MightyMouse over at BigSoccer has an interesting insight from ESPN espanol this morning:
The real reason Klinsmann walked away from the deal, according to ESPN espanol this morning, was that Klinsmann asked for guarantees from both the USSF and MLS that he would get the players he wanted for the upcoming tournaments. According to a reporter from ESPN, they mentioned his name and I forgot it, in an exclusive interview that Klinsmann walked away from the deal once both MLS and the USSF did NOT guarantee that all star players would be available for the tournaments.
That was all that was said and it makes sense. If Klinsmann is going to go out there and represent the USA and he doesn’t get 100% backing for the players he chooses then there is no need for him to be coaching as it takes control out of his hands. This was the sticking point as all else HAD BEEN AGREED ON and Trecker was correct in that assumption. Klinsmann had agreed but did an abrupt U-turn when this point came up in later talks.
Rumor, grain of salt, speculation, etc, etc. Nothing on SoccerNet yet. But it makes sense and fits what we know.
If I was a young rising star on the international coaching scene, I wouldn’t agree to this either, no matter how much money is paid. If you’re going to compete, you need access to the best players when you need them. Guess we’ll be in the 30’s for a while. Sigh.
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December 8th, 2006 at 10:12 am
I’m not sure it’s such a reasonable demand. Maybe for USSF, what do they care? But for MLS… The league’s clubs want to be able to behave like any other league’s clubs. And every now and then, rarely, a club feels the need to refuse to release a player for national team duty. If Klinsmann really wanted veto power over that refusal, he was asking an awful lot of the league. Especially considering MLS clubs have a pretty good track record of giving up their players when called up.
Somehow I think there’s more to the story.
December 8th, 2006 at 10:17 am
I think there is more too. I don’t expect ANY coach would expect to have EVERY player available for EVERY tournament. But given the additional tournaments the USMNT are slated to play in soon, I can see him wanted assurances from MLS that the stars would be available, especially during the season and I expect the MLS said no. Would it be a rock solid guarantee? Of course not. But I expect Klinsmann wanted to field a power team for the Copa America and the MLS teams said ‘sorry not during the season’ I realize the teams have their clubs to consider and it IS risky, but professionals playing in national tournaments is part of soccer – international clubs do it, albeit grudgingly, but still.
The MLS has to realize the USMNT is a key to their marketing, like it or not.