The beautiful game is beautiful in part because of all the differing opinions watching the exact same events through different eyes can generate. When looked at through the "American filter", we American football fans often come from a different mental space than many others. We view our first division not as a league, but as a league compared to the very best leagues on the planet. We view our national team not as what it is, but compare it to the very best national teams on the planet.
But America is not like any other nation on the planet. Comparing a league less than two decades old to ones over a hundred years old is nonsensical. Comparing a national team which most Americans didn't even know existed more than two decades ago to ones that have been an integral part of a nations sports and national identity is nothing more than a fools mission.
When judging the mission and performance of Jurgen Klinsmann as US Mens National Team manager, he can't be judged by a standard equal to that of a "footballing nation". But the fact remains, he needs to be judged. The question becomes, how do we judge him? Do we judge him based on the expectations of the fans, who we know already come to the equation with a slightly tilted view? Do we judge him based on his own proclamations and mission statements? Do we judge him based on the performances of past managers? Or can he only be judged several managers from now, as any manager should be judged, with time and hindsight allowed to cool heated feelings in the moment? For me, the answer to all of these questions is in fact, yes.
Welcome to the Klinsmann Dyslexicon.
The Optimist:
Taking an optimistic view of the aforementioned questions, the experiment that undoubtably is Jurgen Klinsmann as USMNT manager is already bearing results.
What do the fans of the US truly expect from their manager and their team? They expect qualification for the World Cup. They expect Gold Cup finals and occasional victories in those finals. They expect a team built to compete when at the World Cup. They expect to be the second best national team in the CONCACAF region, with a push being made to be the best. And they expect this on all levels, from youth to the senior team.
So far Klinsmann has to be getting a passing grade. He hasn't faced a Gold Cup competition yet, nor has he faced the daunting stage of the World Cup, the only expectation marker he has so far been able to face is that of World Cup qualification. If the World Cup were held tomorrow, based on current standings, the US would be in the World Cup. The first steps of the Klinsmann era must be considered a success.
If we judge Jurgen based on his own words, on what he saw for the future of the national team on all levels, we come back to the hindsight view. For now, he gets an incomplete, but there is a clear sense of change. The search for style and search across the globe for players with American ties is a simple and necessary step to developing a footballing nations mentality and identity.
If we judge Jurgen upon results, his own and those that came before him, again he is looking pretty good. While he had more losses during his run than Bob Bradley did during the best run of Bradley's career as manager, he also had more wins, creating the best win percentage of any manager in US history. He has us in the qualifying places (3rd) for the World Cup. In friendlies we defeated both Italy in Italy, and Mexico in Mexico. We also drew against Mexico in World Cup Qualification in Mexico for only the second time ever.
Based upon results, which many can argue is the only thing that matters in the end, the Klinsmann era has been nothing short of a smashing success. Taking the optimist view of the Jurgen era, there can be very little room for complaint. If you are a "glass half full" kind of person, you should be very happy with the beginning of the Kilnsmann experiment, and looking happily and positively to a future where we move toward bigger and better things, reaching the goals that we the fans, and Klinsmann himself have set.
The Pessimist:
Taking a more pessimistic view of the Klinsmann era, fans can not be very happy with the early results.
When Jurgen Klinsmann first arrived as US manager, he made a lot of statements that sounded great, but never came to fruition, leaving some to believe he is less savior than false messiah. He let it be known that he was on the look out for an assistant who knew the American game and mentality. A fresh perspective. In his first match, he did indeed hold true to his word and brought in assistants who knew MLS, the US players, and the US culture. He then turned around right after this brief experiment and appointed his old friend and assistant from his ill fated Bayern Munich adventure, Martin Vasquez. A Mexican turned American. (Much like Jurgen, a German who over the years has become very much American)
He also made promises about the style he intended to bring to the US. An attacking style in line with the way America viewed itself. A more beautiful style than what we had been known for. And in some ways he has been true to his word. He has tried out new formations and styles. The problem being, the results of those experiments were not the best, and far from beautiful.
When looking to the best results of the Klinsmann era, two friendly victories against Italy and Mexico, and a qualification draw against Mexico, the tactics and style the US employed in those matches were the same grind it out defensive strategy employed by Bob Bradley or Bruce Arena. Not exactly the change and fresh ideas promised. And worst of all, when asked what team would be seen as more intimidating, the best Bob Bradley team, one with pace and counter attacking ability, or the Klinsmann best, a defensive team hoping for a poached goal and opposition mistakes, the Bradley team would instill more fear. Not a promising thought at all.
Currently under Jurgen, the US finds itself in third place in CONCACAF World Cup qualification after 3 matches. A loss to Honduras in Honduras, a win against Costa Rica, and a draw against Mexico.
In the end, it doesn't matter if you finish first or if you finish third, or even if you finish fourth and only qualify for the World Cup after a home and home series with New Zealand, as long as you qualify. But taking a realistic view of those results, one shouldn't be filled with great confidence. Against Honduras the US looked lifeless and got the result they deserved. Against Costa Rica, a freak blizzard in Denver combined with a lucky bounce gained us 3 points. Against Mexico, referee error may have handed the US a point where one was not truly deserved in a third poor performance in three qualification matches. If the game was more just, the US would be looking from the outside in when it comes to qualification.
For a man who promised style and beauty while finding an American spirit in the game, Jurgen's actions have told a very different story. Over his reign we have seen width removed from our attack. We have seen multiple defensive minded midfielders employed at once. We have seen lone strikers cutting forlorn figures with no form of service. We have seen veterans questioned publicly or knee capped in front of the team. All worrying and disturbing signs that Klinsmann may indeed be nothing more than a snake oil salesman.
When the Brian Straus Sporting News article came out, (and thankfully woke up and unified the team result wise, if not in style of performance) no one claimed the basic facts of the article to be wrong. And according to Sports Illustrated journalist Grant Wahl, what upset Klinsmann most about the article was the rehashing of his time at Bayern Munich in its relation to his current US performance. In particular the mention of the Phillip Lahm book, in which Lahm claimed Kilnsmann to be tactically naive, and Martin Vasquez to be nothing more than a fitness guru and yoga instructor. The USMNT sources quoted in the article believed the Lahm book to be accurate, which seems to have hurt Klinsmann the most, but could be a worrying sign for the future of the US team under Klinsmann.
Based solely on performance, any fan of the US national team can not be excited about the way things have developed, and how the changes made have not been proven to be any form of improvement at all.
The Realist:
Taking a more realistic view of the Jurgen Klinsmann era, one may be inclined to say that his results with the USMNT, his meeting or failure to meet expectations, and his accuracy in delivering what he claimed he could, doesn't actually matter. Whether or not Klinsmann leads the US to qualification for the World Cup or doesn't, doesn't even matter.
There is only one way to judge Jurgen Klinsmann, and it's not even based upon the senior squad at all. The Under 17's and Under 21's (or 24's) are how we can judge Klinsmann. Do they qualify for CONCACAF and World tournaments? Are they playing with a more beautiful attacking style? Are they developing more technically?
The results of the senior squad in the 2026 and 2030 World Cups, populated almost solely with the players developed in the Jurgen era will tell us more about whether or not Jurgen Klinsmann is a genius, or a mad scientist.
Fans love to debate. Fans love to discuss. Fans love to gripe about the smallest issue or celebrate the most minor victory. But when it comes to Jurgen Klinsmann, we may very well be wasting our time. If Jurgen changes the DNA of the US set up as he believes he can, it won't change as quickly as it did with Germany. The chances are very good that if he delivers on his promise, someone else will be around to collect all the plaudits when the results are finally in. If he fails to deliver, he will have been long forgotten while new names and faces attempt to address the issues left behind.
We have to remember that the US is not Germany, or England, or France, or Italy, or even Mexico. The US is nothing more or less than the US, and we are not that far off from square one, as sad and frightening as that may be. But when considering where we are already in this still infantile state, and what potential we have, every US fan should be caught up in the rapture of glorious anticipation. Even if the Jurgen Kilnsmann experiment is a dire failure, things are not all that bad.
Over the years I have met many US fans who are eternal optimists. I've met many more who are eternal pessimists. I've rarely met what I would call eternal realists. But if what I project is true, in the end, the realists are more in line with the eternal optimists than they are the pessimists. And isn't that just a kick in the teeth, eh pessimists?
Until next time, I will see you Off The Woodwork.
