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Report: Klinsmann to join Toronto FC as consultant

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Jurgen Klinsmann is heading to MLS, but it won't be as a coach.

The Globe and Mail is reporting that Klinsmann is in talks with Maple Leaf Sports and Entertainment to join in a consultant role with Toronto FC — specifically assisting in the process of hiring a head coach and general manager.

Klinsmann, and his company Soccer Solutions, will also take a look at the organization of the club as a whole, and make recommendations as to who can oversee renovations at the club.

An official announcement is expected to come next week, and will mark Klinsmann's first foray back into club soccer, since a failed head coaching gig with Bayern Munich came to an end back in 2009.

What do you think of the news? Surprised to see Klinsmann head to Toronto? Can he make a difference?

Share your thoughts below.

Comments

  1. What would make you think such a ridiculous thing? JK is about as overrated as it gets in the world of soccer. He is REVILED by those at Bayern Munich.

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  2. “His ideas (espically about using more children of immigrants) revolutionized the way the DFB looked at soccer. ”

    That’s a bit much.

    Germany was using immigrant kids long before Klinsi was the manager. It was Rudi Voller who brought in Klose (2001) and Podolski (2004) not Klinsi.

    I agree Klinsi has a high soccer IQ and will do a good job for TFC. I just don’t think his record shows him to be the cure all Messiah everyone seems to think he is. He gets a lot of credit for things that may not be entirely down to him, like Germany’s increasingly diverse ethnic profile.

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  3. GW, couldn’t disagree more!

    Remember when German soccer was dubbed as dull and boring? Now it is seen as exciting, aggressive, attack-minded soccer…they are one of the best international teams to watch these days. The man most responsible for that is Jurgen Klinsmann! He changed the mentality of German soccer for the better and brought in Low, who continued the German soccer rennaisance. Sure things didn’t work in Bayern, but that had more to do with disagreements with management and that they wouldn’t bring in his type of players or back him when players became upset (like when Podolski was dogging it and Klinsmann tired to get him to hustle). You are right that Germany has an excellent player pool to select from, but Klinsmann’s immediate predecessors weren’t using it to the fullest. A good talent pool doesn’t guarantee success (see France 2010 for reference). His ideas (espeically about using more children of immigrants) revolutionized the way the DFB looked at soccer. You are right that he didn’t train Muller, Ozil, or Khedira into superstardom, but his ideas helped create a national team situation in which they could thrive.

    Bottom line…Klinsmann has a high soccer IQ, puts smart people in positions where they can succeed, and has worked in MLS and understands the unique challenges of North American soccer. Sounds like the perfect description of someone I want helping to build an MLS team. Great job TFC!

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  4. Now that is a gross exaggeration. He managed Germany not DC United.

    The two outstanding players for Germany this year were Tomas Muller and Mesut Ozil. Muller developed at Bayern and Ozil developed at Schalke,and Werder Bremen. Muller is 21 and Ozil is 23. Are you telling me Klinsman developed them and was responsible for their success? That’s absurd.

    Klinsman did clear out older players from the 2004 Euro squad that failed to get out of their group, a massive failure by German standards. So what new,younger players did he give prominent roles to? Podolski, Schweinsteiger, and Lamm come to mind. But all of them were on the 2004 Euro roster, Podolski was the leading scorer in the Bundesliga before the World Cup, Schweinstieger and Lamm were already Bayern regulars in 2005 and don’t forget he retained Miro Klose who had been a regular scorer for Germany since the 2002 World Cup.

    If you had been the manager you probably would have had those guys feature on your team. And, more to the point, can you tell what comparable players JK would have to breathe new life into the US team had he taken over?

    Who is the new US version of Podolski and Klose circa 2006? Do we have a new midfielder and left back both of whom are regulars for Bayern Munich(or an equivalent club)that Bradley haS somehow ignored?

    JK did a good job in 2006 but he had a massive home field advantage and he had a player pool arguably comparable with those of Brazil, Argentina, Spain, Holland, France and Italy. Are you telling me he would have had anywhere near those kind of resources here? Some would argue that Germany not getting to the final in 2006 was a failure.

    The US is a team that usually has a talent deficit relative to the teams that it plays when things matter. When Klinsmann proves he can manage such a team to a result consistently, it would give him a better case to make that he should manage a team like the US.

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  5. Klinsmann has done a lot more than simply coach a couple of teams. He completely restructured the national team program in Germany, focussing more on youth development and how to improve the system. Those results showed themselves this summer at the World Cup.

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  6. All this unquestioning Klinsmann love from US fans is a very interesting comment on how desperate US fans are.

    Klinsi was a fantastic player, which guarantees you almost nothing in terms of what he brings to the table as a manager (see Maradona and about twenty pages of soccer history).

    He had a brief stint as the manager of Germany during their down period and then leads them to a 3rd place finish when they have home field advantage. This for a country that has arguably the best World Cup record of any team, save Brazil, in the world. Those who say Klinsi pulled Germany out of a dark hole are delusional. When you have the Bundesliga as a source for players how bad off are you? Klinsmann leading Germany to 3rd place was not unlike taking over the Yankees after they miss the playoffs and then taking them as far as losing in the ALCS. Both teams have had and always will have enormous resources, especially when it comes to getting talented players. The USMNT is not like that.

    Then he has a brief turbulent reign at Bayern which leads to his firing.

    So for some reason US fans seem to think JK is the soccer equivalent of Bill Parcells when the truth is the man has won absolutely nothing as a manager.How is it that he has been sitting around unemployed since his Bayern stint with, as far as we know, only

    the US job as a serious offer? Would Hiddink, Hitzfeld, or Mourinho be available for that long?

    More to the point would they want to sit around not managing for that long? Everyone hates Sven but he can’t sit around very long before he feels like he has to manage something. And the man has actually won things. It makes me wonder whether Klinsman actually likes to manage or just likes being chased to do so.

    One thing we do know about Klinsi is that he is the best interview and on air personality out there. After years of Foudy, Lalas, Wynalda, Harkes , Bob Bradley, etc., all of whom are crap on TV Klinsi can out charm and out talk them all the way to the bank.

    Does that mean he’s be better than BB at the job?

    Not unless he gets more German players eligible to play for the US. I’m sure JK could be a fine manager for the US. Whether our record would improve one iota is debateable.

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  7. Klinsmanns’ involvement will improve TFC but they’ve almost hit rock bottom so that shouldn’t be too difficult. Still if they improve without seriously challenging for the east than his detractors will say he failed. If they rocket to the top of the east than detractors will say he had nominal impact because he didn’t coach the team.

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  8. Not so sure about that. I think he’s sees this as a good business strategy and one that he could do for many teams the world over, given that this TFC thing goes well.

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  9. I will be the first to throw this out there. His strategy is to make in roads to the Canadian National Team head coach, and then turn them into a CONCACAF power that competes and beats the US. He’s pissed at USA. Just a gut feeling, but then again I think like a German0-it’s in my blut.

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  10. Grant Wahl’s twitter:

    # The amount of anti-Klinsmann vitriol here in Munich is interesting. Helps to be on the ground sometimes. 4:25 PM Oct 26th via web in reply to JasonLaCanfora

    # Even Bayern people who supported Klinsmann at 1st tell me he lost support of most players before firing near end of 1st season in charge. 4:11 PM Oct 26th via web

    # Juergen Klinsmann not popular in Munich. Bayern people tell me he won’t ever work again in Germany. Says one: “He’s dead here.”

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  11. Why do I think that Martin Vasquez (former Klinsi assistant at Bayern and recently fired Chivas coach) is going to be on the TFC short list?

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  12. Don’t let all the Redbull sympathizers read that statement about empty seats or a plethora of generic excuses with come raining in per usual.

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  13. People who post “First” generally finish last in everything. Hence their excitement at a juvenile victory.

    Also, they have Bieber Fever and generally talk with a lisp. Right, Matt in Detroit?

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  14. Actually, Klinsmann is very knowledgeable of MLS. He lives in Southern California, and has for some time now. His knowledge of the game, as well as the players, coaches, and other soccer big shots here in North America is a huge reason why everyone wanted him to be hired for the USMNT job. he is the reason Donovan got a shot at Bayern Munich. Unfortunately for both of them, Klinsmann was on the outs at the time.

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  15. Do you really think he would have to recommend himself for the job?! Every team in MLS would kill to have him coach for them. I am sure TFC already asked and he said,”No thanks, but I can help you look”.

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  16. One day i am going to start my own blog. You can bet that I will ban all people that post first for LIFE! On second thought, If your post actually gets posted first, I might just do a one day suspension. If the post is second or worse; BANNED FOR LIFE!

    Ok, so I am half joking here. I really don’t know why it gets under my skin so much. That and discussions about politics, race and religion on a soccer blog really get to me.

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  17. Id argue he never had a chance at club level, having to work with Hoeness as well as never getting to fully implement his own touches on the club (it was never going to happen). He did however get that chance (or more of a chacne to do so) with the national team.

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  18. Ahhh thanks I did not know that about him?

    I’m like you ViperLAG maybe I’m just bummed because I really want him to take over the USSF I think he would be great. If he understands the goofy rules of MLS then I think this is a good move. Let’s hope it’s short lived and he does take over USSF.

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  19. And here I was hoping that I would wake up one day and here that the USSF board died in a plane crash and that Klinsmann would assume the role of revamping how USSF operates from top to bottom. I have nothing but the utmost respect for Klinsmann and his ideas on how a soccer organization should be run. His coach style aside, he knows what he is talking about, something that Dan Flynn, Sunil Gulati and the rest of the aristocracy / cronies / lackies on the USSF board don’t! If this is true, than Toronto FC’s gain and once again the USSF loss.
    By the way, Mike, he acted as a consultant / technical advisor for the LA Galaxy years back prior to taking over the German Natl. team. So he is one of the very few Euros that understands MLS.

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  20. Someone help me out on this. I really don’t think this is very smart. What experience does Klinsman have in MLS? MLS is such a goofy league with salary cap and other rules?
    Klinsman: ” I recommend Klose, Muller and Ballack. To turn this team around
    TFC: Ahhh what about the salary cap sir?
    Klinsman: what?

    What TFC needs is a guy with good long MLS experience, who knows the ins and outs of the league

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  21. Klinsman is the most over-hyped unemployed coach since Sven. Oh wait, Sven has actually managed teams to trophies. I would not be thrilled about my club (or national team) putting much stock in this guy.

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  22. it doesn’t look like he’s “heading” to Toronto but rather charging them for his company’s consulting services. once they have management in place i’m sure he won’t still be on the payroll.

    either way with the support they have up there they could have the total package if they could put a decent product on the field. wish we had that support in NY. i sit in my seat at redbull arena every week and there are too many empty seats next to me.

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  23. Great. Aboslutely. Whatever his detracors in Germany might say, I think he’s a good soccer mind and will be good for MLS. That’s all I care about. Best of luck to Kilinnsman and TFC.

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  24. wow….. this is going to be HUGE for Klinsmann if it works out. He’s attempting to monetize his system that he put in place in Germany at the consulting/club level. Something tells me he’s trying to prove to some people (US Soccer, Bayern Munich) that he knows what he’s doing. From what the article says, they won’t be hiring a GM which makes him the defacto GM I suppose.

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  25. He won’t recommend himself for the job, that doesn’t help him one bit.

    It’s pretty clear that since USSF has left him with no options, well he’ll hire Bob Bradley or at lest STRONGLY “RECOMMEND” Bradley to be head coach and if he wants Head Coach/GM.

    And he will only do it because he wants to help Toronto become a successful as well as a consistently winning team! 😉

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  26. Whoa! TFC doing something smart at the excutive level. Bravo to them. I think this also makes it pretty clear Klinsmann wants to be involved in American soccer, one way or another.

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