For the first time as USA manager, Jürgen Klinsmann is bringing his team to Germany. It will be a reunion of old colleagues and friends, but also an important sporting occasion, as the 1990 World Cup and 1996 European Championship winner will take his team to the Gold Cup later in the summer. In an interview with DFB.de , the 50 year old discuses his impressions of last summer’s World Cup, his team’s development, his relationship with Jogi Löw, as well as America’s new passion for football.
DFB.de: Mr Klinsmann, in a newspaper last summer was a written the wonderful sentence: “After their finest hour in Belo Horizonte, German football finally has its ‘where were you moment’”. So the question remains, where were you during that famous 7-1 semifinal win?
Jürgen Klinsmann: Like most fans, with family and friends at home in front of the TV. And like most fans I was fairly optimistic, but also a bit nervous, and then I was able to just completely enjoy this amazing spectacle. Something that doesn’t happen often in a World Cup semifinal. Usually the tension prevails.
DFB.de: Why were Germany such a huge success in 2014?
Klinsmann: Football is always a snapshot of life. Also at a World Cup it’s mostly about who had the best team that particular summer and who had the most determination to win. That was clearly the Germans.
DFB.de: What were your impressions of the Germany side during the group match against the USA in Recife?
Klinsmann: For me the overall impression was the most important throughout the whole tournament. Germany gave off a very focused and stable impression, also against us in the group stages.
DFB.de: You have been the USA manager for four years now. In Brazil you led your team to the last 16 and in 2013 you won the Gold Cup. Are you happy with the steps forward your team has made?
Klinsmann: We have made a lot of process in four years and we have huge potential to develop, but we have a lot of catching up to do before we can compete with the biggest countries. I get a lot of fun out of helping football progress in the USA.
DFB.de: Football has never been watched so intensively in the USA as it was during the last World Cup. Has this visibly noticeable increase in interest stuck?
Klinsmann: The World Cup gave us a great boost. The Americans have realised how exciting and emotional football can be. For the first time ever there were public viewing events, all over the country. Sports bars were packed and many people took time off work to watch the games. The driving force behind this growing interest is of course the national team
DFB.de: What are your expectations for today?
Klinsmann: I am excited of course, to meet lots of people that I have known for a long time. Also a lot of the staff and organisational team. Then I am also hoping to gains some insights ahead of the summer’s Gold Cup. The 2015 Gold Cup is very important for us, because a win would mean we qualify for the 2017 Confed-Cup in Russia, which is the main test ahead of the World Cup the following year.
DFB.de Johnson, Green, Brooks, Chandler, Jones – all USA players who have grown up in Germany. Just a coincidence?
Klinsmann: It’s just a natural sign of the times we live in with globalisation. There are more than three million Americans living abroad and lots of their children grow up in so-called “footballing” countries. It’s an advantage for us when players learn to play in an academy centre. Not everyone has that opportunity. But also a decisive factor is the quality that these players are bringing to the team these days.
DFB.de: Are there any other German candidates on the radar?
Klinsmann: (laughing) Yes, of course. It’s our duty as trainers to find players from all over the world that match our demands, are eligible and that bring the right determination with them into the team.
DFB.de: It’s striking to see that key players like Michael Bradley, Jozy Altidore and Clint Dempsey have returned to the MLS. Do you like this?
Klinsmann: It’s a logical result of the growing status of the MLS, which is growing rapidly. But obviously every national team manager hopes that his players can play at the highest level so it would be nice to see more US internationals in the Champions League.
DFB.de: Washington, Recife, Cologne – it’s the third time you will face Germany and Jogi Löw. How do you feel about that?
Klinsmann: It’s always very special. We experienced a lot together, that connects us. And the same goes for a lot of players in the team. Even if there are fewer players from that time, it’s still an extraordinary meeting.
DFB.de: Berti Vogts acts as an advisor to you. How important is he to the team’s success?
Klinsmann: Very important. In his career Berti experienced everything possible in football. We benefit immensely from that experience. We’re happy that he works for us and can support us.
DFB.de: Your contract runs until 2018. Are all your plans aligned to the World cup in Russia?
Klinsmann: Of course, but in football there are lot of short term goals that need to be achieved. At the moment we are focussed on the Gold Cup, which is very important for us and our fans.
DFB.de: You sang both national anthems during the match against Germany. How does that feel?
Klinsmann: It’s obviously strange. But I see no reason not to do it. I spent the first 20 years of my live in Germany and my roots are there. Now I have been living in the USA for almost 20 years so I have a special relationship to both anthems.
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For the first time as USA manager, Jürgen Klinsmann is bringing his team to Germany. It will be a reunion of old colleagues and friends, but also an important sporting occasion, as the 1990 World Cup and 1996 European Championship winner will take his team to the Gold Cup later in the summer. In an interview with DFB.de , the 50 year old discuses his impressions of last summer’s World Cup, his team’s development, his relationship with Jogi Löw, as well as America’s new passion for football.
DFB.de: Mr Klinsmann, in a newspaper last summer was a written the wonderful sentence: “After their finest hour in Belo Horizonte, German football finally has its ‘where were you moment’”. So the question remains, where were you during that famous 7-1 semifinal win?
Jürgen Klinsmann: Like most fans, with family and friends at home in front of the TV. And like most fans I was fairly optimistic, but also a bit nervous, and then I was able to just completely enjoy this amazing spectacle. Something that doesn’t happen often in a World Cup semifinal. Usually the tension prevails.
DFB.de: Why were Germany such a huge success in 2014?
Klinsmann: Football is always a snapshot of life. Also at a World Cup it’s mostly about who had the best team that particular summer and who had the most determination to win. That was clearly the Germans.
DFB.de: What were your impressions of the Germany side during the group match against the USA in Recife?
Klinsmann: For me the overall impression was the most important throughout the whole tournament. Germany gave off a very focused and stable impression, also against us in the group stages.
DFB.de: You have been the USA manager for four years now. In Brazil you led your team to the last 16 and in 2013 you won the Gold Cup. Are you happy with the steps forward your team has made?
Klinsmann: We have made a lot of process in four years and we have huge potential to develop, but we have a lot of catching up to do before we can compete with the biggest countries. I get a lot of fun out of helping football progress in the USA.
DFB.de: Football has never been watched so intensively in the USA as it was during the last World Cup. Has this visibly noticeable increase in interest stuck?
Klinsmann: The World Cup gave us a great boost. The Americans have realised how exciting and emotional football can be. For the first time ever there were public viewing events, all over the country. Sports bars were packed and many people took time off work to watch the games. The driving force behind this growing interest is of course the national team
DFB.de: What are your expectations for today?
Klinsmann: I am excited of course, to meet lots of people that I have known for a long time. Also a lot of the staff and organisational team. Then I am also hoping to gains some insights ahead of the summer’s Gold Cup. The 2015 Gold Cup is very important for us, because a win would mean we qualify for the 2017 Confed-Cup in Russia, which is the main test ahead of the World Cup the following year.
DFB.de Johnson, Green, Brooks, Chandler, Jones – all USA players who have grown up in Germany. Just a coincidence?
Klinsmann: It’s just a natural sign of the times we live in with globalisation. There are more than three million Americans living abroad and lots of their children grow up in so-called “footballing” countries. It’s an advantage for us when players learn to play in an academy centre. Not everyone has that opportunity. But also a decisive factor is the quality that these players are bringing to the team these days.
DFB.de: Are there any other German candidates on the radar?
Klinsmann: (laughing) Yes, of course. It’s our duty as trainers to find players from all over the world that match our demands, are eligible and that bring the right determination with them into the team.
DFB.de: It’s striking to see that key players like Michael Bradley, Jozy Altidore and Clint Dempsey have returned to the MLS. Do you like this?
Klinsmann: It’s a logical result of the growing status of the MLS, which is growing rapidly. But obviously every national team manager hopes that his players can play at the highest level so it would be nice to see more US internationals in the Champions League.
DFB.de: Washington, Recife, Cologne – it’s the third time you will face Germany and Jogi Löw. How do you feel about that?
Klinsmann: It’s always very special. We experienced a lot together, that connects us. And the same goes for a lot of players in the team. Even if there are fewer players from that time, it’s still an extraordinary meeting.
DFB.de: Berti Vogts acts as an advisor to you. How important is he to the team’s success?
Klinsmann: Very important. In his career Berti experienced everything possible in football. We benefit immensely from that experience. We’re happy that he works for us and can support us.
DFB.de: Your contract runs until 2018. Are all your plans aligned to the World cup in Russia?
Klinsmann: Of course, but in football there are lot of short term goals that need to be achieved. At the moment we are focussed on the Gold Cup, which is very important for us and our fans.
DFB.de: You sang both national anthems during the match against Germany. How does that feel?
Klinsmann: It’s obviously strange. But I see no reason not to do it. I spent the first 20 years of my live in Germany and my roots are there. Now I have been living in the USA for almost 20 years so I have a special relationship to both anthems.
