Top Stories

Klinsmann talks Chandler, Boyd, Corona & more as USMNT camp rolls on

JuergenKlinsmann (ISIPhotos.com)

Jurgen Klinsmann isn't one to mince words, so when he was asked about Tim Chandler's decision to turn down his latest U.S. national team call-up, Klinsmann didn't hold back.

In an exclusive interview with Fox Soccer on Monday, Klinsmann expressed his unhappiness with Chandler's decision and cited the player's immaturity as a likely factor in his unwillingness to commit to the national team.

“Down the road, when he gets little older and a bit more mature, there will be this decision to make on what you want to do with your life and with your career,” Klinsmann told Fox Soccer. “That moment gets closer and closer for him and we’ll see what direction he wants to go."

Klinsmann also discussed his decision to call in youngsters Terrence Boyd and Joe Corona, as well as the deep collection of forwards he has in camp. Give the story a read and let us know what you think.

Surprised to hear Klinsmann be so vocal about Chandler's decision not to come, or are you happy to hear the U.S. head coach telling it like it is?

Share your thoughts below.

Comments

  1. As quoted from ESPN interview with Klinsi:

    On omitting Premier Leaguers Eric Lichaj and Tim Ream

    “It came too late for [Lichaj], but it’s good that he broke in [with Aston Villa]. All the outside positions we have a special eye on, obviously. But what he needs now is games. Tim’s situation is similar to Sacha Kljestan’s. They are players who are right there, but they can’t pass the four guys in front of them. Right now, Tim is not passing Gooch [Onyewu], Carlos [Bocanegra], Clarence [Goodson] and Cam [Geoff Cameron]. They are our four players locked in there as of today. I don’t know about tomorrow, but as of today that’s the situation.”

    Reply
  2. Defenders make mistakes. We should not judge them based on one bad play. Phillip Lahm was beat by Fernando Torres in the last Euro final for the game winning goal, but that does not make Lahm a bad defender.

    Reply
  3. Actually, you might think we disagree but that is not entirely true.

    JK loves to talk. Especially in comparison to BB. He has a whole lot of copy out there and it is very positive and intentionally vague. I think I’ve read most of it.

    And I don’t think he’s really done very much that has deviated from his intentionally vague “coachspeak”:

    It mostly boils down to this:

    1. He wants his players in the best physical shape humanly possibly.

    2. He is intent on playing the “modern” high tempo pressing game. In this sense he is not very different from previous USMNT editions where supreme physical fitness and especially “will to win” will be signature parts of the “US style”. By the way, this is not very different from what Barca does. They are incredibly quick in transition from offense to defense and vice versa. This quickness introduces an element of insecurity into the minds of the other team and Barca uses that very well.

    3. He is not overly concerned about formations, 4-4-2, 4-2-3-1, whatever.Details, details.

    As far as I can tell what he is mostly concerned with is what the Euros call “mentality” i.e. if you can prove that you totally buy into how he wants to play and are capable of doing so, you are probably in. If not you are out.

    For example, my guess is that his unfamiliarity with Lichaj coupled with his very comfortable familarity with the likes of Castillo, Morales, etc. contributed to Lichaj’s exclusion this time.

    I also suspect he views Sacha as not quick enough, either physically or mentally. He likes Adu but Freddy simply needs to play more often. He probably likes Wooten but is very familiar with Boyd and frankly, at this point it looks like six of one half a dozen of the other in terms of their skill and potential. Plus, Boyd seems totally committed to playing for the US. I’m sure Wooten will get his shot somewhere down the road.

    Morales would seem to be a deviation but there will always be exceptions and apparently, Morales is a worthy enough player that JK seems intent on getting him cap-tied in a qualifier. What is mostly noteworthy is that no journalists such as Ives are pressing him for an explanation on the issue. Until they do, we’ll just have to speculate.

    Most of the exclusions people are howling about concern players that frankly are not demonstrably better than the guys that beat them out.

    It’s not as if he left out C. Ronaldo in favor of Steve Lenhardt.

    Reply
  4. I’ll disagree with you again.

    He’s crafty, not open. He says whatever and then does whatever he wants…which is what all coaches do, Klinnsman too, if you notice.

    Reply
  5. Castillo was a turnover machine for the USMNT in his callups. Hope he’s turned that over because Coach likes him so he’s getting the opportunities.

    Good Luck Edgar!

    Reply
  6. Chandler…we are obviously his second choice seems to me. It is what it is. He’s a darn good player and still hope we get him; maybe if scorned by Germany it will light some wild fire he expresses for the USMNT

    Reply
  7. I think it’s because Klinnsman said the Olympic team would give some a chance, so he honors that…and there are certain players he favors with opportunities. That’s what coaches get to do, whatever their reasons stated publicly, and Klinnsman is no different evidently

    the team is still stacked and primed to perform

    Reply
  8. Subotic and his family moved to Utah in 1999 when he was eleven and then moved to Florida two years later. I believe he started playing for Mainz in Germany in 2006. At any rate a year or two later he announced for Serbia.

    His family and friends had very strong ties to Germany, where he now lives, and it seems probable that would have been his first choice had that been possible. But it wasn’t.

    Serbia, a pretty powerful footballing nation, eventually came in as the next best alternative. When he made his decision, the US was not that good, he was living in Germany, and his ties with the US were not that strong.

    Subotic’s statements about Rongen strike me as self-serving. Whatever Rongen actually said or did probably did not help but still it would have been an upset to me if Subotic had declared for the US, a country where he and his family made a pit stop for a few years.

    Right now his strongest connection to the USMNT is that his manager, and the man who also discovered him, Jurgen Klopp, is also the guy who discovered ( I think ) Terrance Boyd. Hopefully they will soon be teammates though for their club team not their national team.

    Reply
  9. all coaches have favorites…period. Bradley got constantly hammered for his favs, Klinnsman has his favs and why not just call them that. as long as they play for him, it’s fine. there’s lots of strength a player can take from a coach’s belief in him

    what i tire of is the explanations of why so and so actually deserved it more based on x, y and z. Yawn

    there’s a group who are comparably qualified, and the caoch picks his favorites from those

    normal

    Reply
  10. Has anyone noticed that the Scotland game is listed on NBC sports on the ussoccer website, but is not on nbc sports website, nor on cable when you search for it.

    Reply
  11. The criticisms of Subotic and Bundesliga 2 by Rongen are public knowledge. Subotic said they affected his decision, one must believe him a bit.

    Reply
  12. “I pray that Castillo is not a sincere option. I’d have liked to see Lichaj in the fold because when “on” he’s truly an EPL-level player, and better than Boca for instance.”

    I’m always fascinated by those who are just praying for players to fail. Would it really hurt you that much if Castillo proved you wrong?

    As for the hyperbole about Lichaj, when has the man ever won a full time starting league spot for his EPL team?

    His starts usually have come through injury to the starter. He then got beat out by an on loan player, Kyle Walker, now England’s right back to be. This last 9 game run came during a relegation battle when the entire team went into a defensive posture. From what little I saw it was kind to say that this was a definitve stretch of games for Lichaj. Not to mention he has just come off a major injury.

    I can see why JK might have wanted to wait a bit on the man.

    Reply
  13. According to that logic, why even interview Klinsi? We already know he is the USMNT coach so wouldn’t you prefer they interview someone else?

    Reply
  14. Tom, I agree that Wondo has done well at San Jose, but that hasn’t translated to the national team (similar to Klejstan).

    Agudelo has shown flashes on the international stage, hence, the toss-up.

    You may be right, maybe Agudelo goes. Again, hence, the toss-up.

    Reply
  15. Cherundolo’s age and lack of athleticism is an under-appreciated point. For an under-sized, relatively slow player he’s had a great career, but the days are definitely numbered…

    Reply
  16. Nah, no biggie.

    I wasn’t (and always try to never) suggest anyone else’s opinion is stupid or that I have all the answers. What I was getting at was that it did not matter, as Klinsi and pretty much every other coach is going to do what the want to do – a sentiment shared by others on this very thread.

    We all have our favorites and I get that, but the guys who were left out are not really snubs in my opnion because they must be rated as reserves by JK – see Omar Gonzalez and Gearge John (just stating examples here and I don’t want to open that can of worms).

    My rant was at the “deserve” statements that were being thrown about. I just don’t see how resevre players (as ranked by the coach) deserve anything. It’s their job to fight and displace the guy in front of them. How and when that happens, is at the coaches discretion. That’s the point I was trying to make, is all.

    Reply
  17. It’s absolutist to suggest he’s perfect and the solution to all our problems. I’m merely noting his humanity, not saying he sucks. That’s only absolutist if merely having a semi-opinion is an “absolute.”

    Defenders are hired not to get beat, in the general sense. I played defender and trust me I can remember the few times someone burned me for something. During the EPL season, the Villa backline ball watched and got completely burned back post by Welbeck, and that was his end of the line more than anyone else. I don’t think I ever got burned that bad after age 12 or so…..literally fell asleep to anyone coming up the opposing right wing…..just saying he’s not the Messiah.

    Reply
  18. Well if there’s one thing Klinsmann seems to like about this job, it’s talking about his vision. It’s awesome, but talk about a 180.

    Reply
  19. It’s crazy how the myth of Rossi as an american soccer player developed and trained here but stolen by italy” can’t seem to die.

    The kid trained in PARMA, ITALY from the AGE OF 12.

    He played for Italy’s U-16 to U-21 teams. He’s a product of Italian Soccer. Yet folks seem to still think this guys was popping zits in a bedroom in NJ til the age of 21, starting for the USMNT and all of the sudden got a better off from Italy and decided to jet.

    it’s a myth. Yes, he was born here, but he’s an Italian player. Can we please move on?

    Reply
  20. I have a hard time believing that Agudelo or Boyd’s goal-scoring per minute played rate is better than DMB’s or Cooper’s. I think it’s interesting for Klinsi to call in these young projects, but a little strange that he doesn’t call in veterans like Kljestan or DMB that are also very hungry and showing it with their club teams.

    If he’s calling in young strikers with potential, why not also call in Josh Gatt? The guy has been playing well recently and his goal rate is increasing.

    Reply
  21. When I red that I immediately though to of Castillo… the first time around this guy came off with a pretty dickiemo attitude. I think JK will run that either into the ground or out of camp. It’s good to settle this question sooner rather than later. Don’t forget he’s got some cutting to do before matches start. I see Castillo as a player on the bubble, depth be dammed.

    Reply
  22. I think it’s more the perception that JK hasn’t said boo about him since he’s taken the reigns that’s alarming to some.

    Reply
  23. “I am amazed at how people think their favorite player “deserves” a call-up because of their own criteria. Klinsi has a plan and he picks the players that will build the team that he thinks will earn him the result. His team, his creiteria, his rating system and his picks. You don’t like it then apply for the job when he quits or gets fired.”

    Perhaps i misconstrued your own remarks….

    Reply

Leave a Comment