The Soccer Thread

[soccer10k]

Barcelona has come to play today. Five minutes after Ronaldinho, Gudjohnsen puts one in. 2-0 Barcelona.

 

And while I'm typing this Barcelona has another good chance. Barca is taking it to Bremen today.

[soccer10k]

Should be 3-0 right now. Deco made a great run downfield with the ball and got the ball with Gudjohnsen who beat two (or three) Bremen defenders and shot the ball past the goalie but off the post. Rebound by somebody was shot high and wide even though there was a wide open goal.

[USSoccer]

FoxSports.com reports that Jurgen Klinsmann will be named the U.S. national team head coach!!

 

\:D/

 

That's fantastic news!

[soccer10k]

Bremen has had numerous chances in the second half to cut the lead but they haven't been able to put one in. Chelsea will win the group and, barring a miracle in the last 3+ minutes, Barcelona will advance in second place.

[Jon]

AP[/url]"]Juergen Klinsmann and the U.S. Soccer Federation are likely to know within a week whether their talks will lead to a deal for him to become coach of the American national team, a person with knowledge of the negotiations said Tuesday.

 

Klinsmann and USSF president Sunil Gulati have held lengthy discussions about the possibility of the former German star forward succeeding Bruce Arena, who coached the team for 7 1/2 years and was let go by Gulati after the World Cup. No deal has been agreed to yet, the person said, speaking on condition of anonymity because talks are ongoing.

[USSoccer]

AP[/url]"]Juergen Klinsmann and the U.S. Soccer Federation are likely to know within a week whether their talks will lead to a deal for him to become coach of the American national team, a person with knowledge of the negotiations said Tuesday.

 

Klinsmann and USSF president Sunil Gulati have held lengthy discussions about the possibility of the former German star forward succeeding Bruce Arena, who coached the team for 7 1/2 years and was let go by Gulati after the World Cup. No deal has been agreed to yet, the person said, speaking on condition of anonymity because talks are ongoing.

 

Bummer. I thought it was done...

[shnsajax]

AP[/url]"]Juergen Klinsmann and the U.S. Soccer Federation are likely to know within a week whether their talks will lead to a deal for him to become coach of the American national team, a person with knowledge of the negotiations said Tuesday.

 

Klinsmann and USSF president Sunil Gulati have held lengthy discussions about the possibility of the former German star forward succeeding Bruce Arena, who coached the team for 7 1/2 years and was let go by Gulati after the World Cup. No deal has been agreed to yet, the person said, speaking on condition of anonymity because talks are ongoing.

 

Bummer. I thought it was done...

 

Me too, especially the way ESPNews was talking. Still I think its just a matter of time.

[CaliforniaRaisin]

FoxSports.com[/url]"]Jürgen Klinsmann will be named head coach of the U.S. men's national team within two weeks according to a number of well-placed sources with knowledge of the deal.

 

...

 

Warren Mersereau, who is both Klinsmann's business partner and representative, said "no comment" when contacted for this story.

 

There were two sticking points in signing Klinsmann: The first was Klinsmann's long relationship with adidas. The U.S. national soccer team is heavily underwritten by Nike, and sources at the shoewear companies said talk of the appointment initially caused some concern. According to a person connected with the shoe company today, Klinsmann has left adidas, solving the issue in one fell swoop.

 

The second issue looks to be more contentious. Speaking on condition of anonymity granted because they were not given permission to speak about the appointment, two sources confirmed that the issue of power-sharing was a major bone of contention. Former coach Bruce Arena had carved out a wide swath for himself during his tenure, and Klinsmann has reportedly demanded that he too be essentially the sole decision-maker on national team matters.

 

This has not sat well with some at the Federation, who were mindful of past friction. According to several people at the team level with intimate knowledge of the subject, relations between General Secretary Dan Flynn and Arena deteriorated to the point that the two men barely spoke to one another.

[USSoccer]

FoxSports.com[/url]"]Jürgen Klinsmann will be named head coach of the U.S. men's national team within two weeks according to a number of well-placed sources with knowledge of the deal.

 

...

 

Warren Mersereau, who is both Klinsmann's business partner and representative, said "no comment" when contacted for this story.

 

There were two sticking points in signing Klinsmann: The first was Klinsmann's long relationship with adidas. The U.S. national soccer team is heavily underwritten by Nike, and sources at the shoewear companies said talk of the appointment initially caused some concern. According to a person connected with the shoe company today, Klinsmann has left adidas, solving the issue in one fell swoop.

 

The second issue looks to be more contentious. Speaking on condition of anonymity granted because they were not given permission to speak about the appointment, two sources confirmed that the issue of power-sharing was a major bone of contention. Former coach Bruce Arena had carved out a wide swath for himself during his tenure, and Klinsmann has reportedly demanded that he too be essentially the sole decision-maker on national team matters.

 

This has not sat well with some at the Federation, who were mindful of past friction. According to several people at the team level with intimate knowledge of the subject, relations between General Secretary Dan Flynn and Arena deteriorated to the point that the two men barely spoke to one another.

 

I cannot imagine why anyone but the head coach would get final say in roster and training decisions. What else would Klinsi want control over?

[soccer10k]

WOW. What a shot in the Man U-Benfica game. Shot from about 30 yards out by a Benfica defender into the upper corner puts them up 1-0 in the 29th minute.

 

As I'm typing this Ronaldo had good free kick saved.

 

Should be an entertaining rest of the game since Benfica has to win to advance and Man U can't lose.

[soccer10k]

Right as injury time was starting Giggs put a free kick into the box and Vidic got a head on it to tie the game at 1. It was the last play of the half.

 

Man U was attacking relentlessly there for a while. Good and very entertaining match tbus far.

[goonys evil twin]

ESPNews reporting Klinsmann withdraws name.

[stuy119]

ESPNews reporting Klinsmann withdraws name.

 

Here's the link for those interested.

 

No other choices mentioned. Seems like Klinsmann had Gulati over the barrel in negotiations, and Gulati wasn't willing to give some ground.

 

I hope there are some other magic choice out there, or we're in trouble.

[soccer10k]

USSoccer won't be happy.

[brinoch]

ESPNews reporting Klinsmann withdraws name.

 

Here's the link for those interested.

 

No other choices mentioned. Seems like Klinsmann had Gulati over the barrel in negotiations, and Gulati wasn't willing to give some ground.

 

I hope there are some other magic choice out there, or we're in trouble.

 

It's time to get rid of Gulati.

[TruffleShuffle]

well, so much for USA Soccer maybe being good

[USSoccer]

ESPNews reporting Klinsmann withdraws name.

 

Here's the link for those interested.

 

No other choices mentioned. Seems like Klinsmann had Gulati over the barrel in negotiations, and Gulati wasn't willing to give some ground.

 

I hope there are some other magic choice out there, or we're in trouble.

 

It's time to get rid of Gulati.

 

Gulati is terrible. I have no idea how you screw that up. Klinsi should have been a no brainer.

 

Hope for Carlos Quieroz now, I guess.

[stuy119]

Looks like it's Bob Bradley for a while.

[CaliforniaRaisin]

Crap.

[sethuel1]

This really really sucks.

[shnsajax]

This is far more disappointing than anything the Cubs have done in he offseason for a while now. I am starting to have Steve Sampson flashbacks.

[USSoccer]

Oh barf.

[sethuel1]

I enjoy the fact that all of us soccer lovers, who enjoy discussing the minutest of things in ridiculous detail, are all so disgusted by what has happened with the USMNT that we've resorted to three word postings.

[sethuel1]

Oh a better note, the Derby Della Capitale is this weekend. Greatest spectacle in calcio. Well, as long as the tifosi let the game happen, which they didn't a couple of years ago.

 

My favorite memory is listening to the game on the internet the year after I got back from Rome, with Vincenzo Montella scoring 4 goals in a 5-1 victory. After goal #4, Carlo Zampa, the announcer, screamed "Ti amo, Vincenzo!" continuously for about 2 minutes.

 

Gonna go watch it at Ginger's this year. Unless I'm really hungover. In which case I'll watch it from my couch.

[USSoccer]

I enjoy the fact that all of us soccer lovers, who enjoy discussing the minutest of things in ridiculous detail, are all so disgusted by what has happened with the USMNT that we've resorted to three word postings.

 

About the only positive thing about Bradley is that he's an interim coach, and it's not even a given that he'll be in charge for Copa America/Gold Cup games this summer. It seems that he'll have the upcoming friendly against...I can't remember, but some crap team in LA in January, and then the Mexico friendly a month later and that's about it. He hopefully won't be given the change to ever, ever coach us through a World Cup cycle.

 

I can't get excited or optimistic about it. Bradley's nothing special. It just means that Gulati's putting off making progress, which isn't suprising either. Gulati sucks.