Photo by Robert Mayer/USA TODAY Sports
By CAITLIN MURRAY
U.S. Men’s National Team coach Jurgen Klinsmann is in contention for the top coaching award in the world.
FIFA announced the shortlists for their year-end awards late Monday and Klinsmann was one of 10 coaches to make the 2014 World Coach of the Year shortlist, alongside World Cup winner Jogi Low and legend Louis Van Gaal.
For the Ballon d’Or award, the short list wasn’t so short — 23 players made the preliminary list, ranging from the usual candidates, like Argentina’s Lionel Messi and Portugal’s Cristiano Ronaldo, to newcomer James Rodriguez from Colombia, who had a breakout year.
Notably absent is Uruguay’s Luis Suarez, who exited the World Cup in disgrace after an infamous third biting incident. Unsurprisingly, Germans feature heavily on the Ballon d’Or shortlist after dominating this summer’s World Cup.
The lists, including ones for the women’s categories already announced, will be whittled down to three names each on Dec. 1. Winners will be announced at a ceremony on Jan. 12.
See both shortlists below (after the jump):
BALLON D’OR SHORTLIST
Gareth Bale (Wales)
Karim Benzema (France)
Diego Costa (Spain)
Thibaut Courtois (Belgium)
Cristiano Ronaldo (Portugal)
Angel Di Maria (Argentina)
Mario Goetze (Germany)
Eden Hazard (Belgium)
Zlatan Ibrahimovic (Sweden)
Andres Iniesta (Spain)
Toni Kroos (Germany)
Philipp Lahm (Germany)
Javier Mascherano (Argentina)
Lionel Messi (Argentina)
Thomas Mueller (Germany)
Manuel Neuer (Germany)
Neymar (Brazil)
Paul Pogba (France)
Sergio Ramos (Spain)
Arjen Robben (Netherlands)
James Rodriguez (Colombia)
Bastian Schweinsteiger (Germany)
Yaya Toure (Côte d’Ivoire)
COACH OF THE YEAR SHORTLIST
Carlo Ancelotti (Italy/Real Madrid CF)
Antonio Conte (Italy/Juventus FC/Italy national team)
Pep Guardiola (Spain/FC Bayern Munich)
Jurgen Klinsmann (Germany/USA national team)
Joachim Loew (Germany/Germany national team)
Jose Mourinho (Portugal/Chelsea FC)
Manuel Pellegrini (Chile/Manchester City FC)
Alejandro Sabella (Argentina/Argentina national team)
Diego Simeone (Argentina/Atletico Madrid)
Louis van Gaal (Netherlands/Netherlands national team/Manchester United FC)
—-
What do you think of these nominations? Think Klinsmann has a chance? Does his nomination vindicate his World Cup decisions? Who are your favorites to win the awards?
Share your thoughts below.
Want to see klinsi win just to watch how pissed off some of the fans in the country he coaches gets that he won that he won the award for best coach. Lol. MLS and LD nut huggers are some really hateful folks.
OMG there wouldnt be a hat big enough for his already oversized head
Klinsmann’s nomination is no more of recognition of US soccer than Alexi Lalas getting votes for Best XI in ’94.
damn
Was Bruce Arena up for COTY in 02? Don’t recall BB being up for it either and we won our group (though it was softer) and got knocked out at the same stage….
I think it’s because Klinsmann is a sexy name in the world soccer community.
I don’t think the award has been around that long
Correct. It was created in 2010, and there was no predecessor.
Pinto is clearly the flavor du jour. Costa Rica did very well in the tournament, but keep this in mind US did better than Costa Rica did in qualifying. The USMNT had their best qualifying tournament ever. USMNT beat Costa Rica 2 out of 3 times in the qualifying cycle. If Cameron had not had either one of his two goofs against Portugal or had Bradley just booted the ball, we would have 2 wins and 6 points which is more than we have ever had in World Cup play. Hell, if Wondo had placed the ball, we woudl have made it to the quarters.
People also say Costa Rica made the Quarters without putting things into context. They barely beat Greece in the round of 16 with penalties. Greece! The only reason they were in the World Cup is because they play anti-football and defend with 11 players. Their most dangerous offensive player is Samaras!!!!! How many Greek players would even make the Belgium squad?
I watched all the Costa Rica games (one of my best friends is Costa Rican). Costa Rica does not win that group if Saurez played in the opening game against Costa Rica. Germany >> Uruguay, Portugal > Italy and Ghana (slightly <) England. Put USMNT in that group, with the same consequences, I can see us winning that group as well.
People forget than coming into the World Cup, USMNT was considered the strongest team in CONCACAF despite not having the most talented team (that is still Mexico)
If Pepe doesn’t headbutt Muller, or Chistiano is fully fit then we probably don’t get out our group either. Ghana was clearly in chaos as well. You can play the what if game all day.
True and Italy imploded and England was a mess. All I am saying is that Costa Rica’s Run was a convergence of chances as well and was not that more impressive than the US’s
I think Ghana was okay until they lose to us. The WC was still infront of them at that point with everything to play for. By the time they played Portugal it was all about money.
Christiano made a huge difference for sure and Pepe likely somehow shuts down Clint pelvic goal.
Although remember that Portugal’s first goal in that game was a fluke.
You are right about Ghana. They were the best African team I’ve seen at a World Cup, ever — their equalizer against us probably belongs in a friggin musesum .Losing to us was a huge blow that they just never quite recovered from, though they were a goal up to Germany in the second half.
this much be the line of thinking for France Football:
“some Latin American guy coached Costa Rica to win the group with Italy, England and Uruguay AND went to the quarters…before bowing out on PKs”
“Juergen Klinsmann is a renowned former player who needed help from the other game in the tough, but as tough as Costa Rica group to go through-reaching a level never achieved in the history of US Soccer…since the last World Cup…
JK for Coach of the Year!
Apparently I’ve clicked a link to The Onion…
THAT just won comment of the day!
Great news – FIFA recognizing the USMNT accomplishments. As fans, we complain that FIFA never recognizes or has respect for us and then when we are, there are complaints.
This is great news! USMNT has had a good record over the past year.
Now, if you were to ask me if an American coach was in JK’s shoes and had the same exact record, would he get on this list? I think we all know the answer is no.
Like his tactics or not, JK has brought positive global attention to the USMNT. Haters out there need to pipe down.
“FIFA recognizing the USMNT accomplishments.” No it’s the opposite actually. Its FIFA recognizing a european for something American coaches have done in the past.
JK is the Official Litmus Test of American Soccer. He is the prism through which all of our conflicts about the game – US vs. The World, MLS vs. Europe, training methods, strategy and tactics, etc. – are viewed. If he modeled some clothing in GQ, he’d get praised for his openness and slammed for the way he wears a suit.
I’ve got to say that the majority of these responses irk me. The US fan base (certainly including me) has complained for twenty years about not being taken seriously at the world stage. And now that we have garnered some small bit of recognition through the efforts of our players and coaches at this summer’s WC, all I read above is more complaining that JK doesn’t deserve it. Ridiculous!
Look if some want to say that Bradley Sr. deserved something similar for the Confed Cup run in ’09, or Arena for ’02 then I can’t disagree. If some think Klinsmann doesnt have the stats to compare to the other candidates then that’s fine too. But the fact is that Klinsmann is OUR USMNT manager and represents us to the world. And he did achieve results this summer that no one expected, even among our own fans. If some think we could find a better manager, then fine that’s a fan’s right to that opinion. But I’ve learned when something good happens, you should enjoy it just a little. Because, for sure, there will always be hard times to deal with.
+ 1
I think this is a case where the irrational dislike of JK clearly outweighs anything that he has done and achieved and is trying to do.
I hear professionals commend the job we did in the WC but to hear some folks on these boards…man, it defies logic.
Is he above criticism? I was a fan of his appointment and think he is the right man going forward, but to say that he has done revolutionary things with the USMNT would be ignoring history and reality. When you balance the results (just okay if you ask me [W-D-L-L]) and the way we played (nothing new here — defensive, reactive, basically the opposite of how Klinsmann said he wants us to play), I think you have a rather pedestrian World Cup. Now comes the exciting time where I think we will see Klinsmann strive for something greater, but to say that has been happening would be blind praise of Klinsmann.
If you think the USMNT had a pedestrian World Cup then you are more than a little misguided.
The US had the weakest talent in their group and advanced.
That Ghana team was the only team who did NOT lose to Germany in the tournament and we beat Ghana.
Use any criteria you want but the USMNT had no business being on the same field with Belgium yet had Wondo put away that chance he normally makes, they most likely would have beaten them. As JJ said, he puts that away and Belgium are dead.
The World Cup is an incredibly difficult tournament to do well in. Just ask Spain or Italy or England ,teams that did NOT get out of their group.
Italy or England should normally blow Costa Rica out of the water but they stay back while Costa Rica advances. That is how hard it is to do well in the World Cup.
You may not appreciate what you have in the USMNT but I sure do.
notable that you said we had the weakest *talent* in their group, because ghana had the weaker *team*.
we beat the weakest team in our group, tied a very good team with their best player injured and their best defender suspended, and lost to the best team.
then we lost in the next round, even though timmy bailed us out on umpteen occasions (bradleyball redux).
overall, i’m happy with the tournament because our guys didn’t embarrass themselves and klinsmann blooded some young guys. but yeah, our actual performance was pretty mediocre.
Then you agree that the manager did a good job taking the weaker talent and assembling a better team.
Compare that to 2002 where we beat a Portugal that did not take us seriously, tied an average Korea and then had a bad loss to an average Poland.
We then needed Korea to upset Portugal 1-0 to advance.
Don’t kid yourself, anytime you advance out of your group in the World Cup , it is a big deal.
I love JK. We had a great year and exceeded expectation. I actually still think his best work lies ahead.
But I just don’t value this achievement. It rings hollow and feels like last-minute pandering. 3 of 4 teams in CONCACAF made it to the knockout round out of tricky groups, yet FIFA have given CONCACAF exactly one nominee amongst players and coaches and (big surprise) it is a European whose name they recognize. If the USMNT had disappointed this summer, do I think the Costa Rica coach would be on this list? Maybe I deeply doubt it . For starters, they’d have to learn his name.
Eff FIFA awards and the old world snobs who hand them out. These guys should go back to inventing quarterly awards for Messi and Pele and let the game speak for itself. I’m confident we will get better rewards on the pitch
Agree with everything you said. FIFA is always biased toward Europe in everything. I was just irritated at the initial responses (presumably all from US fans) which, as Kosh said, were irrational and negative. Your response was reasoned and logical.
+ 1
Now when you put it like that it opens the room for debate and you kind’a sold me on things. Well in.
This is the kind of banter I look to have here and I am not rigid and can be persuaded but the unsupported or poorly thought out attacks just never make any sense to me.
+1 that’s why we come here. And all this stuff is just gonna make it that much better when we finally win the WC
Klinsmann has been nominated by FIFA for the great job he is constantly doing of telling the USA how inferior we are at soccer.
You have to have Herrera on the list, just for his commitment to being awesome
Try to imagine his acceptance speech.
I’m thinking Chris Farley meets Bobby “The Brain” Heenan
Might even bring a luchador mask.
Vote Herrera
Hell yeah. I’d probably make the trip just to watch that.
The short-sighted ego driven c@ck wagging in this thread is astonishing.
Say what you will about the why–this is unprecedented.
Yet incredibly, Instead of focusing on the fact that US Soccer is garnering higher recognition and attention, you grumpy old men (no offense to real grumpy old men who have actual reasons to be grumpy) can only carp and whine over how “unfair” it is and how JK doesn’t deserve it.
Yet if we had snuck in a result against Belgium after being thoroughly outplayed (excepting Tim Howard) to a person y’all would be crowing like a drunk high schooler who just got to second base with the homecoming queen.
It’s like listening to British sports press talk about the England program–self defeating circular firing squad stuff at it’s best.
Take the “win” with a modicum of class.
If we’d won the Word Cup I’d have no problem with Klinsmann in that list …..but we didn’t. We went as far as we always do playing very little football like we always do
Gunna be honest. We lack the talent a Belgium or Portugal(just 1 guy but jeez Chrisy is amazing.) We have talent compared to Ghana who we beat.
I would argue that Ghana has better talent..seriously outside goal which has always been USMNT’s strong point.
Up front they are better but I think our defenders are more experienced and better. Their midfield at full strength has more attacking quality and equal defensive quality.
John Boye was kinda tragic out there.
+ 1
Thank you.
taking the “win” just because it benefits you, when there are arguably more deserving candidates (like pinto), doesn’t strike me as classy, or “ego driven”–just the opposite, actually.
*strike “or ego driven”–meant to say the opposite.
I would not say Pinto had a better YEAR. I think of other coaches who had a better year than JK, but Pinto was not one of them.
noted; i was simply making the point that pd’s stance would be the one that lacked “class” in this case.
PS- I am going to steal your brilliant line and use it in the future
“y’all would be crowing like a drunk high schooler who just got to second base with the homecoming queen.”
Where is Moyes?
How is Jose Mourinho here and not Brendan Rodgers? And I can’t believe that FIFA left off Luis Suarez for the likes of Mario Goetze and Karim Benzema. Juanfran and Diego Godin deserve to be here ahead of the likes of Ramos and Iniesta.
Well I can tell you that Suarez was left off for disciplinary reasons… Doesn’t matter what his stats are, the dude’s a complete ******* that doesn’t deserve it
What exactly are the parameters here? Best coach/player in all competitions (international and club) from when to when?
Best club player: Ronaldo
Best club coach: Simeon
Best intnl player: pick anyone from the German team; id go Muller or Neuer
Best intnl manager: Lowe or Van Gaal
Picking one coach and one manager is hard as Ronaldo didnt show up at the WC but he took apart the Bayern players in UCL.. Idk about this.
Good to see Jürgen Klinsmann on there. He has done a lot for the USA and German national teams but doesn’t really have the raw stats/accomplishments to compare with some of the others there
+ 1
What has Jurgen done for the USMNT that other coaches haven’t?
Exactly! The US team bunkered down and played some ugly soccer. Only Honduras played worse than us at the WC.
That’s not true at all. In the first 2 games, the US scored 3 goals from open play. Only Dempsey’s second goal was from a counter.(I think?)
Out of the 5 scored by the US, 4 from 5 were open play. We were able to beat defenses. This means we didn’t play bunker ball.(Except for the Germany game and some of Belgium) We were defensive but
We were defensive but not bunkered.*
Discouraged his players to be in their own domestic league and got into a public feud with the commissioner over it?
Cut his team’s iconic player and had his son laugh on social media over it?
I would say that the commissioner got into a feud with him. It was “personal” for Garber.
I’m a fan of JK, but be he does not belong on that list. This just goes to show how low a regard US soccer was held before and how that is increasing nowadays.
In terms of what JK has done; (1) he has achieved the highest winning percentage of any US coach in history until the World Cup, (2) has the US team winning and playing well even when drawing or loosing in Europe against quality EU opponents, (3) got he US out of the hardest group they had in a World Cup (harder than ’94, ’02, ’10 – ’10 was the easiest group the USMNT has ever had and had a easier path to the Semis if they had capitalized) and (4) found quality talent(and took chances) that other coaches ignored or did not recognize (e.g. leaving LD off was a mistake, but playing DMB at left back, Evans at Right Back, playing Beckerman, Besler, Cameron, Brooks, Yedlin all worked. I even think Jones at CB might work for the next year or 2, but I don’t think he makes Russia.).
That is one thing I like about JK, he takes chances and is not afraid of looking stupid. I like Bradley, but he played it too safe and never took too many chances.
(1)”until the WC” is the key, (2) completely your opinion and they played some pretty awful games that were horribly managed under Klinsmann in World Cup Qualifying (3) Ghana imploded and Portugal is overrated. ’10 was a relatively easy group but we were put at a disadvantage by inexplicable calls and still won the group (4) he found quality talent that didn’t have to prove themselves like American based players. Any US coach would have known about those players but likely would have been more fair about having them earn their spots the same way as everyone else. Bob Bradley used Beasley at LB on more than one occasion even when it didn’t work out that well the first time. Evans a RB was not a good idea when he had better options like Yedlin or Cameron who was consistently playing RB at Stoke.
So…experts…please share with us why JK being considered on this list is the scandal of the year. Please do. Will he win it? Probably not. But to ignore the body of work that JK is putting in, similar to what he did in Germany – transforming a program – and simply chalking his output down to Ws and Ls is astonishing to me.
This falls in line with the disparity between guys who call Prem games and make mention of the good WC the US had and the talk you hear on the interwebs. I get being a fan gives one license to overstate reality from time to time but lately folks who just watch games…on a TV…seem to think they know more than the people who actually live the game.
Then why are only winners on that list for coach of the year?
Yeah, JK has never won anything. You may not value it but he did win a title.
Please enlighten us. How did he “transform the program”? seems to me you’re just repeating phrases you heard on tv.
We went as far as we always did in the WC and we’re still importing players from all over the world. That’s not much of a transformation any way you look at it.
Can’t wait to hear the cliches you come up with.
Once again, this cliche may surprise you but analysis often times considers more than one variable. Though I am sure that too may seem to you as something I heard on TV too.
Once again, how did he “transform the program”?
He was given a larger set of keys to the castle compare to his predecessors, yes, but we have seen under him a better integration of all levels of the National Team. This is not complete by any means but it is quite clear that there is serious work underway. This is creating depth like we’ve never seen before and it will only get better over time.
More cliches
“Highest level”
“Challenge themselves to compete at the next level”
“Fitness”
Plus, he delivers it in that smashing German accent.
Ok, Bill, it’s easy to argue when you don’t have to offer any points or valid counter points at all. So in that light I concede – you win the internets.
I strongly disagree with some things that Klinsmann has done, but I am still hopeful that what you describe is happening. That said, what we saw in the World Cup was much more Arena and Bradley than any sort of new American soccer. I think Klinsmann is trying to make that transition now with the way he has set up the team post-Brazil. However, what we saw there was a man who was terrified of the talent he was facing and set up his team to not lose.
Finally – a productive exchange!
I agree with your points about how the WC played out. I disagreed with some of his selections but not with the majority. I think he needed a replacement for Altidore – especially if he wanted to play a certain way.
That said, he is doing now what he didn’t have the time to do when he came on. I believe he came on close to the middle of the last cycle or a third or so in. I think he’s a big fan of integrating the team but had little to no time to do so in the last cycle. He had to start winning and do so fast. But it is clear to see that he is now getting to fully work the full integration of all teams.
He came in at the only time that made sense — post Gold Cup, which gave B. Bradley one last chance to win something with his guys before the transition started. That gave JK three years to build the team. Klinsmann hurt himself, in my opinion, with how he handled the leaders of the team (Bradley early, Altidore midway, and Donovan the entire time), and perhaps that hindered his ability to actually instill the new style of play. In any case, the product on the field, even through good results has been disappointing and nothing like what was promised. Let’s hope that is changing…
Agreed, I was not using his onboard timing as an excuse but simply a fact that his window was smaller and in that he had to try and implement his style and philosophy, understand what he had to work with and adapt/adjust and he had a limited number of games to do so.
How he handled the team leaders – well response/results may differ. In that case I have no problems with what he did for his team. But we can agree to disagree on that on, no biggie.
For me, JK now has a fresh new cycle and some infrastructure in place – so now, like you, I want to see what he does with it. For me – going beyond in the next WC is a must at this point.
Thanks, don Lamb, for the healthy exchange.
cheers!
Bingo!
Bill
“How did he “transform the program”?”
So Bill how long have you been actually following the USMNT?
As long as LD was playing I never thought the USMNT could seriously compete in a big game w/o him.
Well, for whatever reason, he wasn’t a part of WC qualifying. And then he wasn’t part of the World Cup. And the USMNT did okay w/o him.
And this team is as competitive as any the US has ever fielded.
Shifting from a team overly reliant on one guy to more of a team concept is quite a transformation. Is that cliche enough for you?
Perhaps he’s done some things to transform the program. However none of those things have actually been put on the field yet. Seems a bit pre-mature to be handing out even nominations.
Oh lighten up, Jack! Everyone’s doing it! The Swedish folks gave Barack Obama a Nobel Peace price before he had finished moving his personal affects into his office. And my iPhone came with a truly horrible U2 album that apparently received 5 stars from Rolling Stone, confirming that nbody at the publication has listened to it. I wish it had a secret track with instructions for how to acual remove the stubborn cacophony.
Don’t forget Milli Vanilli won a Grammy too
Here is a link to the letter that was sent to voters decribing criteria, if anybody cares.
I do have a hard time tying out the nomination to this this criteria and window. Have to say based on the usual MO of FIFA’s awards that he was quite possibly added as a token nod to CONCACAF because he’s the only guy in the region the Euro-centric France Football writers who vote on this nonsense had heard of. While I am a big fan of Klinsi, I just don’t think his body of work is near complete even by his own admission, and as such this sort of recognition benefits nobody until there is a more mature and concrete basis for judgment.
http://www.fifa.com/mm/document/affederation/administration/02/45/81/37/circularno.1447-fifaballondor2014_e_neutral.pdf
In all honesty, I think Klinsmann got the nomination because of what he did at the WC. Don’t think we’ll see what progress he’s done as technical director for a while.
If you compare the quality of teams the US played in the 2014 (Ghana, Germany, Portugal, Belgium) tourney versus the teams in 2010 (the so-called EASY group and Ghana) and 2002 (S. Korea, Portugal, Poland, Mexico, Germany), then I think that Klinsmann did something great by giving us that belief that we could beat these teams and we came very close too. While Costa Rica did advance to the QF, the teams the US had to face were more talented in my opinion. In hindsight, we would be talking about Klinsmann much differently had we defended that lead against Portugal or had Wondolowski scored against Belgium to win the game. And losing 1-0 to the future world champions wasn’t so bad, either (could be 7-1). The world really took notice and that’s how I see Klinsmann got the nomination.
Also, the import player situation under Klinsmann, that’s nothing new tbh. Nations like Brazil, Spain, England, and Italy do it (remember Rossi?). Those players can play for any team they want to play for. They wouldn’t play for the shirt if they didn’t want to. Jones, Brooks, Green, and Johnson were there for us in Brazil when we needed players to step up.
+ 1
The collective FIFA ranking of Costa Rica’s group was better than the US’s group.
Pffff, You can’t count England.
You could make that argument, buuut with the way England played and how unconvincing Uruguay and Italy were in that tourney, those teams minus Costa Rica don’t seem be that better than Ghana, Portugal, and of course Germany.
I am not saying that JK will win this thing but I also can see how he can be considered for this. I like the work he is doing and I like the recognition he is getting for it. We can certainly disagree, no worries here. All I am saying is that it’s quite clear that it wasn’t a bunch of SBI JK supporters who voted him on that list. Just like it won’t be the opposition that gets him kicked off it. People who know what they are doing selected him from a large available group.
Now we can certainly challenge or bemoan that all we want but the recognition of progress is there and it is evident…for those who chose to see, objectively. I too want more – believe it or not – but that does not mean that all I see is less.
How is Klinsmann on this list over Costa Rica’s manager Pinto? Winning a group, over England, Italy, Uruguay and a shoot out away from the Semi-finals. Even Herrera turning around Mexico’s situation is certainly more deserving.
Your criteria assumes that the list only considers the WC, which based on the names therein would suggest a broader criteria set.
Every other manager on the list either won a title (alright Mourinho came 2nd) or made it to the Semi-finals’s of the World Cup. That seems to be the criteria expect for one name. I just thought I’d throw in some national team managers that I thought deserve it more.
But, Jack, if wins is your criteria JK won something that Pinto did not – the regional championship. CR had a stellar WC as is evident by their standing in the FIFA tables, they are recognized for it on that standing. But JK beat Pinto in the GC and won qualifying. Manager to manager I can see how JK beats out Pinto here, and I say that with no disrespect to Pinto or what CR did in the WC.
These guys have no idea what or where Costa Rica is, and would prefer not to learn.
Accept for where they are in the rankings. There has to be a stronger argument than this, no?
The rankings are generated by an algorithm, and Europeans value them even less than we do.
I would be stunnned if we could find a France Football journalist who could name even 3 Costa Rican players. CONCACAF is a backwater and always will be for these folks.
Mr doughnuts,
These coach of the year awards , like many of these sports awards, are designed to engender controversy.
That’s because as far as I can tell the committee, or whoever hands out the awards, does not give out a list of criteria. That is probably because it gives them “flexibility”.
Anyone can make a case for any of the guys. Pinto had arguably the shallowest, least talented player pool but he also had the arguably the lowest set of expectations. What did Pinto have to lose?
Jogi Low arguably had the deepest, most talented player pool but he was also had the highest expectation, win a title that is probably the hardest one to win in the game. Better managers and teams have failed to win it.
And if anyone thinks that is easy then they have not followed sports much.
Controversy? FIFA? Never.
Anyway, re: criteria, here is a link to the brief letter sent to voters. The relevant passage is below:
“The selecion criteria for the coaches of the year are: sporting performance and general behaviour both on and off the pitch from 30 November 2013 until 21 November 2014”
Cheers.
http://www.fifa.com/mm/document/affederation/administration/02/45/81/37/circularno.1447-fifaballondor2014_e_neutral.pdf
“The seledion criteria for the coaches of the year are: sporting performance and general
behaviour both on and off the pitch from 30 November 2013 until 21 November 2014.”
Like I said, real specific.
Are you kidding me? Jk as world coach of the year? What a joke.
Think it is an indictment on what FIFA and the world thinks of the USMNT. Probably think we are really poor. There is some political stuff to this. They want the US to become a soccer power and things like this gain some notice albeit not really deserved
If you’re going to give it to a manager that perceived to over achieve, then wouldn’t you go with Pinto?
Not anyone can guide a National Team to the glory of being currently 23rd in the FIFA rankings and 3rd highest ranked in the mighty CONCACAF. All hail the chosen one JK.
You know you’re doing something right when you turn to the FIFA rankings.
JK for coach of the year? Utter bullsh*t.
WHATS NEXT, A WORLD CUP IN QATAR? JEEZ!
WTH are Klinsmann and Conte doing in this list?
Looks like they pretty much just went with the top 4 league winning managers (plus Mourinho). The World Cup semi-final managers, (minus Brazil, for that train wreck), Champions league winner and then Klinsmann. I think Klinsmann has done a fine job but is certainly out of place on that list.
I like Klinsmann, so this is no dig against him, but this is absurd, and really highlights the bias against American coaches. Klinnsman has done a good job, but I don’t think there’s a strong argument that he’s been much better than his predecessors. Where was Bradley’s nomination for getting to the Confed. Finals and winning their WC group? Where was Arena’s nomination for getting the US to the quarter finals, and giving Germany all they can handle. It’s such a joke that these accomplishments get overlooked because they aren’t household names
Don’t get too upset over it. All of these FIFA awards are conducted by France Football, which is a terribly Eurocentric dinosaur and a perfect match for the crooked geezers at FIFA who hate nothing more than having to learn new names while they are trying to play baccarat. I was actually surprised not to see Mia Hamm’s name on the women’s shortlist.
All these buffoons are on borrowed time.
I love that image. Thanks for brightening my morning.
Are you serious? The usual got us out of the group of death argument aside, Klinsi led us to the biggest win percentage in our history and coached us to major upsets home and abroad. Do I think he’s a top 10 coach? Doubt it. But he was cited by Martinez, I think it was, as one of his top coaches in the Cup.
If anything, him being nominated is a result of people expecting very little of us and surprised we’ve done so well this season.
But the US made it out of its group in 2 of the last 3 world cups including a quarterfinal spot. Sure, our group was harder in Brazil but it’s not like Portugal and Ghana overall are so much more talented than we are. That’s why this was the group of death because it included Germany and three teams you would normally expect to make the knockout round fighting for the remaining spot.
It’s great we got the job done in the group stage but I don’t think it merits JK’s inclusion on this list.
Also, I think Simeone should win.
You talk as if getting out of your group in 2014 should be expected because it was done in 2010.
The USMNT 2014 World Cup team should be judged on how it did in Brazil. This is a different tournament, with a different team, facing different competition.
Getting out of your group is always an accomplishment of worth. Just ask the teams who did not get out of their groups in Brazil , teams like Croatia, Italy, England, Bosnia and H, Ecuador, Portugal Ghana, Ivory Coast and Spain.
“…but it’s not like Portugal and Ghana overall are so much more talented than we are.”
Tell me lies, tell me sweet little lies …
Outside of Howard which of our guys replace their Starters?
Verses Portugal = Zero
Verses Ghana = maybe a defender or two but basically Ohunu (Zero)
I don’t think he deserves the award. I’m not even sure he should be on the list as there is as much likelihood that some dude in Latvia us doing the best coaching job of anyone on this list but nobody cares.
BUT don’t act like this group was as soft as groups we have escaped before.
Diego Simeone. not even a contest.
Yup, totally agree. It’s pure madness that he won that league. 2 of the best players in history on stacked power house teams and the man wins the league through organization and focus.
No fcking way. It should be the Costa Rica coach Jorge Luis Pinto. His system was all that propelled Costa Rica it wasn’t like Atelti where they have world class players. Costa Rica advanced farther with less talent than anyone. I would fire Klinsman and replace him with Jorge Luis Pinto, if it was up to me.
CR was impressive, but it should be remembered that in the Round of 16 and the quarters, they were outshot 44-12 and scored one goal. Had the US played that way and gotten the same results, would we be wringing our hands about old-fashioned American bunker ball?
When there is as much soccer played across the globe, you’re going to get a close list like this. And just because some coaches won’t win or one coach does win doesn’t take away or add to what they did. Simply making the list is an award in itself.
I’m not a huge Klinsann fan, but I am glad it puts USA in a positive light.
It’s between Joachim Loew (WC win), Simeone (La Liga win ahead of Real and Barca); or Ancelotti (la Decima). Pinto had a nice run with his team, but that is not enough.
Its best coach, not the best team. Even Atleti could go on the market and aquire talent. COSTA RICA has 3 million people in it. This guy did way more with way less. The idea that Jurgen could be nominated when he has literally 100 times and didn’t advance as far is insane. Atleti, if they’d won the champions league instead of La Liga then I could see them getting it.
To be fair, in hindsight they had some very good players. Arguably the best RB in Europe was Juanfran. I could see Godin in consideration for Best XI. Costa is obviously one of the best strikers in the world. The midfield, while not big household names, is very good. He is a great coach but I think Low will take it. There was only one outcome that was acceptable for him and that is to win the world cup. The only thing that could hurt his chances, in my eyes, is their recent run of form in Euro qualifying. Ancelloti deserves some praise (probablt 3rd in voting) for steering the ship the right way for Real Madrid. Cause its a world cup year Low will win and Simeone will be 2nd. 10th place tie is Klinnsman and Conte LOL
i doubt mr. tantrum wins no discipline. i got loew
Europeans will be happy they finally won in South America… I dunno how popular Loew is in general. I think personally lacks Hype.
It’s gunna come down to European voters vs Latin American/Iberian voters I bet.