Getty Image / Omar Vega
There’s no arguing that the United States Soccer Men’s National Team had an absolutely terrible Copa America on home soil, failing to make it out of an easy group that included should-be cupcakes in Panama and Bolivia and a very good Uruguay squad.
This has led to another flare-up of the longtime dislike for manager Gregg Berhalter, as many USMNT fans and pundits think he is completely outmatched for the job. It seems likely that he will be fired after this terrible performance two years before a World Cup on home soil, and a replacement will be needed.
As the richest country in the world that is about to host a World Cup, US Soccer should be splurging for one of the best coaches in the world.
Former USMNT legend Tim Howard thinks he could be the guy to land one of those coaches. Howard, arguably the best player and goalkeeper in national team history, thinks he can help the USMNT land recently departed Liverpool managerial legend Jurgen Klopp.
He shared his opinion in an op-ed published in the Daily Mail on Wednesday. Here are some excerpts.
I am willing to help my country in any way I can. Proud to serve. So if I was in charge of US Soccer right now, I’d be on my way to the airport.
Why? Because I believe I could make a very compelling argument to Jurgen Klopp to take over the US Men’s National Team.
After the disappointment of Copa America, after the United States lost to Uruguay and exited at the group stages, I will personally fly to Spain. I mean it.
I know Klopp has only been retired a few weeks and I know he wants a break. But if we sat around his villa in Spain, I think I could lure him over here. 100 percent.
The money is certainly there. So my pitch would be simple: he has a young group of players who can play progressive, front-foot soccer – exactly like his Liverpoolv teams. And in two years’ time he can go to the biggest World Cup in history.
US Soccer sporting director Matt Crocker has promised another ‘comprehensive review’ after ‘our tournament performance fell short of our expectations.’ Now they have to contemplate a decision they were hoping to avoid. You can’t change the players. Nor should you with this group.
They are the right age and there is a good balance to the team. But opportunities to prove they are our golden generation are running out.
I have sympathy with Gregg. But it is very difficult for a manager to lead over more than one World Cup cycle – the messages get stale.
So maybe it is time for US Soccer to look elsewhere. I’ll pack my swimming trunks and head to Spain. Just give me the call.
Needless to say, Jurgen Klopp would be an absolute grand slam hire for US Soccer. He established himself as arguably the best manager in the world the last two decades at FC Mainz, Borussia Dortmund, and at Liverpool. He’s won nearly everything there is to win in club soccer, and stepped down from Liverpool effective at the end of last season, citing burnout.
But, managing a national team is a significantly less labor-intensive job than being a club manager. Could Jurgen Klopp be persuaded to take the job? Only time will tell.