Klinsi Says No to US
December 8, 2006
Hours after Klinsmann told the US sports network ESPN that talks had ended with the US Soccer Federation, it was reported by unnamed sources that Bradley, who coaches Major League Soccer's Chivas USA, will take the interim job Friday.
Klinsmann told ESPN that he has backed away from replacing Bruce Arena and guiding the American effort ahead of the 2010 World Cup in South Africa.
Klinsmann, who led Germany to the World Cup semi-finals this year, lives in southern California and had been in intense talks with US Soccer Federation president Sunil Gulati regarding the coaching position.
An exchange of ideas and then a polite refusal
"Sunil and I have concluded our discussions about the US men's national team program and I have withdrawn my name from consideration as coach," Klinsmann told ESPN.
"I'm not going to go into details about our conversations, but I certainly want to wish the next coach of the US men's national team much success, and I want to also thank Sunil for the opportunity to exchange ideas," he added.
Klinsmann guided his homeland to a third-place World Cup finish on home soil this summer. The former Germany striker was part of the team that captured the 1990 World Cup crown in Italy, and finished his international career with 47 goals in 108 caps.
Domestic success puts Bradley in the frame
Bradley won MLS Coach of the Year honors this year after guiding Chivas into the playoffs with a mark of 10-19 with 13 drawn. He coached the Chicago Fire to the 1998 MLS title.
The Americans appear to have ended a five-month search to fill the void. Bradley will have his first test in a Jan. 20 home friendly against Denmark in nearby Carson.
After the 1998 US World Cup squad finished last in France, American hopes were bolstered by a quarter-final run in 2002 at South Korea.
But that was followed by disappointment last June when the Americans exited the tournament in the first round, losing to the Czech Republic and Ghana while holding eventual champions Italy to a 1-1 draw thanks to an Italian own goal.