AJC.com > Sports > Soccer blog > Archives > 2006 > December
December 2006
Won’t be missing ‘06
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
Trying to find a last-minute gift for your favorite American soccer fan may be a bit difficult this year, given recent developments that have come on like a flurry in December.
Yes, there is a veritable Starting XI of Ebenezer Scrooges among the footy punditocracy these days, what with the Klinsmann withdrawal, the Adu trade, the future of the U.S. national team, the passing of Lamar Hunt, etc. Normally OTB would be right there with them, given the sour year it’s been in many respects.
In this corner, all the Adu hype is getting old, and that goes ditto for the Yanks too:
“Maybe the U.S. team which, after all, has been on a World Cup yo-yo (’90—bad, ’94—good, ’98—horrid, ’02—great, ’06—bad), will now bounce back up. But I confess my optimism is at low ebb these days.”
Jamie Trecker, who jumped the gun on the Klinsmann near-hire a couple days before he pulled out, ruminates on a number of subjects, including what he’s long described as a ‘poisonous’ atmosphere within USSF ranks.
Interim U.S. coach Bob Bradley’s first team includes 29 MLS players, including Atlanta’s own Ricardo Clark, for a January camp in preparation for friendlies against Denmark and Mexico.
But after a couple weeks of gaining perspective, there are some different ones surfacing besides the white-hot USSF-bashing kind. For example, isn’t soccer coaching supposed to be overrated?
And not everyone thinks Klinsmann’s the cat’s meow:
“Being responsible for getting a entire program off he ground and giving it flight isn’t Klinsmann’s style. He was a diving, self-serving player and, low and behold, he now resides in California.”
Meow, meow, meow, indeed.
There is some optimism on the local front, with the Silverbacks hiring an Under-23 coach with Georgia State and AFC Lightning roots, and the USL expanding its playoff format. Will that get the gorillas into the post-season, at last?
Despite all the long odds and naysayers, Lamar Hunt never gave up on his belief that soccer in America had a bright future. It might not be what any of us idealize now, but he left behind a substantial legacy and experienced some memorable events.
That’s worth feeling festive over any time of the year.
OTB’s feeling that way after receiving The Complete Book of Soccer from the fine folks at Firefly Books Ltd. I’ve just skimmed through a few pages, but this is a fabulous collection.
It’s one of the fun perks of the job, as is keeping this forum open for you. Happy Holidays!
Wolff to Germany; Klinsmann turns down U.S.
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
After some concerted work to move to Europe this fall, Stone Mountain’s own Josh Wolff signed with German club 1860 Munich Wednesday, ending a respectable Major League Soccer career in which he scored 59 goals and won a league championship.
Sounds like an Off the Ball field trip may be in the works in the next year. Oh, yes, she and footy compadre Marco Sloquinho, who in his fantasy world takes his meals, mail and ale at the legendary Hofbrauhaus, may just have to go over there and clap for the Wolffman live and in person.
Even though new Kansas City Wizards coach Curt Onalfo offered to keep Wolff after previous management had decided to part ways with the ex-Parkview standout, he said “I’m happy with what I decided.”
The 29-year-old, who’s signed through the 07-08 season, tried out with England’s Derby County, but couldn’t obtain a British work permit, which is usually tied to national team play. He played in just one of the three 2006 World Cup games for the U.S., and he saw scattered action in the run-up to it.
1860 Munich is the “other” major club in the Bavarian city, greatly overshadowed by Bundesliga giant Bayern Munich. Wolff will be playing for ex-German international Stefan Reuter, with the club four points out of promotion territory in the second division.
He probably won’t be making nearly as much as the $400K+ money he was earning in K.C. ”It’s exciting to be where soccer is the dominant sport, whether it’s England, Germany, Holland, wherever.”
The lure will remain, always, for Americans like him.
It also helps to go to a team on the Buddy Plan. One of Wolff’s new teammates is ex-U.S. defender Gregg Berhalter.
Wolff’s fellow Georgian, Clint Mathis, made a complete disaster of his abbreviated stay in Germany. Barring injuries or a totally out-of-character stunt — such as grabbing his crotch in the direction of his coach, a la Clint — Josh ought to have a much more successful sojourn in Deutschland.
This just in, 2:58 p.m.: Klinsmann has withdrawn his name for consideration for the U.S. job. He won’t go into the reasons why, but some of the issues at hand have been compensation and the role of the national team coach in executive issues.
What a big blow for the U.S. Soccer Federation, which has scheduled upcoming friendlies against Denmark and Mexico. Sunil Gulati’s first major move — or second, if you consider his firing of Bruce Arena — doesn’t make him look very good at all.
Who would you turn to now? Not that the American job held much international prestige, but how much has the Klinsmann fiasco — and that’s what you can call it — hurt U.S. chances of getting someone who can advance the national team program?
Updated, 3:35 p.m: SI.com is saying that Chivas USA coach Bob Bradley, the winningest coach in MLS history, will be named interim coach, which could lead to a pernament situation.
