Andy's Pitch

Jamaica earned a crucial 2-1 victory over U.S. in Kingston on Friday night to take the lead in Group A of the semifinals of CONCACAF World Cup Qualifying.

When I lived in Chicago Comcast—the reigning cable and Internet regime in the city—ran an advertising campaign about “what would people do for their Comcast coverage.” One of the ads stated people would rather take a crushing hit from Brian Urlacher, the Chicago Bears bruising linebacker, than live without their Comcast. I was not one of those people. I despised Comcast: their $90/month charge for basic cable, shoddy Internet service, inept customer service. We actually lived without cable for most of our four years in Chicago, subscribing only when sporting events—the 2010 World Cup, the Tour de France (my wife’s addicted to it)—required us to have it.

Our family lives in Los Angeles now, and after living without a television for a year, when the European Championships rolled around in June, I finally decided I couldn’t bear not being able to watch sports—particularly soccer—in my house.  We bought a TV, and after a tumultuous relationship with Time Warner, the cable and Internet regime in Los Angeles, a masterful salesman at Best Buy got us to subscribe to DirecTV.  I will be forever thankful to him, and this week proves why: last month, the U.S Soccer Federation announced that BeIN, the new sports programming channel from Al-Jazeera, would broadcast Friday’s U.S.-Jamaica World Cup Qualifier. We didn’t have the sports package that included BeIN. How could I get it?  On Friday morning, I called DirecTV, added the requisite Sports Pack via an automated service, agreed to pay an extra $12 a month, and just like that—no haggling with befuddled customer service reps, no visit from a technician (which I’d have to pay for) to push a button on our cable box—our DirecTV subscription included Fox Soccer Channel, BeIN sports, and the NBC Sports network—which means I can now basically watch soccer 24/7—starting with Friday’s U.S.-Jamaica qualifier.

The game provided an opportunity for the U.S. to make history for the third time this year: after earning their first ever victory over Italy in March and their first win in Mexico on August 15^th, on Friday, they had the chance to beat Jamaica in Jamaica for the first time.

Thirty-seven seconds into the game, that achievement seemed possible: Hercules Gomez beat his defender, and after sending a few shots at Jamaica players—first the Jamaican goalkeeper Dwayne Miller, then a defender—the ball bounced to Clint Dempsey, who—playing in his first competitive game since June—proved why last season he was a leading goals corer in the English Premier League: a knack for being in the right place at the right time, and clinical finishing ability.  He passed the ball into the goal from about seven yards out, and the U.S. had a 1-0 lead.

Dempsey’s goal was the fastest in U.S. World Cup Qualifying history.  But truth be told, after that goal, the game went downhill for the U.S.

Jamaica slowly worked their way back into the game. They closed space in midfield, wining the ball and then keeping possession. After ten minutes or so that increase in possession began to pay off: they were creating offensive opportunities.  In particular, Rudolph Austin was running at players, controlling the ball, and springing the Jamaica attack. And he was earning fouls: in particular, Kyle Beckerman couldn’t keep pace with the faster and stronger Jamaica midfield, and he was consistently having to chase down players.  Which is exactly what led to Jamaica’s equalizer in the 23^rd minute: Beckerman fouled Austin about five yards outside the penalty area.  On the ensuing free-kick, Austin rifled a daisy cutter through the American wall—which jumped, expecting Austin to try and go over the wall—and the ball ricocheted off Beckerman’s leg and past Tim Howard.

After that tying goal, the U.S. never really threatened to get back into the game. Jamaica, playing with more physical aggression and better technical ability and tactical execution, controlled the game.  But as much as Jamaica was in control, the U.S. never posed much of a threat.

This was a game played primarily between the penalty boxes. Aside from Dempsey’s goal, neither team had many chances on goal from the run of play.  The United States’ lineup seemed to lack a strong link between midfield and its forwards. Jurgen Klinsmann started three defensive midfielders: Maurice Edu, Kyle Beckerman, and Jermaine Jones. Dempsey played in front of those three players, but he was never able to provide an adequate link between midfield and the American forwards Jozy Altidore and Hercules Gomez.  Throughout the second part of the first half and the entirety of the second half, Jamaica absolutely dominated the midfield, and that dominance proved the difference. In any game, the team controls the midfield will likely win.

And in the 62^nd minute, Jamaica got the chance they need to earn the victory.  Maurice Edu made a late diving tackle on Austin, and the referee called a foul. Again, Jamaica lined up for a free kick in a dangerous position, about 25 yards from goal. This time the taker was Luton Shelton.  He took a world-class free kick: The ball curled with blistering pace over the American wall, nicked the inside of the post, and went in.  2-1.

Jamaica maintained their composure and closed out the game.  Now they stand atop Group A with 7 points, while the U.S. is tied for second place with four points.  The top two teams from the group will advance to the final round of CONCACAF World Cup qualifying.  If they lose to Jamaica in Columbus on Tuesday, they won’t be eliminated from World Cup Qualifying, but they’ll face a tough road in their final two qualifying games.

After Friday’s performance, a loss on Tuesday seems fairly likely. The U.S. is missing Landon Donovan, who—although he is reaching the end of his career—is still a key playmaker and even more important leader for the national team. They’re also missing Michael Bradley, a key member of their midfield, who can both win balls on defense and create plays on offense.  On Friday, Jamaica looked flat-out better: better organized, more composed, more aggressive. They owned the midfield and took advantage of their two best opportunities. If they do the same on Tuesday in Columbus, the United States’ mission to qualify for Brazil 2014 could be in serious danger.

Klinsmann celebrates a goal in the 1990 World Cup, which West Germany won to claim its 3rd World Cup Title.

A year ago, in my second post on this blog, I wrote about how important it would be for the U.S. that Jurgen Klinsmann would bring a winning pedigree to the national team. After seeing the team’s first ever victory in Mexico last night, at the Estadio Azteca, it seemed appropriate to revisit this piece–and my hopes for Klinsmann. 

From 1988 until his retirement in 1998, Jurgen Klinsmann was one of the best strikers in the world.  During those ten years, he won a number of accolades with club teams, but his real achievements came on the international stage. “The Golden Bomber” scored in each of the six major international tournaments he played in and became the first player in history to score at least three goals in three World Cups (’90, ’94, and ’98).  And he won the two most prestigious championships any European soccer player can win: The World Cup, in 1990; and The European Championship, in 1996.

Klinsmann was a striker in the traditional sense of that word:  When a goal scoring opportunity arose, he struck. To do this, he often employed a unique tactic: he ran in circles.  I got to see Klinsmann play live in June of 1993, at the Pontiac Silverdome in Detroit, Michigan, where “Unified” Germany (it had been West Germany that had won the 1990 World Cup) was playing England in the U.S. Cup.  I was twelve then, and the one thing from that game that stands out to me is the way Klinsmann and his strike partner ran in circles at the top of the field while Germany built up its powerful and methodical attacks out of its backfield and midfield.  Later I realized why Klinsmann did this. The constant movement made him hard to defend, and maintaining a dynamic state enabled him always to be ready to pounce on an opportunity—a passing lane, a through ball—and do what he did best: score goals.

The ability to anticipate an opportunity and then strike seems to be serving Klinsmann well as a coach.  In 2004, the German Football Association hired Klinsmann—who had no previous coaching experience—to coach the German team, which had just had a dismal performance in the European Championship, where they failed to advance out of the group stage.  In two years, he transformed an aging under-achieving team into a dynamic group of young and veteran players whose attack-oriented play at the 2006 World Cup attracted worldwide praise.   The team made an exciting run at that World Cup, winning their group and advancing to the semifinals, where they lost in over-time to eventual champions, Italy.

Now, Klinsmann has struck again.  On July 29, the US Soccer Federation hired him to coach the Men’s National Team.  His hiring was not a surprise.  Klinsmann has lived in California since his retirement in 1998, and the U.S. previously courted him for the head coaching position in 2006.

But Klinsmann takes over the USMNT at a time when it is struggling. Their performance in the 2010 World Cup—ties against England and Slovenia, a last-minute victory against Algeria, a loss to Ghana in the Round of 16—was a great disappointment. In this year’s CONCACAF Gold Cup, the U.S. lost in group play to Panama and then lost the final 3-1 to its rival Mexico in Los Angeles. It seemed that a change in coaching was necessary

But Klinsmann’s hiring has been met with both excitement and trepidation.  It’s exciting to see an accomplished international soccer player coach the U.S. Men’s team.  And Klinsmann’s success with the German team proves he has the ability to make adjustments to a nation’s soccer program in order to yield results in professional international competition.

But the current USMNT has enough shortcomings that it seems no single coach could fix them.  Most prominent are their unreliable defense, the lack of a consistent offensive threat, and no clear pool of young players and veterans who can form a competitive international team.

It’s also possible that the American team could lack the technical proficiency required to execute the type of aggressive, fast-paced attacking style of play Klinsmann implemented with the German team.  Whatever issues lay in the German national program in 2004, it can be assumed that technical proficiency was not one of them.  Germany has always been known for both its technical proficiency and tactical prowess.  And a team’s tactical execution is limited or enabled by their technical ability. If the players can’t possess and pass the ball with efficiency and confidence, then the team won’t be able to lead any sort of attack, let alone a fast-pace assault of precise passing, penetrating forward runs, creative combination play, and accurate finishing.

There’s also the fact that Klinsmann’s coaching experience is better called a “stint” than a “career.”  Besides the two years coaching Germany, Klinsmann’s only other coaching experience was with the elite German club Bayern Munich, where he was replaced before the season ended.

Klinsmann celebrating with the 3rd Place Medal at the 2006 World Cup.

But it’s hard to underestimate the significance of Klinsmann’s impact on the German National Team.  What he led in Germany was a revolution.  Heading into the 2006 World Cup, many Germans were skeptical about the team.  But in the World Cup, they won their group, with three victories on 8 goals for and 2 against.  They beat Sweden 2-0 in the Round of 16 and Argentina on penalties in the quarterfinals, before the loss to Italy.  After the loss, Klinsmann praised the team, and their positive attitude and victory in the 3^rd place match galvanized support for the team—and for Klinsmann. According to the BBC, all 23 players on the German team and 90% of the German public wanted Klinsmann to remain as the coach. Even German legend Franz Beckenbauer, who won World Cups for Germany as both a player and coach and had previously been a critic of Klinsmann, wanted him to stay on as coach.

But just days after the World Cup ended, he resigned, saying: “After two years of putting in a lot of energy, I feel I lack the power and the strength to continue in the same way.”

That decision and Klinsmann’s statement might concern Americans.  Klinsmann is a free spirit—literally running in circles in his own world, waiting to find the perfect moment to strike.

Klinsmann celebrates the United States’s lone goal in the team’s first game, against Mexico, with him as coach.

But U.S. Soccer Fans should be optimistic about Jurgen Klinsmann for one specific reason: he is a winner.  For ten years, he was an integral player for a nation that expects to win every single international soccer match it plays.   And Klinsmann won, as both a player and a coach.  He has a record of international success that no American—player or coach—can match.  That championship pedigree makes him an ideal candidate to steer US Soccer in a new direction.

Because if there’s one thing that the USMNT needs right now—more than a change in tactics or personnel—it’s a change in attitude and perspective.  They need to start playing like they expect to win.  In the last two World Cups, the U.S. has played like an also-ran. For fans, their underachievements have been disappointing, infuriating, and even embarrassing.

Hopefully—more than any tactical revolution or coaching appointments—Klinsmann will infuse U.S. Soccer with the mentality of a champion.  And once the team believes they can be a champion, maybe they will start to play like one.

I wrote a short post for Grantland about Jose Villarreal’s debut goal for the L.A. Galaxy.  I first learned about Villarreal when I was interviewing members of the Galaxy’s Development Academy.  Both the Academy’s U18 Head Coach, Eddie Soto, and the senior team’s Assistant Coach, David Sarachan (Bruce Arena’s long-time lieutenant), said Villarreal was a special player. On Wednesday, in only his second MLS appearance, the 18-year-old showed why.

Here’s a piece I wrote for The Classical about Detroit City FC, Detroit’s new minor league soccer team that David Dwaihy, an old opponent–and one of the most skilled players I ever played against–from my high school and college days, started this past fall with four other honorable young men.