**Official USMNT Soccer Thread**

[Kimchi Papi]

He only goes to the US if Klinsmann promises he'll make the team for this summer's WC & plays. Otherwise he'd be wise to wait Germany. I think he could make the German team in time for '18 WC where ever it ends up.

 

[rck3sactown]

I would promise Green a spot in this WC in a heartbeat. Sorry Herc or Eddie or whomever.

I would actually like to see him take the spot of a midfielder, I believe we have one or two deadweight players that will make the WC roster who happen to play in the mid

 

[Retroballer]

They are now reporting that Green is officially making the switch to the US.

@FOXSoccer: BREAKING: #USMNT coach @J_Klinsmann confirms Bayern Munich phenom "Julian Green has chosen to be a part of the U.S. National Team Programs!"

 

[deepinthajeep]

“We are absolutely thrilled that Julian Green has chosen to be a part of the U.S. National Team Programs!"
— Jürgen Klinsmann (@J_Klinsmann) March 18, 2014

He's with us, boys!!

Now... Who's spot did he just take? Shea? Herc? Juan?

 

[rck3sactown]

ANYTHING IS POSSIBLE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

 

[アミーゴ]

WOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO! HUGE GET!

 

[lyonbc1]

really excited tht Green is gonna be a part of the US team...gotta think the other German-Americans helped him feel right at home. His dad is a big time supporter as well...he's got a lot of potential from everything I've read. Pep is also a fan which speaks volumes for an 18yr old at the best club in the world at the moment. Hope he gets some mins this year once they seal the Bundesliga title

 

[soccerty]

Klinsmann making moves once again 

Taking us to the promised land 

 

 

[Kimchi Papi]

I guess I gotta eat my words.

Very surprised, might even be shocked Green is coming over to the US team. This is such a coup for Klinsmann & US Soccer. Very very happy to get such a talented kid. I wonder who this impacts on the team.

With all due respect to Bob Bradley, this is precisely why I thought Klinsmann should've been hired from jump those years ago but we di**ed around & prolonged the inevitable. So glad Klinsmann is here for the long haul. It gives the program the right direction it needed & this is proof positive.

USA! USA! USA! USA! USA! USA! USA! USA! USA! USA! USA! USA! USA! USA! USA! USA! USA! USA! USA! USA! USA! USA! USA! USA! USA! USA! USA! USA! USA! USA! USA! USA! USA! USA! USA! USA! USA! USA! USA! USA! USA! USA! USA! USA! USA! USA! USA! USA! USA! USA! USA! USA! USA! USA! USA! USA! USA! USA! USA! USA! USA! USA! USA! USA! USA! USA! USA! USA! USA! USA! USA! USA!

Edit - Bayern could clinch the league this Saturday & like lyonbc1 said hopefully Pep will give this youngster some playing time.

 

[ice city fc]

Didn't hear the news all day. 

I was always optimistic but this was pretty fast. Jurgen is an A1 sales man and the players welcomed Green at camp but I think the money marketing potential was the biggest factor. When I read his agents were really taking the time to discuss with him the long term possibilities and implications of this kind of choice I thought we had a good chance. 

Hoping for a bright future and he couldn't be in a better position to develop. Small, fast technical player under Pep who rates him. 

 

[dlo13]

Never been so excited over a player that I've never seen kick a ball!

I missed his cameo back in the CL last year. Haven't (and certainly won't now) watched the Youtube clips. Maybe Pep will give him some minutes in the league after Bayern clinches this week or next. Wait...I can't watch that either. Oh well...

No doubt he will be on the WC roster. If it's taking the place of Brad Davis or Brek Shea at #23, no issue. I'll be a little sad for Terrence Boyd if he's the last man cut. I love TBoyd.

Cherundolo is supposedly announcing retirement today. Knee injuries caught up with him. Hopefully USSF does something for him at one of the send-off games.

 

[Kimchi Papi]

For those that possibly think Green might've chosen the US because he wouldn't make the German team.

http://www.mlssoccer.com/worldcup/2...ion-pursued-julian-green-personal-call-joachi

World Cup: German federation pursued Julian Green with personal call from Joachim Low's staff

AMSTERDAM – [COLOR=#red]A representative from the German soccer federation told MLSsoccer.com on Wednesday that although Germany lost out on the international services of Bayern Munich II hotshot Julian Green, the Germans certainly did not go down without a fight.[/COLOR]

On Tuesday, Jurgen Klinsmann announced that the 18-year-old Tampa native had filed a binding onetime FIFA allegiance switch in order to commit to the US national team.

As it turns out, the staff of Germany senior side boss Joachim Löw was in contact with Green up until the final decision was made.

[COLOR=#red]"We also were in contact with Julian Green,” Germany national team communications director Ralf Köttker told MLSsoccer.com. “[Löw's assistant coach] Hansi Flick (above, left) had a personal conversation with him. But ultimately, it is the personal choice of each individual, as we urge for anyone. Anyone opting for the DfB must also be one hundred percent behind it."[/COLOR]

Green, who played two U-19 European Championship qualifiers for Germany back in October, recently trained with the US ahead of their March 5 friendly loss to Ukraine in Cyprus. He has been released by Bayern for the April 2 US friendly against archrivals Mexico in Arizona, but it is not yet known whether his FIFA switch will be approved in time for a debut appearance.

Until then, Green will carry on as top scorer for Bayern II, who stand atop the fourth-flight table. The youngster, who has recently been moved back out to his natural wing position, will try to add to his season total of 15 goals when the young Bavarians visit Viktoria Aschaffenburg on Saturday.

 

[rck3sactown]

^too add to that, I'm not so sure Green has an automatic pass to play in the WC.

Yes, he has like 3 months to prove himself WC-worthy, but I'm not sure that will be enough time/chances with the team for him to ultimately show out.

At the forward spots you gotta assume Jozy, Johannson, EJ have solidified their standing over the qualifying process.

I suppose that really does leave the 4th forward spot open for a fight between Green, Boyd, and Herc, and to a lesser extent Agudelo and ******* Wondo; highly doubt the last two will be a consideration.

Also, in thinking about the backline, I'm getting a god damn migraine just thinking about how whatever 4 we have back there is gonna hold up 

Sidenote, I've really grown to dislike Lalas over the years, such a pretentious, loathing, **** head he has grown to be 

A while back @J_Klinsmann told me he wouldn't use a #USMNT WC roster spot on player that couldn't help this summer.
— Alexi Lalas (@AlexiLalas) March 18, 2014

 

[Kimchi Papi]

Green had to have been promised not only a roster spot but also playing time. The US forwards/strikers haven't been playing well as of late specifically Jozy & Clint. Johannson has looked comfortable from jump & ready to contribute. Also looks like he'll get stronger/better with more playing time. Green can play the striker role or on the left side. Really he could play any position in the attack.

Lalas is to football what Trent Dilfer is to NFL. Both think they were better than they really were & are loud mouth schnooks.

 

[rck3sactown]

Green's dad is a liar, trying to play coy about Jurgen's promise 

interesting insight though, the last two sentences put a smile on my face.

[h1]  [/h1]

[h1]Green's dad on his son's switch, if World Cup promise was made[/h1]

[h3]Leander Schaerlaeckens[/h3][h3]FOX Soccer[/h3]

MAR 19, 2014 4:08p ET

 
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Boris Streubel / Bongarts

Green committed to making the switch from Germany to the USA on Tuesday.



On Tuesday, 18-year-old German-American Bayern Munich  prospect Julian Green committed to making a one-time switch and represent the United States internationally, after a long courtship by head coach Jurgen Klinsmann. On Wednesday morning, FOX Soccer caught up with Green'€™s Tampa, Fla.-based father Jerry, to elaborate on his son'€™s decision.

This conversation has been edited for clarity and length but not for content:

FOX Soccer: Have you spoken to Julian since his decision was announced?
Jerry Green: €œYeah, I talked to him a little bit yesterday. He was very happy and looking forward to going out and playing --€“ really excited about it.

FOX: Why did he choose the United States?
JG: I didn't ask him why he chose them, so I can only speculate. I think a lot of it has to do with the comfort level that he feels with the teammates of his and also a lot has to do with the coach.

FOX: How long does Klinsmann'€™s courtship of Julian date back?
JG: €œTwo or three years, it's hard to say. Klinsmann first of all is a great coach, Julian knows that. Of course, he also knows that Klinsmann played for Bayern and he coached Bayern for a little while. So there's that connection there and I think that'€™s a very strong and deep connection for Julian, to know that there is a coach there that he identifies with and has a lot of respect for. At the end of the day, that was probably the thing that won out at the end.

FOX: How much of a factor was Klinsmann's own playing pedigree to Julian, given that he was born just three years before Klinsmann retired?
JG: I think it was huge. If you'€™re a student of the game, the way Julian is, he'€™s well aware of the players who played before him.

​

[h2]  [/h2]

FOX: Why did Julian make this decision now?
JG: €œI don'€™t know why he made it now. My personal thought is that he felt comfortable enough after his two-day trip to Frankfurt with the team. The opportunity to go and participate and practice with the team had a lot to do with it. From what he told me, the team really embraced him, the guys were great. He felt at that point that he was ready to make that choice.

FOX: How much of a factor do you think the 2014 World Cup was in the decision?
JG: €œI don'€™t think it had anything to do with it, quite frankly and honestly. Julian and I, the times that we've touched on the World Cup, it'€™s not something that he was ever preoccupied with. Really, to be truthful, his preoccupation has always been with Bayern and how he'€™s doing there and how he'€™s doing and how he can continue to make strides to make it to the first team. World Cup conversations, at least between the two of us, have been very, very minimal, if at all. He'€™s never really had a focus on the World Cup. It'€™s not something he's given too much thought to.

FOX: Does he then think that playing for the USA will help his club career?
JG: €œI think that he feels that it will help his club career. When you play professional soccer, anytime that you can play at a national level, it can only aid you with the team that you're presently playing for. Because their thought is, "€˜Wow, if we have a player on our team and his country team wants him to play"™ --€“ now granted he has basically two countries --€“ it can only help. And it helps in your growth too, overall.

FOX: But wouldn'€™t it have been more convenient to Bayern if he held out for Germany  so he wouldn'€™t be traveling so much?
JG: €œPerhaps. I can'€™t speak for them and I don't know if convenience was something they were really focused on. I think the larger point for the Bayern folks is that they want to make sure that their player isn'€™t exhausted to the point where when he comes back to the club he'€™s not effective. My understanding is that coach Klinsmann did call Bayern and explained to them his plan for Julian as far as him coming here to play games. I think his call to them might have helped ease any concern that they had in that area.

[h4]HEAR US OUT[/h4]

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FOX: Did Jurgen and Julian talk about this upcoming World Cup? Did Jurgen make any promises about that?
JG: My understanding from Julian is that the two days that they spent in Frankfurt, the World Cup came up maybe one time and he told him that if you play hard, if you practice hard, if you'€™re good enough, you have an equal shot like anybody else would have. And that'€™s, I guess, all he needed to hear. I think he was satisfied to know that he would have as good a chance as anybody else and that him coming in late would not necessarily hurt him if he was able to perform.

FOX: Was the German federation notified that a switch was happening? Did they put up any resistance?
JG: €œI don'€™t know what the German position is on Julian. I lived in Germany for 13 years. I have a pretty good idea of how Germans operate and they'€™re very process-oriented. When it comes to soccer, the process is you play for the youth teams and when your time comes you make your way to the national level. They'€™re not as vocal in the media as we are here in America about the way that we do things and what we want. That was never a concern for me, nor was it a concern for Julian because we understand that Germans operate on their own timetable, they believe in their own process. When the time is right, that'€™s when they take action.

FOX: They don'€™t worry about a youth player until he gets into the senior team picture, is what you'€™re saying?
JG: Well, there'€™s just a process that you go through. They realize, the Germans already know, that they have their team already set. They know what players are out there, they absolutely know what talent is there, but they also know that they have a process. And you go through their process and if you'€™re good enough you'€™ll play and that's just how they look at things. I fully believe that had he waited, going through all the steps and waited the time, he certainly would have been involved with them at the national level. But it was always my desire that he play for the American team, that'€™s no secret. But at the end of the day, it was of course his decision to make. As an American, I think Julian can help [the USA]. That'€™s important to me because I want to see us win.

 

[mastamind89]

“We are absolutely thrilled that Julian Green has chosen to be a part of the U.S. National Team Programs!"
— Jürgen Klinsmann (@J_Klinsmann) March 18, 2014

He's with us, boys!!

Now... Who's spot did he just take? Shea? Herc? Juan?

I'm guessing Shea who hasn't done anything this season to deserve a call up

 

[rck3sactown]

Apparently Shea's loan to Barnsley was terminated and did not end well either.... so he's back at Stoke.

 

[mastamind89]

Apparently Shea's loan to Barnsley was terminated and did not end well either.... so he's back at Stoke.

Yea, I think it had to do with some gesture he made to the fans. I think he'll get a run in a couple of games off the bench but that's about it

 

[AZwildcats]

I havent seen Julian Green play before, is he really that good. My friends are acting like he is the next coming of Messi 

 

[Kimchi Papi]

He ain't the second coming of Messi but he's a talented kid. The last time Pep was this high on a youngster was Thiago. Green is a great dribbler with both feet particularly with his left. Very good finisher whether it's shooting with power or finesse. He'll be a very exciting player to watch. Very excited about the prospects of a US attack featuring Johannsson & Green.

Deuce might not be contributing much on the pitch but he apparently helped seal the deal with Green. A quote from him about what helped seal the deal in choosing the USNT. Deuce with the assist!

A big part of the decision was the experience I had in Frankfurt. All the players were super nice and welcomed me from the beginning. Clint Dempsey gave me a jersey with my name on it, and the way they supported me gave me a lot of belief. The coaches have shown a lot of trust in me, and now I hope to do everything I can to earn a spot on the World Cup roster.

 

[ice city fc]

I havent seen Julian Green play before, is he really that good. My friends are acting like he is the next coming of Messi 

Just my opinion but you really can't blame Americans for being excited. Greatest player in the world status might be one of few metrics beyond reason. Going strictly off talent and potential, future starter for a round of 16 Champions League caliber team? Perfectly within reason.

Of course anything can happen and we all know how pointless it is to place too much stock in potential.

That said prospects of his caliber, at his age, who've had his kind of career progression, simply don't NOT make it because they're not good enough (I mean make it long term as a successful pro somewhere in a top league, not break into Bayern's first team). The only exceptions are injuries, attitude, off the field problems, etc.

When you think about it, he's been competing with and against the best players in the world everyday for the past year. Spent time training with them in stints since he was sixteen.

He's 18 years old, his technical development and dexterity are virtually maxed out. What you see in those areas right now is the real deal. He's already technical enough and skilled enough to play with the Gotze's, Schweinsteiger's, and Ribéry's of the world. His athleticism is beyond question. By all reputable accounts his game intelligence and attitude are on point. He's received one of the best footballing educations a player can get and he's playing under one of the best managers on the planet.

That's why I was talking about the financial incentive to play for the USA earlier. I guarantee someone at Nike HQ was aware of the news yesterday. If he develops into a legitimate start at the club level and performs for the USMNT, which he and his father obviously believe he will, he's going to be the first Tiger Woods of soccer in the states. Bet that.

I know I sound like a cheerleader but as far as prospects go he's about as safe a bet as it gets.

For the record I've never seen him play a live match but I've seen more than enough clips and heard/read more than enough feedback to believe with absolute certainty that right now at 18, he brings more to the USMNT than Boyd, Shea, Herc, or Agudelo.

Just my opinion. FWIW I've followed him closely since the beginning of summer, I try to be as objective as possible but as a player, coach, and fan I've always held a very optimistic view of things.

 

[rck3sactown]

^my man

Reading that, you've made me into a believer

 

[jking0821]

Ordering a Julian Green USMT Away Jersey...eff it.....the Jersey will be relevant for the next 4 WCs

 

[mastamind89]

Good post @Icecityfc on top of that it also gives a better vision to where soccer in the US is heading, what JK is pushing. This really opens a lot of doors....and some more good news

USA to start U-21 national team program
By Ryan Rosenblatt  @RyanRosenblatt on Mar 20 2014, 2:20p +


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Jurgen Klinsmann's latest change to U.S. youth development has the green light -- an U-21 team.

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The United States is growing their youth program. Frustrated with their lack of a program after the age of 20, they are adding a U-21 team to their youth program, according to Brian Sciaretta. The new age group will eventually serve as preparation for the Olympics, with the current U-21's being eligible for the 2016 Games.

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Green is the best prospect the USA has ever had
Ryan Rosenblatt
To have U-21, U-22 and U-23 teams is common in Europe, where players are considered "youth" through their Olympic year. That isn't the case in CONCACAF, where teams only compete through the U-20's, with the exception of hastily put together Olympic teams.

Jurgen Klinsmann has made youth development a priority for the U.S. and has spoken before to the importance to keep players in the program past the age of 20. This new team will do just that.

The obstacle for the U.S. will be getting players to join them with any regularity because many 21-23 year olds are important members of their clubs, and finding competition for the team. They will have to travel to Europe for most of their good competition, where they could play against other international U-21, U-22 or U-23 teams as well as club teams at those age levels. They will also get to play some Mexican club teams, which have reserve teams full of older youth players, as well as USL or MLS reserve teams. The Pan American Games will probably be their biggest non-Olympics-related competition.

The first U.S. U-21 camp will take place next month at the StubHub Center. It is still unclear who will coach the team, but this is still a major development in U.S. youth development, even if only in the investment it requires. As for how necessary and successful, we'll find out.

 

[Kimchi Papi]

It looks like a training or pre match shirt. Maybe it looks better on.