Personally, I'm not nearly as critical of coaches on my soccer teams from a tactical perspective as I am my basketball and football coaches. So while I've understood the arguments against Jurgen's continued tenure as US National Team coach, I've never really bought into them.
I totally agree that Klinnsman is selling a bill of goods (proactive soccer that is more technically gifted and consistent with the international game) that he hasn't delivered yet. They looked good against Switzerland yesterday, but they were playing cliche 4-4-2 bunker and counter Bob Bradley style soccer.
But that may be where we're at as a soccer nation. The player pool (at this very moment) can't support a system that wants heavy wing play, tiki taka passing, and clinical finishing.
(Five years from now, that may be a different story - Rubio Rubin, Jordan Morris, Tommy Thompson, Haji Wright, Emerson Hyndman - these are all guys who have a chance to be great, great players.)
So tactically, it's honestly a smarter move to play a limited system (like Bob Bradley's empty bucket,) recognizing your team's limitations.
Yeah, I get that this is a Crean like excuse. It is. But I think the difference here is that Klinnsman doesn't set his player pool. He's limited by what the American developmental system churns out, and that takes a decade to change - not two years.
Am I being too lenient? The soccer media is sharpening the pitchforks for Jurgen, and I don't know that it's all that reasonable.
I totally agree that Klinnsman is selling a bill of goods (proactive soccer that is more technically gifted and consistent with the international game) that he hasn't delivered yet. They looked good against Switzerland yesterday, but they were playing cliche 4-4-2 bunker and counter Bob Bradley style soccer.
But that may be where we're at as a soccer nation. The player pool (at this very moment) can't support a system that wants heavy wing play, tiki taka passing, and clinical finishing.
(Five years from now, that may be a different story - Rubio Rubin, Jordan Morris, Tommy Thompson, Haji Wright, Emerson Hyndman - these are all guys who have a chance to be great, great players.)
So tactically, it's honestly a smarter move to play a limited system (like Bob Bradley's empty bucket,) recognizing your team's limitations.
Yeah, I get that this is a Crean like excuse. It is. But I think the difference here is that Klinnsman doesn't set his player pool. He's limited by what the American developmental system churns out, and that takes a decade to change - not two years.
Am I being too lenient? The soccer media is sharpening the pitchforks for Jurgen, and I don't know that it's all that reasonable.