In light of news that U.S. Soccer passed on Juergen Klinsmann for a second time over control issues, many fans are lashing out at the “incestuous” federation. Like this comment from Soccer America:
Like the leaders of other modern organizations, the leaders of US Soccer have as their first priority, the preservation of their jobs. In for-profit organizations, the leaders keep their jobs by making profits and growing the business thereby making their owners happy. In a not-for-profit like US Soccer, its leaders do not have to satisfy any owners, just some other bureaucrats, who like the leaders have one priority and that is to keep their jobs. (BTW this is not to demean or insult the many grass-roots volunteers who give up their time and money to support their kids and the sport of soccer). Improvements in the quality of play and the skill level of US players is not on their priority list. In some nebulous fashion these people want soccer to grow BUT only as a means to expanding their own positions and resulting perks. That’s why the effort to bring the WC to the US is so important to them — more money and more prestige but not one step closer to developing a bigger and more skillful player-pool. Any one interested in improving the level of US soccer should take a look at the board of directors of US Soccer and ask themselves why any of these people would care whether the USMNT improves or not, just so long as their cozy little world is not disturbed. Klinsmann has been quite outspoken about the need to shake up this incestuous little group, so who would you pick Banal BB or Jurgen “hold on to your seats” Klinsmann. Just like cynical politicians, the leaders of US Soccer will play the patriotic card, expecting that US fans will blindly support the team while overlooking the hypocrites lurking in the background. The questions is will we continue to blindly support them or withhold our support until they start doing their job of improving the overall state os US soccer and bringing the game out of the suburbs and into the inner cities.
