USA vs. Colombia: Everybody (in MLS) Hates Jurgen Klinsmann

Say this about Jurgen Klinsmann — the U.S. Men’s National Team coach and U.S. Soccer Federation Technical Director — he’s moving into that rarefied air in the sports scene where you either love or hate him. There’s little wiggle room in between. The German-born famously ticked off ESPN’s Michael Wilbon earlier this year when he admitted the U.S. couldn’t win the 2014 World Cup and drew even more ire when he left Landon Donovan off the roster for Brazil.

Under Klinsmann’s watch the U.S. did get out of the Group of Death at the World Cup, but crashed out in the Round of 16 at the hands of Belgium.

Since then, Klinsmann — whose contract runs through the 2018 World Cup in Russia — hasn’t spent much time mending fences. Instead, it appears he’s content to burn bridges as it were. Last month during the international break Klinsmann questioned the level of play in MLS as it pertains to the form of Michael Bradley and Clint Dempsey. This prompted a harsh, angry rebuttal from league commissioner Don Garber to defend the sanctity of his league. Today, ahead of a friendly against Colombia at London’s Craven Cottage (2:45 Eastern, ESPN) another round of Klinsmann vs. MLS debates is making headway (in the soccer-sphere) thanks to a well-reported article by ESPNFC’s Jeff Carlisle.

In short, some people in MLS management are upset because they feel Klinsmann and his staffers are steering youth players developed with the league’s academies toward clubs in Europe. Klinsmann has never made it any secret that he thinks, from a 24-7 developmental environment the club scene in Europe trumps what MLS has to offer, regardless of the on-field product. If that happens before a pro contract is signed, the MLS club won’t receive a transfer fee.

Make no mistake, Klinsmann (representing U.S. Soccer) vs. MLS is a nice headline. As the last three decades have shown, it doesn’t take much to whip the American soccer Internet into a frenzy, turning everyone with an IP address into an expert on how to neatly solve the MLS/USMNT/youth development conundrum which has been going on for decades. (Spoiler: there isn’t an easy answer, if one even exists at all.)

More practically Klinsmann, representing U.S. Soccer, and MLS, representing its owner-operators bottom lines, don’t end up necessarily working in concert all the time. Klinsmann’s job, well jobs, are to improve the U.S. National Team — if that works hand-in-hand with MLS, fantastic. MLS clubs want to develop their own players, make money and win championships, if some of those players end up on the National Team, great.

However if an MLS team spends money to develop a player and when he’s 18 said player is poached by a European club for a nominal fee — if any — well, that’s decidedly less-great for the bottom line and why Seattle Sounders GM Adrian Hanauer is quoted in the ESPNFC piece wondering if clubs would continue to invest in youth if this becomes commonplace.

That said, as Klinsmann notes, soccer is a global game and MLS academies aren’t the only ones around the globe poached for talent.

The divide between MLS and Europe (and all clubs across the globe, namely in Mexico) is a challenge for U.S. Soccer, regardless of whomever is in charge of the senior National Team. Coming up with a system to train professionals in American given the size of the country and America’s sporting culture doesn’t lend itself to easy answers, let alone one that will assuredly produced a World Cup-winner.

As my friend Jon on Twitter pointed out, a young American player going to “Europe” doesn’t necessarily translate into immediate success or riches or National Team call-ups. Just take a look at the current crop of players across the pond, many aren’t even on most American-based fans radar. And by the same token, Klinsmann certainly given MLS players a fair shake — five of the U.S. starters vs. Belgium were on MLS rosters at the time of the World Cup.

Again, there isn’t a catch-all solution for all young American soccer players with aspirations of playing — and succeeding — for the National Team. That said, it’s hard to find fault with Klinsmann hoping some of the better players take what he perceives to be the tougher route to Europe in order to push themselves, MLS be damned.

Although 2018 is a long way away, it will be fascinating to see what the soccer landscape in America looks like after 7+ years with Klinsmann prominently involved. Oh the thinkpieces you’ll see.

The Starting XI:

#USMNT lineup: Guzan; Yedlin, Jones, Brooks, Garza; Beckerman; Bedoya, Diskerud, F. Johnson; Altidore (c), Rubin pic.twitter.com/QRghfrZDvA
— U.S. Soccer MNT (@USMNT) November 14, 2014

Klinsmann is certainly going for it offensively with this attack-minded set up. Hopefully Kyle Beckerman carb-loaded Friday night.

Three Other Things:

1. MLS observers have made the case Lee Nguyen, of the New England Revolution, could be the league MVP. Now 28, Nguyen could make his first appearance for the USMNT since 2007. Revs fans will be holding their breath that he and Jermaine Jones come through these friendlies (the U.S. plays the Republic of Ireland on Tuesday in Dublin) unscathed since the team plays New York in the MLS Eastern Conference Finals next weekend. DeAndre Yedlin is also active in the MLS playoffs with Seattle making the Western Conference Finals.

2. One semi-odd aspect of Klinsmann’s roster is he chose numerous players over the age of 30, including Brad Guzan (30), Nick Rimando (35), DaMarcus Beasley (32), Jones (33), Kyle Beckerman (32) and Chris Wondolowski (31). Klinsmann apparently values the veteran “leadership” that these guys bring to the squad. With the Gold Cup next summer — which determines CONCACAF’s representative in the 2017 Confederations Cup — and the 2016 Copa America on the distant horizon, Klinsmann can’t reset the squad and turn it completely over to youth just yet.

3. Normally a mid-November, post-World Cup friendly is instantly forgettable but when you couple in the Craven Cottage setting with Colombia — now No. 3 in the nebulous FIFA rankings — this game has the chance to be entertaining. Odds are — unless James Rodriguez scores a super goal — nobody will remember much about it past Happy Hour on Friday, but by friendly standards this is about as good as it gets.

It’s a shame someone organizing the match didn’t realize if it kicked off an hour or two later it would have gotten exponentially more television viewers in America, ticket sales at Craven Cottage be damned. (Call this a personal pet peeve because I think a European soccer game catering to the Friday afternoon/evening Happy Hour crowd would be fantastic.)