Mailbag: USMNT vs. Mexico, Jurgen Klinsmann, Iceland, Gedion Zelalem

Grant Wahl answers your questions on the U.S. men's national team, Jurgen Klinsmann, Euro 2016 qualifiers and much more.

Author:
Grant Wahl
Publish date:
Sep 9, 2015

The FIFA international window has ended, and players are busy rejoining their clubs for a busy weekend ahead. So it’s a good time for the new ‘Bag.

Let’s dive in:

Your [U.S.] back line of choice for October 10th?

@bdonahue5123

The revolving door on the U.S. back line has kept anyone from establishing a guaranteed foursome in the past year. But with victory paramount against Mexico in a difficult setting next month, my choices would be: Fabian Johnson, Geoff Cameron, Matt Besler and DaMarcus Beasley. You want players who know what it takes in the biggest games, and these four fit that bill. Omar Gonzalez would be another solid choice in the center next to Besler.

Johnson and Beasley should be healthy enough by then, but that remains a bit up in the air. Other options for Jurgen Klinsmann include John Brooks, Ventura Alvarado, Tim Ream and Michael Orozco.

WAHL: Judgment Day coming vs. Mexico vs. Klinsmann, USA

Why are two of the country’s most skilled/best passers/best offensive vision (Benny Feilhaber & Lee Nguyen) not on USMNT?

@JudahWorldChamp

Great question, Judah.

Regardless of Peru, Brazil results, USA has foundation to take on Mexico

I would have liked to see either one of them playing in the attacking central midfield position on Tuesday against Brazil, with Michael Bradley playing in the holding midfielder role. Feilhaber is having a terrific MLS season with Kansas City and has experience against the world’s best teams, while Nguyen would be a solid guy to have on the U.S. bench. Yet Klinsmann has said other players are ahead of them. I don’t think there’s much either player can do at this point.

Is Klinsmann’s job realistically in jeopardy with a loss to Mexico in October? If not, should it be?

@DRock_18

U.S. Soccer president Sunil Gulati said at the Gold Cup that even if the U.S. loses to Mexico, Klinsmann will keep his job. And Gulati doesn’t tend to go against what he says publicly. But you’d better believe there will be calls in the public sphere for Klinsmann’s removal if the U.S. doesn’t win next month.

Klinsmann is a long-term hire, not one to be fired for a short-term failure

The reality is that a coach by just about any other name would be in danger were that to happen. But Klinsmann does have a long-term contract, World Cup qualifying does start in November, and Klinsmann has a pretty good record against Mexico, having never lost to El Tri in three games as a player and six as a manager. Based on current form you’d probably pick Mexico to win, but based on recent results—the U.S. hasn’t lost to Mexico in four years—you’d go with the Stars & Stripes.

Is Didier Drogba scoring a hat trick in his first start good or bad for MLS?

@EthanSimmie

Didier Drogba to make $3.5 million over course of 18-month MLS deal

I understand the question, not least because Chicago’s defending was brutal against Drogba, but I think it’s a good thing overall when a legendary player scores a hat trick in his first MLS start.

There’s always a concern that big-name mid-season transfers will take a while to settle in, and Drogba got off to a remarkable start that made headlines across the Atlantic as well.

Montreal, which just fired coach Frank Klopas, couldn’t have asked for better timing from Drogba, both on the field and off the field, where his presence has spiked home attendance already.

Most overrated/underrated stats in soccer?

@TheMikeDonovan

As playoffs near, can NWSL take steps forward with World Cup momentum?

Pass completion percentage doesn’t tell me anything about what kind of passes they were. Were they forward, sideways or backward? Did they set up scoring chances? Distance run also seems overrated. I’d rather know how efficient you are. As for underrated, how about games played? As my old friend Alexi Lalas says, not getting injured is a skill, one that clubs will pay a lot of money for if you’re a good player as well.

What’s my next football read? Looking for a good recommendation!

@albaabroad

I’d recommend The Ugly Game: The Corruption of FIFA and the Qatari Plot to Buy the World Cup by Heidi Blake and Jonathan Calvert (Scribner). It’s by two top-notch investigative reporters and just came out in the United States. And while I haven’t read it yet, I’m looking forward to checking out Das Reboot: How German Football Reinvented Itself and Conquered the World by Raphael Honigstein.

Do you have a favorite football bar in NYC?

@BeautifulGameNY

I do: Smithfield Hall at 138 W 25th Street. It’s the home bar for the Bayern Munich and Barcelona fan clubs in the city, among other things. Just a great place to watch games.

Will Bob Bradley get the shot in a bigger league that he so clearly deserves?

@MikeDecicco

You’d have to think it’s coming soon, right? Despite having the lowest budget of any team in the Norwegian top flight, Bradley’s Stabaek is in second place in the league (which has a calendar like MLS’s) and is in the semifinals of the domestic cup competition. Every year, Bradley finds a way to get the most out of his team, and this year is no different. I’m stunned that no American owner in any of the European leagues has gone after him yet.

First problem NYCFC has to fix?

@WakaFlokkaFrank

Defending. Team defense as a whole has been abysmal, and the back line has been non-existent at times. There were times during the recent home loss to Columbus when I couldn’t believe the amount of space that had opened up at the back for Jason Kreis’s group.

Loving the Iceland story. How far do you think they can go at Euro 2016?

@jashton11

Which European upstart you do think is more likely to make a big run in Euro 2016?

@Jas2781

Around Europe: Expanded Euro field making for spirited qualifying

Iceland is one of the best stories in world soccer right now after qualifying for Euro 2016, its first major tournament. And I think they can do pretty well there. After all, Iceland has emerged from a tough group that includes the Netherlands, Turkey and the Czech Republic, teams that have performed well at the World Cup and at the Euro. And it’s not like Iceland has had a couple decent performances in qualifying. They’ve been something close to a force.

On Friday I told Aron Johannsson, the U.S.’s Icelandic-raised striker, that my wife and I are going to Iceland in December on vacation to see the Northern Lights. But after giving me the obligatory question (“Why would you go to Iceland in December?”), he and I agreed that I should stick around and do a story up there.

Is new ownership necessary to turn the Chicago Fire around as a franchise?

@steevsteevsteev

MLS Power Rankings Week 27: Drogba's impact, Seattle's rebound

Not necessarily. I think smarter ownership might work better. Based on what I hear, Andrew Hauptman cares about his team, though it would be good to see him be more public about it in the way of Portland’s Merritt Paulson or Kansas City’s Robb Heineman. So consider this an interview request, Andrew Hauptman. We’d love to hear how passionate you are about the Fire—and what you’d like to tell your fans about your plans to turn the team around.

I’ve gotten a lot of questions like this from Fire fans recently.

What did you major in in college to get where you are today?

@MLS_Ethan

I was a political science major, and they let me do a senior thesis on politics and soccer in Argentina. So I lived in Buenos Aires for three months and did research and interviews and went to a lot of games. That kind of confirmed for me that I wanted to do this sports journalism thing for a living, preferably in soccer.

If you were a betting man, who would you wager on winning MLS Cup?

@wannabegoalie

Simple answer: LA Galaxy. Too much talent, too many good role players and the best coach the league has ever seen.

Your thoughts on FC Dallas starting homegrown talent.

@gan24

Love it. For Dallas to start so many kids away at Columbus the other night and win 3-0 (against an admittedly not full-strength Crew team) was impressive. Óscar Pareja has no fear when it comes to starting his youngsters, which should have fans excited about what investing in your youth can bring in MLS.

When will MLS recognize the FIFA calendar? IMO fans deserve a team’s best 11 each game.

@jstew0101

MLS does recognize the FIFA calendar a bit more than it used to, but we still had games last weekend and this Wednesday night. If you’re a soccer purist, you never want to see any games played during the international window. But then you see that Columbus drew a rare full-house (or close to one) on Sunday when there were more than a dozen players missing, and you understand why owners sometimes choose to play on weekends over weeknights, even if it means playing at less than full strength.

Do you think that soccer will one day be a major sport in America?

@domgagliardi_2

I think it already is. The U.S. is the best country in the world when it comes to watching soccer on television. The U.S. pays more in TV rights fees for the World Cup than any other country. More people from the U.S. bought tickets for the men’s World Cup than from any other country outside the host nation. You get the picture.

Dom Dwyer has scored a lot of goals for SKC, why is he never mentioned as a potential candidate for the USMNT?

@MostlyBrianDale

He’s told me he’s interested once he gets his U.S. passport. I think Dwyer and Portland’s Darlington Nagbe (who’s about to get his U.S. passport) would both draw some interest once their paperwork is complete.

When do you expect Gedion Zelalem to make a USMNT senior team appearance?

@YankeeGooner

Hard to say, especially since he’s just getting his first regular first-team minutes on loan at Rangers. I could see Klinsmann calling him up for a World Cup qualifier—the U.S.’s semifinal round group is Trinidad & Tobago, Guatemala and St. Vincent & Grenadines—and cap-tying him for good. Also curious to see if Zelalem is involved in the Olympic effort (the 18-year-old just made his U-23 debut Tuesday in a friendly vs. Qatar).

GALLERY: Tifos around the world

Best soccer tifos from around the world

Emrah Yorulmaz/Anadolu Agency/Getty Images

Galatasaray fans display a sensational "Rocky" tifo ahead of their clash against rival Fenerbahce. It didn't inspire a victory, though. The Turkish rivals played to a 0-0 draw.

Borussia Dortmund fans channel their 1963 cup triumph over Benfica ahead of the teams' second leg in the Champions League round of 16 at Signal Iduna Park.

Hapoel Be'er Sheva fans turn to Moses for tifo inspiration, with his splitting the Red Sea illustrating how "impossible is nothing" in their Europa League series against Besiktas.

Fans of Tunisia's Club Africain display this pointed tifo at a friendly against PSG, whose Qatari owners have pumped millions and millions into the club.

U.S. fans in Columbus, Ohio, make a "One Nation, One Team" statement ahead of the USMNT's World Cup qualifying match against Mexico on November 11, 2016.

Germany fans display their heart for the team colors ahead of a World Cup qualifier against Czech Republic in October 2016.

Italy fans spell out their support for the Azzurri ahead of a massive World Cup qualifier vs. Spain in October 2018.

Iceland fans keep up their world-famous passion for the national team during a World Cup qualifier against Turkey in October 2016.

Fans in the United Arab Emirates set their sights on reaching the 2018 World Cup in Russia during a qualifying match vs. Australia in September 2016.

Colombia fans send a massive jersey around the stadium during a World Cup qualifier vs. Venezuela in September 2016.

Seattle Sounders fans turn to Game Of Thrones for inspiration in a game against the Cascadia rival Vancouver Whitecaps in September 2016.

Djurgardens fans go all out in Sweden for a match against AIK in September 2016.

Zulte Waregem fans prepare Kortrijk for the absolute worst in this Belgian top-flight match in September 2016.

Seattle Sounders fans turn their pop culture reference to Poltergeist in March 2016 ahead of the season home opener against Sporting Kansas City.

The Timbers Army doubles down on their Eastbound and Down theme, adding another wrinkle during the club's MLS Western Conference final first leg vs. FC Dallas on November 22, 2015 at Providence Park.

Fans make a French flag tifo at Wembley Stadium during the singing of Le Marseillaise ahead of England's friendly vs. France, which took place days after the terrorist attacks in Paris.

The Timbers Army referenced Eastbound & Down's Kenny Powers with their "Cup Bound and Down" tifo for the Portland Timbers' MLS playoff elimination game against Sporting Kansas City on October 29, 2015.

Lars Ronbog/FrontZoneSport via Getty Images

Brondby IF fans display a gladiator holding up a lion's head during the team's Danish Alka Superliga match against FC Copenhagen, whose logo is a lion's head, on September 27, 2015.

New England Revolution fans equate Jermaine Jones to Indiana Jones on their quest to capture the 2015 MLS Cup on September 26, 2015.

New England Revolution fans display a Lion King theme in honor of Orlando City FC's first visit to Gillette Stadium on September 5, 2015.

Red Bulls fans take a shot at NYCFC's two summer arrivals, 37-year-old Frank Lampard and 36-year-old Andrea Pirlo, ahead of their third MLS meeting of 2015.

Alexander Hassenstein/Bongarts/Getty Images

Germany fans in Cologne salute their World Cup champions ahead of a friendly against the United States in June, 2015.

Real Madrid fans went all out prior to the second leg of the 2014-15 Champions League semifinal vs. Juventus.

Lazio fans display a stunning eagle tifo ahead of the Rome derby against AS Roma in their penultimate Serie A match of the 2014-15 season.

Barcelona fans bid farewell to veteran midfielder Xavi with this banner at his last league game at Camp Nou before he departs for Qatari club Al Sadd.

Fans at Anfield pay tribute to Steven Gerrard in his final home match as a Liverpool player in May 2015.

Juventus fans state their case to beat Real Madrid in the 2014-15 Champions League semifinals and reach the final in Berlin.

Fans at Benfica's Estadio da Luz remind rival Porto who the Primeira Liga reigning champion is during an April 2015 match in Portugal.

New York Red Bulls fans send a pointed message to their NYCFC counterparts prior to the teams' first MLS meeting in May, 2015.

Inter Milan's Curva Nord announces its presence ahead of the April 2015 Derby della Madonnina–the annual clashes between city rivals Inter and AC Milan.

Bayern Munich fans implore their club to (translated) "Never give up" in the Champions League quarterfinal second leg vs. Porto. Bayern then turned a 3-1 first-leg deficit into a 7-4 aggregate win and a place in the semifinals.

dortmund-tifo-juventus — Patrik Stollarz/AFP/Getty Images

Dortmund fans commemorate their 1997 Champions League trophy in the club's clash vs. Juventus–the opponent on the wrong side of that title bout.

Portland Timbers fans speak out against homophobia with this tifo in a 2013 match against Chivas USA

Atletico's supporters display a banner reading "Atleti crushes" before the Spanish league match between Atletico Madrid and FC Barcelona at the Vicente Calderon stadium in Madrid,

Borussia Dortmund fans put on a remarkable display ahead of a UEFA Champions League quarterfinal second leg match.

Brondby IF fans unveil a tifo ahead of a match in Denmark against Randers FC.

FC Barcelona fans display a huge banner in memory of former head coach Tito Vilanova.

Burak Akbulut/Anadolu Agency/Getty Images

Galatasaray fans support their team during the UEFA Champions League Group D match between Borussia Dortmund and Galatasaray at the Turk Telekom Arena in Istanbul.

The American Outlaws unveil a huge tifo ahead of a 2014 World Cup send-off match between the USA and Turkey at Red Bull Arena in Harrison, N.J.

Marseille's supporters use paper sheets to create an "OM" (Olympique de Marseille) tifo at the beginning of the French L1 football match between Marseille and Genoble.

Seattle Sounders fans display their tifo that shows coach Sigi Schmid playing cards and holding a Royal Flush before a match against the Portland Timbers.

Panathinaikos Athens fans display a banner during the UEFA Europa League match against Dynamo Moscow.

Fans of the Saudi Al-Hilal team celebrate after the scoring of a goal against Uzbekistan's Bunyodkor.

Seattle Sounders fans unveil a tifo inspired from the “Build a Bonfire” chant, featuring Sounder players holding torches on horseback ahead of a game against the Portland Timbers.

Jan-Philipp Burmann/City-Press via Getty images

Fans of Hertha BSC before the Bundesliga match between Hertha BSC and Werder Bremen in Berlin.

Sporting-KC-tifo-rsl — Andy Mead/YCJ/Icon SMI

Sporting Kansas City fans channel their inner Mario ahead of the 2013 MLS Cup final vs. Real Salt Lake.

Brondby IF fans.

barcelona-tifo — Manuel Blondeau/AOP Press/DPPI/Icon Sportswire

Thousands of Barcelona fans hold up cards to spell out "Barca! Orgull," which translates to "Barcelona pride" ahead of a Champions League clash with Bayern Munich at Camp Nou.

Fans raise a tifo celebrating “Community, Club and Country” ahead of a CONCACAF Gold Cup match between the USA and Belize in Portland, Oregon.

Vitesse fans unfurl a massive Eagle banner at the Dutch Eredivisie match against Ajax at the GelreDome.

valencia-tifo — Manuel Queimadelos Alonso/Getty Images

Valencia fans drape a banner featuring a king for a Copa del Rey ("The King's Cup) match against Atletico Madrid.

juventus-tifo — Jonathan Moscrop/LaPresse/Icon Sportswire

Juventus fans make a statement in Turin in a match vs. Inter Milan.

dortmund-tifo — Matthias Hangst/Getty Images

Dortmund fans put on another strong display at a Bundesliga match against Mainz 05.

germany-tifo — John MacDougall/AFP/Getty Images

German fans boast the newest star earned by the national team, symbolizing its 2014 World Cup triumph, at a Euro 2016 qualifying match in Dortmund.

real-madrid-tifo — Pedro Castillo/Real Madrid/Getty Images

Real Madrid fans make a point to display the club's 10 European championships ahead of the October 2014 clash against rival Barcelona at the Bernabeu.

san-jose-earthquakes-tifo — John Hefti/Icon SMI

San Jose Earthquakes fans unleash a massive tifo to mark the opening of Avaya Stadium, MLS's newest soccer-specific venue, in March 2015.

barcelona-fans-tifo — Anadolu Agency/Getty Images

Barcelona fans show all who the real 12th man is ahead of the March 2015 Clásico vs. Real Madrid.

Ivan Villa/STR/LatinContent/Getty Images

Ahead of a clash with Mexican foe Monterrey, Tigres players are treated by this message by its fervent supporters.

Steven-Defour-Tifo — Yorick Jansens/AFP/Getty Images

Standard Liege fans have a pointed message for Steven Defour, who departed the club for Belgian rival Anderlecht.

orlando-city-tifo — Alex Menendez/Getty Images

Orlando City fans mark their club's inaugural MLS game vs. fellow expansion side New York City FC with a statement that the Lions' "reign begins now."