go to other leagues and refs, forget it.

      • This is a problem with FIFA in general. I don’t understand why FIFA insists on using refs from obscure corners of the earth for the World Cup. Coulibaly, anyone?

        The best referees naturally will come from the best footballing nations. Why should the game have to suffer due to some misplaced sense of egalitarianism?

  24. I don’t think this is that big of a deal. It’s a load of crap for sure. But it will motivate the team to play for the coach. He took one for the players and they have got to respect that.
    4-0 U.S.

    Reply
  25. Consider me not even one teeny bit surprised. CONCACAF (and FIFA) will go to ANY lengths to assert that the referees are always right during the game. How many times are farcical cards rescinded? Hardly ever in big events. They feel bound to keep the illusion that the refs are always right. Utter garbage.

    Reply
    • Well, on one hand I understand the impulse to back the ref, I do get that. Still, the refs have to be worthy of the backing or else it just makes a fool of whoever is backing them up, which is the problem. It’s not necessary the decision to reinforce the decision; it whose they chose to make the decision in the first place.

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  26. I can recall being at GC and WCQ matches in years past, and hearing laughter in the stands at the incompetent officiating (remember Peter Prendergast?). The poor officiating is to be expected, like it or not. While the Honduras match went over the top, JK has to be fully aware of the situation, and should have kept his cool.

    On a positive side, this may motivate the players to win one for the coach who stuck up for them.

    Reply
    • That’s usually what is in a coaches head when he overreacts to a referees call or non-call. At that level you’ve seen it all. Coaches have actually asked to be punished by me after they yelled at me because they want their team to get into the game.

      Reply
    • Yeah, he has to be fully aware until a US player gets an ankle broken, or for that matter, an Mexican player. While the US and Mexico continue to leave Concacaf behind, do you think they will be sending A teams when serious European players and contracts are at stake?

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  27. Just so everyone is clear here–Klinsmann’s ejection only counted for that game.

    They decided that him throwing the ball at the ground warranted an additional suspension as well. That’s how unbelievably ridiculous this is. And they claim he cannot appeal as he acted in a violent manner toward the official.

    Maybe they’re right, it’s possible the official was that piece of gr@ss below him since he certainly wasn’t on the field.

    Reply
    • You are wrong…from every story I see on it there is this line”…and said FIFA rules require anyone ejected from a match to be suspended for the following game.” so no it is not just for that game.

      Reply
      • Don’t care what you think,

        “Following a review today by the CONCACAF Disciplinary Committee, in accordance with Article VI.1b of the 2013 CONCACAF Gold Cup Regulations, it was decided that United States national team head coach Jurgen Klinsmann has been suspended for one match. This decision was reached in accordance with Articles 18.4, 19.1, 19.2 and 20 of the FIFA Disciplinary Code.”

        From CONCACAF. They decided to suspend him. He wasn’t automatically suspended. They decided to add a suspension.

      • They decided based on the rules governing the discipline in the game. We can all agree that it is stupid he is suspended, but according to the code governing the game it is correct.

      • As Ives said, their decision was because Jurgen slammed the ball in a “violent” way. Could they have not as easily decided he hit the ball in a non-violent way?

      • I can’t believe you guys can’t understand this. The rules say they have to review. The rules do not say they have to suspend them. It’s an easy concept. They decided to add on a suspension.

    • You are simply and correct on this point. Go to Section 18 of the FIFA Disciplinary Code (found here). You’ll find that

      (1) Expulsion is defined as the “order given by the referee to someone to leave the field
      of play and its surroundings”, and
      (2) Any expulsion “automatically incurs suspension from the subsequent match.”

      Klinsmann’s one-game suspension is not “additional” in any sense. It is, according to the FIFA Disciplinary Code, automatic. The committee could have waived the suspension, or extended it, but they decided essentially to do nothing and allow the automatic one-game suspension stand.

      Reply
      • Dude it’s not incorrect. It’s 18.4. Clear as clear can be.

        4. An expulsion automatically incurs suspension from the subsequent match,
        even if imposed in a match that is later abandoned, annulled and/or forfeited.
        The Disciplinary Committee may extend the duration of the suspension.

      • Dude. Gold cup doesn’t copy FIFAs rules verbatim. Check the gold cup rules, you will find you are incorrect. Did you notice non FIFA teams are in the tournament? That is because it isn’t FIFAs tourney.

      • Good find Nate. Any of my prior comments were based on the Laws of the Game, not the additional Disciplinary Codes which you cite.

      • Not a good find, looking at the wrong rule book. It’s like an NCAA ref looking at an NBA rule book

  28. No excuses, Klinsmann went over the edge and got punished. I just hope the Costa Rican official at the center of this crap also gets scrutinized and hopefully punished.

    Reply
  29. Why the assumption that Vasquez will be interim head coach? Andreas Herzog looked to be the lead man in the minutes after JK departed.

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  30. And CONCACAF can go R*&($#*(&#(*@ themselves.

    You want violent? The countless times I’ve been attacked by the filth that shows up for Mexico-US games or pretty much any Mexico games. Or the hundreds of beer bottles and hard objects that rain down on players from Mexican fans.

    F*** all of you at CONCACAF as Mexico disrespects every possible aspect of the game. Half the team caught using PEDs? Oh sweep it under the rug as bad chicken.

    Reply
  31. It is a terrible decision considering there were like 100 fouls not called during the game but like it or not USA will win on Sunday so screw you CONCACAF Committee!

    Reply
    • He threw it at the ground–like a basketball player would spike a basketball and get a technical.

      They said he did so violently and thus he cannot appeal his suspension. It is utterly outrageous.

      Reply
      • How is it outrageous? He broke the rules. the ref could have given him a straight red, instead he let those above him makevthe call. Seemsvpretty fair to me.

      • First off–if you’re going to talk about the rules you should know them.

        Coaches cannot be red carded. They can be sent off for the remainder of the game. That’s where it ends.

        And fair? There was nothing fair about the behavior of that official and his treatment of the American players and actions by Honduras.

      • That is not where it ends. The way the AP is reporting it, anytime there is an ejection from a game, FIFA rules dictate that person must be suspended for the next game.

      • I don’t disagree with that but you can’t make physical threats to the ref. And spiking a ball near a ref is a threat. Did the ref do a crappy job? Yes! But he got that one right.

      • “Coaches cannot be red carded. They can be sent off for the remainder of the game. That’s where it ends.”

        I keep reading this in many places and yet I remember Javier Aguirre receiving a red card as coach of Mexico in this very tournament in 2009, I believe it was, for tangling with a Panamanian player near the sideline. Numerous sources still say that he was red-carded.

      • Coaches are not given red cards in the Gold Cup…players are given red cards. A coach just has to be told to leave. The ref just has to ask the lines officials to escort a coach out. It only bans you for that game. Its not a “red card” where you automatically miss the next match. CONCACAF got together and said “yes he should have been banned that game AND on top of that we think he should get one extra!” Its shocking…he gets kicked out with 3mins left…and when the game isnt close?? You might not card a player with 3mins left before a final esp given other fouls which could have a card that don’t…so why a coach? Fine…you send him off and tell him to cool down…but you also feel the need to ban him for the final? He stayed in his box…what would a “non-violent” toss of the ball be….the ball comes at him…its not like he rushed to go get the ball to do something with it. Was he going to hand it to a player while making a complaint? Anyway…basically you can be the lone attacker, in the box, have a clear path to the ball and get an elbow cracked across your face….not only is that not a penalty kick or red card…. but its not even a foul…..but you let the game almost go 90 mins with several other calls and fouls missed, you see your captain get double teamed even after the ball goes out without a call and its 5 feet in front of you…..and you are not expected to have anything to say? Again….go ahead and strut your stuff and have him leave but to add another game band ….the final of all games…..just seems pointless. Are they somehow suddenly upholding the integrity of CONCACAF refs with the final ban…since the game otherwise was so perfectly called?

      • “Coaches are not given red cards in the Gold Cup…”

        Again, Aguirre was in that ugly Gold Cup match between his Mexico side and that of Panama, according to many sites still available online. A major world football site we cannot link to here said this:

        “Then in the 79th minute, Mexico’s manager, Aguirre, and Panama’s Ricardo Phillips were both sent off. Phillips went off the field after the ball, and Aguirre raised his foot as the player arrived. After pushing and shoving, Salvadoran referee Joel Aguilar showed both a red card…”

      • Direct from the 2013/2014 FIFA Laws of the Game:

        “(The referee) takes action against team officials who fail to conduct themselves in a responsible manner and may, at his discretion, expel them from the field of play and its immediate surrounds”
        from Law 5, page 25

        “Only a player, substitute or substituted player may be shown the red or yellow card.”
        from Law 12, page 38

        http://www.fifa.com/mm/document/footballdevelopment/refereeing/81/42/36/log2013en_neutral.pdf

      • You don’t show coaches red cards. You can send them off by telling them to leave the technical area, but you don’t show them a card. By the laws, cards are for players, substitutes and substituted players only.

        Any showing of a card to a team official is, frankly, a mistake an unnecessary.

      • Coaches and players in the technical area are not required to be shown a red card to be dismissed. sometimes the ref will do so, but that is technically bad form.

        Regardless, there is no law that a red card or dismissal is an automatic suspension. Additional game suspensions are league or tournament rules. this is not a FIFA requirement. FIFA does adopt such rules for the World Cup, and those tournament rules are often accepted by the individual federations for their championships.

    • JK not being on the sidleline will have little impact on the game. If Kim Jong Il could coach the North Korean team during the last World Cup via an invisible phone, I’m sure JK will find a way to transmit his instructions to the U.S. sideline.

      Reply
  32. This is the second time a USMNT coach has been ejected in the semifinals of this tournament when the game is all but over.

    In 2005 Bruce Arena was similarly ejected and then suspended for the final.

    This sh*t is fixed. Period.

    Reply
  33. Referee did a terrible job, but it doesn’t matter. You can’t do what Klinsmann did and expect it not to be punished.

    Reply
      • Jose Mourihno stuck his finger in an opposing coach’s eye and pretty much got off scott free.

        He could shoot someone and they might look the other way.

      • Jose Mourinho could do what he wanted mostly because La Liga IS Real Madrid and Barcelona. In this case it’s a FIFA tournament, the action was seen and punished by the referee.

      • And I wouldn’t really have a problem if Concacaf refs were’t a joke, but they are, so it rather annoying. The only thing that allows me to give a pass is that Webb is the new President, so he might need to do this for political reasons, if so, so be it.

      • And I wouldn’t really have a problem if Concacaf refs were’t a joke, but they are, so it rather annoying. The only thing that allows me to give a p@ss is that Webb is the new President, so he might need to do this for political reasons, if so, so be it.

      • Actually its not a FIFA tournament. its a CONCACAF tournatment. The CONCACAF Gold cup rules adopt FIFA rules, which allowed the disciplinary committee to suspend Klinsman for a game.

        Back to the decision to send him off (dismiss),it was very poor. There was no attempt by the fourth official or the center ref to calm him down or warn him. No such warning is required, but that would be good game manaagement by the center referee or the fourth official. That would have let klinsman articulate his displeasure at the repititive tought fouls and allowed things to cool down. Instead, the ref ignored the players and Klinsman. I did not see klinsman slam the ball, but that was obviously enough for the center ref.

        klinsman should have held on to the ball and forced the ref to come to him. Arena was very good at that.

      • To be fair, Arena got himself suspended from a WCQ for dissent. CONCACAF refs have that view toward American players…

  34. There should be a way to suspend referees who do a TERRIBLE job as well. While I understand Klinsman broke the rules, but what do you expect when he is trying to protect his players.

    Reply
    • What exactly was he doing to protect his players? Throwing the ball down at the ground wouldn’t have done anything. If he wanted to protect his players he should’ve hit the worst opponent with a baseball bat. That would at least be a step in the direction of DOING something, rather than getting upset which accomplished nothing.

      Reply
      • LOL! Liquid Yogi! Is that you from the now defunct Sounders Forums? That sucks!…..I do agree with you (for once or maybe twice) in your referee analysis and don’t see this as a big deal.

      • You ask what it accomplished and I’ll assume that was a serious question, since you appear to be confused.

        Managing players is a daily investment that equates to trust, guidance and general day-to-day leadership.

        What Klinsmann did was stood up for his players (and Captain at that time when Beasley was mugged). By doing so, on this stage, helps build trust and a bond that he cares for his players. Something that pays huge dividends in the future…namely during qualifying, and to the World Cup.

        When players know their manager fights for them…guess what they do in return? Fight for their manager.

        I’ve been a huge JK supporter but until the last year, the one aspect I felt was missing since Bradley’s departure was that pure “fight” players had for each other and for their manager. Bradley was brilliant at building that trust and you could see it.

        What JK did was another step towards that “fight” and bond players and managers build with each other. JK is being a manager…even if it’s from the sidelines during the final, which may have more of a long-term impact than you are willing to acknowledge.

        The journey to Brazil is a long one…to look at his dismissal as immature, pointless or accomplishing nothing is to admit you’ve never played a team sport and have zero concept of how bonds and loyalty are built in the sporting realm.

    • Look, there is no way FIFA can support coaches who disrespect referees no matter how awful they may be. The ban was always going to be upheld, there was never any question about and JK knew it. As for protecting his players, this had little to do with that, but was more intended to show the players that JK knew they were frustrated by the officiating and shared in that frustration. It is much better that the coach gets tossed than a player gets a red card. So JK took one for the team and no player felt he had to. Good on JK! But no way he gets off withour the punishment.

      Reply
      • They didn’t uphold a ban.

        They decided to EXTEND the ban another game. The committee added on another game!

      • Is this actually the case? I thought a red card was an automatic ban on the next match. Unless said otherwise. Even if i’m wrong it’s probably deserved. I could care less Panama is going to be on the receiving end of justice.

      • The rule is if you are sent off in a game you automatically miss the next game and the manager’s case nothing new was done here. He misses the final, big deal. Like he was going to play.

      • Agreed, JK displayed the dissent so the players wouldn’t do something. Now, it’s up to the players to return the favor by winning the final.

      • Baseball managers get throw out of games all the time, basketball coaches get technicals called on them. Coaches do this to show to their team that they got their back, to motivate them and to set the tone with the officials for the remainder of the game or next game or games.

        We are in the finals and playing without the coach on the bench, JK has put the team in a new unexpected situation which will only better prepare the down the road to handle adverse situations, it should also motivate the to win on Sunday.

        Klinsmann knew exactly what he was doing. He’s not a hot head and IMO he knew he would get a suspension.

      • I think you give him just a tad too much credit, as he has been known to let emotions get the best of him. For the record, I thought his display was awesome.

      • I really don’t think that Klinsmann expected to be thrown out. If your level-headed, you realize you have a big game ahead of you. No, I think he was frustrated by the non-calls the given on the US team, when the Hondurans, frustrated by the lack of the ball, started wholesale fouling. This kind of behavior towards the end of the game is EXACTLY what the referees are supposed to look out for, but obviously they did not. As the Hondurans continued to foul with impunity it got to JK who exploded at the ref and earned his first red card in a while.

        I think the US will be OK, JK will make the game-day decisions and can call it in to the bench, but what bothers me is that we will now have a former Chivas USA coach at the head of a important USMNT game. That really scary..

      • So no matter how bad a ref is there is nothing a coach can do? I have seen coaches do far worse and get nothing. CONCACAF blew this one big time. That ref was pathetic.

      • Yes Aaron, no matter how bad a referee is you cannot justify certain things. Just like when someone attacks a cop, it doesn’t matter that the cop is wrong you’re going away for a long time.

      • Right, like if, for instance, the cops kill a 70 something year old in his own house because they messed up the address, totally understandable!

      • Ben taking any argument to the illogical extreme doesn’t work. You need to use your brain, and think.

      • It’s sad that you don’t see he was calling you out for your idiotic, “extreme” analogy. And, if you’re really a yogi, I suggest you quiet down and listen rather than trying to act like you’re above others’ opinions.

      • Wasn’t murder. And he was actually on record previously for SAVING a black kid’s life. It was NEVER a civil right’s case, as the FBI told agitprop in chief Holder.

        So let’s stick to football, shall we?

      • Your first sentence should have been:

        “So let’s stick to football, shall we?”

        …not your last after YOUR OWN off-topic rant.

      • It’s better than JK learns to keep his cool now than for him to lose it in a qualifier or WC match. Whether you think the refereeing was cr@ppy or not, no player or coach has the right to slam a ball down and scream at the referees.

    • He threw a hissy fit and got sent to his room, and now he can’t play outside this weekend.

      Maybe next time he will stay composed in the waning moments of a match well-in-hand.

      I understand that he wanted to stand up for his players, but honestly, a coach’s complaints aren’t really going to change the flow of the game or a referee’s mindset. That ref had it in his head that we were bullies and that Honduras needed to be able to hack us to keep the game fair.

      Get ready to see another hack-fest on the USA in the final. I have a feeling we will see at least 2 or 3 legit PKs go uncalled.

      Reply

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