If You Want Klinsmann Fired, You Are Dumb

International Soccer

You are a dumb American, who knows nothing about soccer.  You seek short-term results instead of long-term sustained success. You cry to get what you want instead of working hard to deserve it.  Now here’s the whole story.

We just lost to Mexico.

“Who cares?” “Us Americans do not care about soccer!”

False.  Americans love winning and we are not winners.  We are a second rate nation in a world where we believe we are second to none.  We dominate the Olympics. We crush basketball. We own football. Our pastime is baseball.  And we love all of that.  We expect our military to be unstoppable, our economy to rule, and our entertainment to be the best.  We want to be “American”… We want win in the most competitive arena in the world.  Forget Mars and space, soccer is our frontier.

“Puto!” “Puto” this, “Puto” that. That is what you hear when you go a U.S. v. Mexico game on American soil. Yes, Mexican fans chant every other word a curse word that I understand to be nothing but derogatory. And yes, they use it to describe our players, our play, and our results. And they proudly shout, on our turf nonetheless, on my alma mater’s home field, because 75% of the crowd was Mexican supporters.

The first and most important step to becoming a winning soccer nation is a cultural immersion of the sport.  The superpowers live, breathe, and die with soccer.  Their children learn to walk with a soccer ball.  The son’s first toy is a soccer ball and the father’s last gift is a ticket to a futbol game.  They eat soccer for breakfast.  Soccer is bred. We do not stand a chance until we grow soccer the way the rest of the world does. And Rome wasn’t built in a day.

Jurgen Klinsmann knows all of this and he is working to achieve it. It is why his other integral role is Technical Director for U.S. Soccer. He understands elite soccer, and how to get elite results. He presses for youth development because he knows soccer is in our future, not our immediate present. He has a practical and calm head that stated we would not win the 2014 World Cup because he realistically and accurately knew where we were. Unfortunately, this created an American hustle and bustle because we are childish and cannot stand being losers. Anyway, the German went out and led his children’s country to advance out of the Group of Death. We finished second in the Group of Death behind eventual champion Germany (losing only 1-0, much better than Brazil fared), tied a top-flight Cristiano Ronaldo led Portuguese team, and won against a more talented than us Ghanaian squad (who knocked us out of the previous two World Cups). Then we were a Wondo’ flub away from stealing our way into the quarterfinals.

Before Klinsmann we would not win at Italy, at the Azteca, in Netherlands, and in Germany. Goals not achievable before are now realized. We are at least relevant in the soccer world because of Klinsmann. We have made strides, but we have miles to go. Do not get off this train; it is headed in the right direction because its conductor is in control.

Prioritizing short-term returns is one our generation’s greatest fallacies. Weren’t we supposed to learn that lesson with our economy? We mask this fallacy with claims such as “accountability.” We let Landon Donovan attack our coach, who has won a World Cup as his team’s top striker, coached Germany to a third place finish (laying the groundwork for his assistant to finish the job), and was hired to coach at Bayern (freaking) Munich. Donovan, on the other hand, was a “successful” American-based player who couldn’t cut it overseas. Tell me who is the best Jacksonville Jaguars player of all-time is.  And then tell me that college players are better than pro players.  Letting Donovan take a shot at Klinsmann is like if Lakers let Adam Morrison question Phil Jackson or if the Broncos thought Tebow-time was more valuable than Elway’s insight. Just stop it.

And again, Rome wasn’t built in one day.

UCLA Bruins: John Wooden was hired in 1948. From 1964-1975 he won 10 of 12 national championships.  A 16-year wait.

Boston Celtics: Red Auerbach was hired in 1950. From 1957 to 1966 he won 9 of 10 championships.  A 7-year wait.

Duke Blue Devils: Mike Krzyzewksi was hired in 1980. Didn’t win his first of five national championships until 1991. An 11-year wait.

San Francisco Giants: Brian Sabean was hired as GM in 1996. Didn’t win his first of three World Series titles until 2010. A 14-year wait.

Jurgen Klinsmann was hired in 2011. A 4-year wait so far to turn around an entire nation’s legacy of futility. Give him time. He knows more than you.

I believe that we will win!  I believe that we will win!  I believe that we will win!