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Klinsmann observes and takes part in U-18 USMNT training camp

Jurgen Klinsmann

Photo by ISIPhotos.com

Comments

  1. Personally, I’m kind of bored by this type of story, especially since the U20s just beat River Plate U19s in the Dallas Cup last night with Rubio scoring. Rubio also just signed with Utrecht. This stuff all interests me way more than where Juergen flies with his chopper. Just my personal feelings. Not sure if you guys agree?

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      • he probably posted because it’s a site with a strong commenter community, and he wonders if he’s the only one who feels this way. (i agree with him, by the way.)

        ives occasionally monitors comments on the site (or used to), and it’s not unheard of that he makes changes to content or format based on feedback from the comments.

        and i read this post because i click through pretty much every post on this site, just in case it’s something that turns out to be interesting.

      • Yeah, and thanks for sharing but like so many other topics on this “strong commenter community” site one has to expect that some would like this kind of thing.

        I’m with GW on this in that if it’s not my thing then I don’t read it and even if curiosity gets the best of me I certainly don’t have to post, But to post with the intent of changing the menu to your personal taste is kind’a not cool because one person’s like…and all that.

      • i think it was clear that TomG was not posting “with the intent of changing the menu to [his] personal taste”. he wrote his opinion, and then asked if others agreed.

        if done politely (as TomG did), i think that’s a great way of gauging readers’ opinions on an article, since, as i wrote below to GW, there are various non-content-related reasons a post may not garner many views.

      • after re-reading your comment, let me clarify:

        I don’t think TomG’s intent was to change the content to his *individual* personal taste, at the expense of the majority’s.

        yes, his intent may have been to determine if his personal taste was shared by others, and to affect the site’s content that way, but i don’t really see any problem with that–that’s up to ives, in any case.

      • Mr Dollars,

        It’s sort of like showing up late at someone’s party and then making an announcement that you showed up late because you knew it would be a crap party and then leaving.

        If Ives wants to gauge interest in a topic he can just count the number of posts it draws. Fewer post, less interest.

      • except that your example would be incredibly rude, and i don’t think TomG was being rude at all: he made it clear (multiple times) that it was just one guy’s opinion, and even asked for input from others to see if he was the only one who felt that way.

        and there are quite a few reasons that a post might not draw comments, including content, of course, but also the time of day, concurrent content release, presentation, etc. TomG was positing an opinion (again, in a polite way) on why this post might not garner a lot of views.

      • Nate,

        I get what you are saying, However, the only polite way of telling any writer that their article is boring and uninteresting.is to ignore the article.

        I did not see Mr. Karell adding the obligatory”thoughts?, Comments?”

        I’m sure Ives monitors the posts but I get the feeling that he does not do it to the extent you seem to think he does. .

    • Personally, both things interest me. I especially like to keep up with the US national teams at all levels and wish SBI had news of the game you speak of. Also, I like behind the scenes stories, like if a coach has a different kind of practice session, how JK has changed the training regimen, if he has, etc. Also, I like to find out the management practices of good managers. From reading about other sports, I find that while all are a little different at least , they also tend to share some characteristics and management styles interest me.

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    • They lost 4-3. They were the better team until late when many changes were made and Mexico rallied to save face.

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      • Really? I was at the game and certainly didn’t walk away with the impression that we were better. In fact, every time Mexico attacked, they looked likely to score. I’d say they “saved face” rather well seeing as how our defenders were simply unable to deal with their movement and attacking impetus.

    • I’d have watched except this site never mentioned the game time. Put up a video post, but no details. I can’t stand that.

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  2. This is the kind of passion and commitment the entire US program that JK has proclaimed from the start. I have trouble imagining, say, Vicente del Bosque stalking around a U-18 training camp in Spain.

    I’m not up on what’s proper in coaching attire, but JK’s dark socks struck me either as a reflection of his willingness to join the session (because they matched what the team was wearing), or as a great idea for an “Uncle Drew”-type commercial where JK starts out disguised as a clueless soccer dad and then starts schooling the young players.

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    • Probably because DelBosque has enough trust and respect for his coaches he doesn’t feel the need to show up and do their jobs.
      Good bosses put those they trust in charge and let them do their thing.

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      • Dial down the melodrama. Sorry for your loss, but what on God’s earth does your point have to do with mine? The simple fact that people die in war is never going to prevent people from using military analogies to understand real life. Why does “The Art of War” have such a following in the business and legal communities? I could go on but you are already have this conversation tracking tangentially. Point is that it is good for a leader like Klinsmann to mix with all the ranks (ha, do you like that word choice?). I was trying to distinguish with the prior post that had more to do with delegation, which is also a good leadership trait, but doesn’t paint the whole picture.

      • Yes, because JK is all over these places everyday telling everyone how to do their job, where to stand and how to urinate. Please! It’s a program that has many levels and even though Del Bosque is not out there with the kids of Spain he does monitor and manage the whole system – it’s his job. Plus I am not sure where you get your solid info from that you use to make your case. How do you know that Del Bosque or any other big name guys hasn’t made at least one visit to the junior teams? Not even one? Now he has no respect or trust of his coaches?

        So they have different styles – who cares, really? JK is trying to stand something up that either hasn’t existed in our program, or if it did was lacking in execution. This makes him a bad boss? If he’s micro managing then that’s a whole different thing but he’s not.

      • As someone who was a successful manager for a decade, yes you pick good subordinates and get out of the way, but you also get to know your employees at all levels. Show the flag, as it were. A good manager motivates and that is obviously what JK is doing here.

      • Yes, you’re rright. I knew that. Just when I thought I could avoid “fogy” status by being careful to wear white socks with shorts, the whippersnappers change the rules on me.

        Seeing teenage athletes wearing socks with those sandals you use when you take off your cleats also threw me. Socks with sandals used to be almost the defining field mark of the species Daddius unhippus.

      • Yeah, and they are back to wearing ball caps with that mesh on the back too, that was so 70’s to mid-80’s.

    • Don’t forget, after Klinsmann moved here he played in one of the lower US Soccer divisions under a fake name just schooling everyone.

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    • The late great Luis Aragones, would have, he was really invested in the youth for La Furia Roja, but more so for his beloved Atletico Madrid. luis & Jesus Gil, para siempre.

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    • Yea, I’m sure they are completely unaware. Not like anyone would ever mention that to them, or they would ever think to google his name to see who this guy is.

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      • Hah, ya but its long enough ago that people sorta for that he was basically the Luis Suarez of the early 1990s. Maybe less goals than Luis but he got all the important ones and dived a bunch too.

    • You know how recent converts to a church can be more fervent than those who grew up in a religion? I think it can be the same with immigrants and I have this feeling that Klinsmann loves this country as much or more than many who were born here. He also looks like he could go out there and give a good 75 minutes, although I’m sure he’s lost a couple of steps. Back in the day he was one of my favorite players.

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