After Thursday's USA v Germany World Cup match, America's National Team Manager - Jurgen Klinsmann will fall into one category. Hero or Villain.
Klinsmann was a world class striker and a World Cup winner in 1990.
1990 Panini Germany Team sticker - missing Klinsmann
1990 Panini World Cup sticker - Klinsmann
Klinsmann appeared in Upper Deck's World Cup USA'94 set. However, none of the German players were in the regular issue, but only the limited edition hologram set of 5 cards.
Klinsmann (bottom left) in the strange Upper Deck hologram sub set.
Jurgen made his 3rd World Cup tournament in 1998 in France, but the German side was a shadow of its Championship caliber.
Klinsmann led Germany as Manager to a 3rd place finish when the nation hosted the 2006 Tournament. He took over the US National Team over 2 years ago.
He has recruited several German-born players who have American servicemen as fathers. The five that made this US squad -
Jermaine Jones
John Brooks (aka Johnny Futbol)
Fabian Johnson
Timothy Chandler
Julian Green
Brooks heroics in the first game - coming on as a substitute and scoring the winning goal was a dream (literally) and was dubbed "Johnny Fussball" by the German media.
Klinsmann's tactics have been successful to a certain extent (like Brooks sub / goal) but his insertion of a several defenders and a conservative line up against Portugal may have cost the Americans a victory.
He took criticism for stating that the USA could not win the world cup.
Just a thought to keep in mind - there were many British-born citizens that helped America win independence from England. Let's hope these "Das Yankees" can do the same on Thursday.
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