Abby Wambach says she would fire USMNT coach Jurgen Klinsmann
Abby Wambach said on Bill Simmons’ podcast Tuesday that she would fire head coach Jurgen Klinsmann if she were charged with reforming the U.S. men’s national team.
Wambach, who will play the final game of her professional soccer career on Wednesday in New Orleans, mentioned the firing after Simmons asked her how she would go about fixing the troubled team.
“Oh man, I would definitely fire Jurgen,” said Wambach, who is international soccer’s all-time leading scorer with 184 goals. “Sorry Sunil [Gulati] (U.S. Soccer Federation president), sorry U.S. Soccer.”
When Simmons inquired further, Wambach added, “First of all, [Klinsmann] hasn’t really focused, I feel like, enough attention on the youth programs. He says he has, I don’t think that he has. The way that he has changed and brought in these foreign guys, it’s just not something that I believe in.”
Wambach’s comments come in response to a disappointing 2015 for the USMNT, during which the U.S. finished fourth in the Gold Cup and lost the Confederations Cup playoff against Mexico.
• WAHL: Wambach retires at appropriate time, place to cap iconic career
“If any guy or girl feels like I’m abusing them in the media, I don’t care,” Wambach said to Simmons. “I’m not going to try and positively spin it.”
Wambach’s final match will take place on Wednesday at 8 p.m. ET on Fox Sports 1.
GALLERY: ABBY WAMBACH THROUGH THE YEARS
Abby Wambach Through the Years
Abby Wambach
Courtsey of Judy Wambach
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Abby Wambach
Robert Beck for Sports Illustrated
Abby Wambach and Julie Foudy
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Rachel Brown and Abby Wambach
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Heidi Johansen and Abby Wambach
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Carlos M. Saavedra for Sports Illustrated
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Ceci Santiago, Abby Wambach and Alina Garciamendez
Carlos M. Saavedra for Sports Illustrated
Abby Wambach and Berangere Sapowicz
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Abby Wambach
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Verena Faiss, Tobin Heath, Abby Wambach and Lauren Cheney
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Alexis Cuarezma for Sports Illustrated
Abby Wambach
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Abby Wambach and wife Sarah Huffman
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Abby Wambach and USWNT teammates
Anthony Causi for Sports Illustrated
Abby Wambach and Caitlyn Jenner
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Abby Wambach
Simon Bruty for Sports Illustrated
Abby Wambach, President Barack Obama, and USWNT teammates
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Abby Wambach
Bruce Yeung for Sports Illustrated
Abby Wambach
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Abby Wambach
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