Editorial: USMNT’s problems bigger than Klinsmann

Another week, another series of bad results for the United States Men’s National Team. After being eliminated from Olympic qualification and facing a difficult series of results against Guatemala fresh criticism was thrown against USMNT coach Jurgen Klinsmann for the continued run of poor form.

The fundamental issue between the current power  structure within the United States Men’s National Team and the supporters seems to be the lack of an identity. Although it has been a bit overstated and there has been a ton of embellishing upon previous accomplishments (it is football, after all) the U.S. at least in their modern era were known for their athleticism and their ability to grind out results.

In the Klinsmann era that approach has eroded. Time and again the American gaffer has openly questioned the fitness of American players. His consistent tinkering with lineups has damaged not just the chemistry within the senior national team but also the confidence of the supporters. It sounds a bit glib but when journalists who cover the team on a consistent basis have little to no clue what formation or players will be starting in a World Cup qualifier that is generally a troubling sign.

That being said, the blame for the current dysfunction should not stop with Klinsmann. Klinsmann is just a symptom of a larger problem that exists within U.S. Soccer, a problem that has existed since the current run of success started in 1990. The disorganization in youth soccer, the inability to adapt, and the unrealistic targets and goals that are set are the roots of the current malaise. It is easy to say that Klinsmann is the problem but much harder to look at the systemic problems in the foundation of U.S. Soccer.

Of the three issues the first is perhaps the most damaging. That most youth leagues still operate here in the United States with coaches and league officials who have never taken a soccer coaching course is inexcusable. That there are currently 50 different state organizations and thousands of local and private leagues that are not obligated to follow rules and regulations set forth by the United States Soccer Federation is beyond ridiculous.

Start googling the slide tackle rule for various state organizations and you will get a potpourri of different laws and rules for the same age group. It is not just slide tackling. State and local organizations across the United States have a variety of responses when it comes to the offside rule, hand balls, discipline, the amount of time players can play, and even field sizes across similar age groups. How can American supporters expect consistency at the senior level when we cannot even apply it at the youth level?

The slide tackle rule is just one example of a chaotic structure that could at least be streamlined. These inconsistencies, coupled with the rising cost of playing at the highest levels, creates a structure where players are not given the best chance to succeed. A player should be able to cycle through the various levels of soccer here in the United States and only have to make minor adjustments (after all, coaches aren’t robots).

The problem with creating a unified set of rules and regulations is that U.S. Soccer, local, state, and private organizations is rife with individuals who are reticent towards change. It sounds odd to say  given that soccer is a sport where adaptation and free thinking that there are those that are resistant to new ideas. But having sat in enough press conferences with soccer officials at both the national and local levels this is sadly the case.

Rather than soccer being a for-player industry here in the United States it is more often than not a for-profit industry at the local levels. Those that can afford the game here in the United States are exposed to better coaching and scouting which even then does not assure success. Those that cannot afford the expensive tournaments and private academies are forced to learn in environments that are very hit or miss.

That is not to say that every coach and official in this industry are bad at their jobs. But what it does say is that the lack of organization and structure at the top does not give those at  bottom the best opportunity to succeed. Ask any coach, referee, or local soccer official at a Saturday youth game who they should speak with in U.S. Soccer about an idea on how to improve the game at their coaching level and chances are you will get a shoulder shrug.

To the credit of Klinsmann and U.S. Soccer they seem to have acknowledged some of these issues with the 2015 Player Development Initiative . But because soccer governance here in the United States is so de-centralized one has to wonder how much of an impact these changes will have. Local organizations are under no obligation to follow these rules as there is no punishment for not enforcing these changes. Likewise private academies, including those within Major League Soccer, are under no obligation to U.S. Soccer to do anything that they say.

All of these issues make it incredibly difficult to believe that U.S. Soccer can become a power in men’s soccer and eventually contend for a World Cup. It is unreasonable to expect players who are 23, 24, 25 to compete against the best in the world when our country can barely train our coaches and officials at the youth level.

So how do we solve this problem? The first step is start being honest with ourselves. The chances that the United States Men’s National Team will win a World Cup or be a dominant soccer power on a consistent basis is low for this generation. That might be a tough pill to swallow given how America performs at other sports but it is better to be honest than to keep perpetuating this myth that we are one or two steps away.

Second, there needs to be a change at the top. Although Sunil Gulati and the board of USSF should be applauded for their efforts in rescuing soccer from the abyss that it was in during the 1980s and 1990s. However, it is apparent that the FA needs new ideas and a fresh perspective. Someone like Chicago Fire General Manager Nelson Rodriguez would be perfect to lead U.S. Soccer.

Third, there needs to be a concerted effort in better educating local and state coaches and officials. U.S. Soccer has to develop stronger paths of communication with regional organizations and create a more unified standard of play across youth organizations. Although the private academies aren’t exactly the perfect brand of soccer, they are a self-sustaining model. U.S. Soccer have to focus on reaching the kids who cannot afford private trainers and coaches and ensure that they are being given a chance to learn and succeed. Creating consistency across the different AYSO’s will create a better product at the youth and senior national team levels.

Although these solutions might not solve the USMNT’s current problems it will help the product in the long run. If U.S. Soccer has any designs on long-term success at the senior level then it needs to start taking a more involved approach in smaller regions and organizations across the United States. This might not help the senior team during this run of World Cup qualification but it should help improve the team’s future.