When you're an adult, it's very rare that you have any dreams anymore let alone ones that come true. Cynical? A bit but I think it's also realistic. With that out of the way, I will admit that there's not much in my sporting fandom that I wanted more than what just transpired with the U.S. men's national soccer team in the past 24 hours.
Yesterday, Bob Bradley was fired after five years on the job. Today, former German star and coach Jurgen Klinsmann was appointed as the new head coach.
Klinsmann had a distinguished playing career, highlighted by winning the World Cup in 1990 and European championship in 1996 with Germany, but has had only fleeting spells in management, first with Germany and later Bayern.
He has also lived primarily in the United States since retiring from playing, and has frequently been linked with the national team job and vacancies in Major League Soccer.
"I am proud and honoured to be named the head coach of the US Men's National Team," said Klinsmann, who will take charge of his first match on August 10 against rivals Mexico.
"I would like to thank the US Soccer Federation for the opportunity, and I'm excited about the challenge ahead.
"I am looking forward to bringing the team together for our upcoming match against Mexico and starting on the road toward qualifying for the 2014 FIFA World Cup.''
Klinsmann enjoyed an outstanding playing career that lasted 17 years and included spells with Stuttgart, Inter Milan, Monaco, Tottenham and Bayern Munich.
He scored 47 goals in 108 appearances for Germany and West Germany, and retired from playing in 1998, and took his first management job with Germany in 2004.
He led them to third place in the 2006 World Cup on home soil, but stepped down from the role after the tournament. Two years later, he took charge of Bayern, reaching the quarter-finals of the Champions League, but left after one season.
Shimer and I have been having wet dreams about this juicy rumor since it almost happened last summer. Klinsmann truly is the ideal candidate for the U.S. Not only has he experienced the game at the highest level as a player (with Germany and numerous European clubs) but he has also coached the German national team (one of the world's best) and Bayern Munich-a German club that is one of the most respected in Europe. Finally, don't underestimate how much instant credibility he brings to Europeans and South Americans who are quick to make fun of the U.S. team.
Before any zenophobic U.S. fans start to fret that he's not an American so he won't get us, don't worry. He's lived in California for years so the language and cultural barrier should be minimal. Most importantly, players respect guys that have been there before. Klinsmann is better than any U.S. player in history, he's on the younger side and he is all about building a program (rather than just being a taskmaster like Bradley).
No details of his contract with the United States have been released.
"We are excited to have Jurgen as the head coach of our men's national team,'' said US Soccer president Sunil Gulati. "He is a highly accomplished player and coach with the experience and knowledge to advance the program.
"Jurgen has had success in many different areas of the game and we look forward to the leadership he will provide on and off the field.''
Klinsmann will be introduced at a press conference in New York on Monday.
If he fails, so be it. There was no better candidate and props to U.S. soccer president Sunil Gulati for getting this done so fast. Klinsmann will fittingly make his U.S. coaching debut against their biggest rival-Aug. 10 in Philadelphia against Mexico. Tickets for that match had to be hard to come by in the first place and now it's a historical moment for U.S. soccer fans.
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