Insider Notes: Klinsmann's U.S. Soccer power struggle; Kreis out?

Despite recent losses, Jurgen Klinsmann remains the U.S. men’s national team coach and technical director, but multiple sources say that Klinsmann’s duties in the latter area have become more ceremonial than before.

Over the past year, U.S. Soccer’s chief commercial director Jay Berhalter—the brother of Columbus Crew SC coach Gregg Berhalter—has started taking over a lot of the day-to-day technical director duties. Berhalter even called an important meeting in Chicago in August that did not include Klinsmann.

People on the inside have different views about it. One said Berhalter is a smart guy who gets things done. Another said if you’re going to give Klinsmann the technical director job you should let him do it without interference. Communication between Berhalter and Klinsmann is described as “not good.” One insider used the term “power struggle.”

MAILBAG: If Klinsmann gets fired, who could replace him?

A U.S. Soccer spokesperson said: “Any perception that there’s a power struggle is simply false. Everyone is working collectively to improve the technical side on a daily basis.”

In loss to Mexico, U.S. beaten by the very skill it aspires to match

That's not all of the behind-the-scenes happenings involving Klinsmann. In the last week, Klinsmann fired head trainer Sue Falsone. Falsone had been in the job for a year after having the same role for the Los Angeles Dodgers. I’m told that, among other things, Klinsmann was not happy with the way she dealt with Alejandro Bedoya’s illness that kept him out of the USA's CONCACAF Cup playoff against Mexico and friendly against Costa Rica.

PODCAST: Recapping USMNT, USA U-23's failures

Here are a couple of more insider items from around the soccer world:

Kreis out, Vieira in at NYCFC?

Multiple sources connected to Manchester City and New York City FC say Jason Kreis’s job as the coach at NYCFC is in real danger. It’s not a done deal yet, but all signs are pointing to his replacement being Patrick Vieira, the 1998 World Cup winner and former Arsenal star who has been serving as Man City’s elite development squad manager.

BIRD: Timbers make statement as Decision Day nears

NYCFC missed the MLS playoffs in its inaugural year (it enters Sunday's finale with a 10-16-7 record), and Vieira has been looking for a place where he could be the No. 1 guy. But if Kreis leaves he won’t be lacking for interest among suitors in MLS, potentially in Chicago.

Platini could still be eligible for FIFA election

FIFA announced on Monday that its presidential election will go ahead as scheduled on Feb. 26, 2016. And while former favorite Michel Platini remains suspended by FIFA, if he’s cleared he would still have time to gain eligibility for the election. Today FIFA’s ethics committee released the names of those under investigation, which include Franz Beckenbauer.

LYTTLETON: Suspension could doom Platini's election campaign

In total, 14 of the 24 FIFA executive committee members from 2010, the year of the hosting-rights votes for World Cups 2018 and ’22, have either been under investigation, banned or suspended.

GALLERY: Faces of the FIFA scandal

Faces of the FIFA Scandal

Sepp Blatter

FIFA president

Jerome Valcke

FIFA general secretary

Michel Platini

UEFA president; FIFA Vice President; FIFA presidential hopeful

Jack Warner

Ex–CONCACAF president; FIFA Vice President

Jeffrey Webb

Ex–Cayman Islands federation and CONCACAF president; FIFA Vice President

Chuck Blazer

Ex-CONCACAF general secretary; FIFA executive committee

Alfredo Hawit

CONCACAF President; FIFA vice president, executive committee; Former president, Honduras football federation

Juan Angel Napout

CONMEBOL president, FIFA vice president, executive committee; Former president, Paraguay football federation

Jose Luis Meiszner

CONMEBOL general secretary

Marco Polo del Nero

Former FIFA executive committee; President, Brazil football federation

Ricardo Teixeira

Former FIFA executive committee; Former president, Brazil football federation

Eduardo Li

Ex–Costa Rica federation president; FIFA, CONCACAF executive committees

Eugenio Figueredo

Ex–Uruguay federation and CONMEBOL president; FIFA Vice President

Jose Maria Marin

Ex–Brazil federation president; CONMEBOL executive committee

Rafael Salguero

Former FIFA executive committee; Former president, Guatemalan football federation

Manuel Burga

FIFA development committee; Former president, Peru football federation

Ariel Alvarado

Former president, Panama football federation; FIFA disciplinary committee

Eduardo Deluca

Former CONMEBOL, Argentina football federation general secretary

Luís Chiriboga

CONMEBOL executive committee; President, Ecuador football federation

Rafael Callejas

FIFA television and marketing committee; Former president, Honduras; Former president, Honduras football federation

Rafael Esquivel

Ex–Venezuela federation president; CONMEBOL executive committee

Carlos Chavez

CONMEBOL treasurer; Former president, Bolivia football federation

Nicolas Leoz

Ex–CONMEBOL president, FIFA executive committee

Julio Rocha

Ex–Nicaragua federation and Central American Football Union president

Romer Osuna

FIFA audit and compliance committee; Former CONMEBOL treasurer.

Alejandro Burzaco

CEO of Torneos y Competencias

Aaron Davidson

President, Traffic Sports USA

Hugo Jinkis

President, Full Play Group

Mariano Jinkis

Vice President, Full Play Group

Loretta Lynch

U.S. Attorney General

Michael Lauber

Switzerland Attorney General