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Report: U.S. Soccer paying Klinsmann $2.5 million

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Photo by Brad Smith/ISIphotos.com

When U.S. Soccer sealed the deal to make Jurgen Klinsmann head coach of the men's national team, it was evident that the federation was making a big investment in Klinsmann and his outlook for the program. Now it's clear just how big that investment was.

Klinsmann is being paid $2.5 million in base salary by U.S. Soccer, according to financial statements obtained by the Washington Post. 

By contrast, previous coach Bob Bradley, who was fired a year into his second four-year stint with the national team, made less than a fourth of that amount (before incentives and bonuses) during each one of his years at the helm. 

Klinsmann signed a three-year deal with U.S. Soccer in August and will guide the national team through the 2014 FIFA World Cup.

What do you make of this development? Does this change the expectations for Klinsmann in your mind?

Share your thoughts below.

Comments

  1. A steal?

    Del Bosque manager of Spain makes 1.8 million Euros/year.

    For comparisons sake from the Irish times.

    Remember to convert from Euros:

    “That they could was again down to businessman Denis O’Brien. The FAI were at pains to thank the telecoms billionaire for continuing to pick up half the €1.5 million annual tab for the 72-year-old Italian and his backroom team…..

    That contribution means despite taking a pay cut of about €200,000 a year, Trapattoni will continue to work in one of the most lucrative international jobs in European football. While exact figures can be sketchy from country to country, there is no disputing the fact Trapattoni will be among the best-paid managers at the European Championships in Poland and Ukraine next summer.

    Outside of Fabio Capello’s gargantuan €7 million salary Trapattoni’s holds up well against his peers. Joachim Loew, manager of the second favourites for the European Championships Germany, comes next after Capello on €2.4 million whereas Italian manager Cesare Prandelli and French coach Laurent Blanc both earn an annual stipend of €1.2 million.

    Even Vicente Del Bosque, who oversees World Cup winners Spain, has a contract worth about €1.8 million. These figures are basic pay only and those contracts will all have bonus elements built into them which would have made the past four years especially worth Del Bosque’s while.

    But still, for Trapattoni to only trail the manager or the World and European champions by €300,000 a year after taking a pay cut only goes to show how competitive O’Brien’s contribution makes the Ireland job these days.”

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  2. That’s ok as long as the wins and results come. If not it wasn’t worth it. So with Bob we got Gold Cup win, Confederation’s Cup Final (2nd place), and second round of World Cup. Now we should expect nothing less than those results.

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  3. Results take time. U.S. soccer lags badly behind Europe in terms of player knowledge of off the ball movement and tactical responsibilities, and the Dutch 433 system Klinsmann favors requires both of those skills in abudance. That’s why it’s the system he’s picked. But don’t expect it to work until he’s got the right group of players in place.

    The reality is, the U.S. will never be able to seriously compete for hardware until addresses the tactical deficiencies in the style of play nationally and in MLS. But once it does, look out world.

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  4. He’s not “getting” any of those German-Americans to play for us. We could have anyone as coach right now and all those same German-Americans would be playing for both our full national team and youth teams.

    What’s hilarious is the one person you named is Chandler, who first started playing for the US under Bradley.

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  5. You must be one of those pricks who assumes things about people without even knowing much about them on internet forums?

    Since you want to make it a “business practice thing” look at all other national team coaches for the top say 40 or 50 teams. And see if they keep their coaches salaries hidden? Hell look at most pro sports here in the states and even NCAA coaches’ contracts are made public because of how important it is to fans, who drive the game.

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  6. I don’t know? I think Mexico’s coach made more than that.

    The better coaches in this last WC were making upwards of 5 to 10 million a year. I think some of the lowest from the good nations making it to the 2nd round was around 4 million, not exactly sure but 2.5 million wouldn’t get you very far.

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  7. No, the proof of the pudding is in the eating. Unless you’re someone who says “I’ll save it for prosperity” when it’s supposed to be “posterity.”

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  8. Interesting. Identifying the eligible progeny of overseas servicemen is laudable, but it’s a temporary fix in the same way it was in 1998 when Steve Sampson brought David Wagner and the Mason brothers over to help us from Germany.

    We have a larger pool of potential youngsters than ever. We have MLS. What else do we need…academies? A stronger college system? Some sort of program to send young uns to European sides to apprentice or something along those lines?

    I don’t have the answer. But I do know that scouting Germany to find players there is not a permanent fix.

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  9. Klinsi may or may not may be a good coach. But he’s getting good German-Americans to play for us! That alone is worth the money.

    If you doubt it, close your eyes, picture Chandler at left back. Now, picture Bornstein. Not having that queasy feeling has got to be worth something. Now multiply that by the millions of US supporters. . .

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  10. You live in la-la land, EA. You don’t understand how business works and probably live at home with mommy and daddy.

    USSF does not owe you an explanation about how they spend their money. You do not deserve to know anything when it comes to this independent business and how they operate. You are not “the closest thing to a shareholder” because you buy their products, which includes buying tickets for games. If you bought an iPod you do not have a business interest in Apple. Are you seriously this dense?

    As for corporations spending whatever they like on CEOs, not one person here has given a reason why they think they have a say in matters that do not concern them.

    If a company receives money from the government or there is a true public interest that is being impeded, I will agree in those cases. This is not one of those cases.

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  11. Since there are no public shareholders, those of us that spend money with US Soccer, are members of USSSC, etc. ARE probably the closest things to shareholders.

    So, yes… if USSF is wasting the hard earned money that I spend on tickets, apparel etc. on a coach that isn’t worth it (NOTE: I’M NOT SAYING THAT KLINSMANN ISN’T… JUST THAT IF USSF IS……), I think I need to know.

    And for many of us that have supported US Soccer FOR YEARS, when no one else really did, yes, I think we deserve to know.

    A VERY close minded statement, but given the rest of what you said, I shouldn’t be surprised.

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  12. We are under-paying him and we are short on results. That said, The USSF are paying him to get into the world cup and out of the first round. Building on what we have in US soccer is the key. That is where the money is earned. We won’t be able to see long-term results immediately.

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  13. Guess we know where the gate receipts for those friendlies against Argentina, Brazil and Spain went…

    Too bad they’re launching an a$$-ugly jersey… clearly need to keep merch projections up with that kind of budget.

    Maybe we can cap Beckham? That should sell a few jerseys…

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