Abby Wambach thinks U.S. should sack Klinsmann and stop using “foreign” players

Just before playing her final match for the U.S. national team, Abby Wambach has proven that she might have a future as Donald Trump’s running mate.

Appearing on the Bill Simmons podcast, Wambach, who has scored more international goals than any other person to ever play the game (184), shared her thoughts on the problems with the U.S. men’s team.

From the Guardian:

“Oh man … I would definitely fire Jürgen,” Wambach replied. “Sorry Sunil, sorry US Soccer, but I don’t think that Jürgen and the litmus test on him has worked.”

Why not?

“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. Also the way that he has changed and brought in a bunch of these foreign guys is just not something that I believe in wholeheartedly.”

“You mean like hired guns from other countries, basically?”

“Exactly. I don’t believe in it in my heart. I love Jermaine Jones, I love watching him play, and I love Fabian Johnson, but I just think that this experiment that US Soccer has given Jürgen, just isn’t one that, personally, I’m into.”

Of course, there’s nothing wrong with believing that Klinsmann is at fault for not doing more at the youth level, but to decry the inclusion of “foreign guys” — several of whom have parents who were in the U.S. military and were stationed abroad (including the two she mentioned) — is where her comments take a weird turn into Xenophobiaville.

Anyway, at the top of this post is a picture of Abby with her friend, U.S. teammate and Canada youth international Sydney Leroux.

4 comments

  1. Jennifer says:

    When Abby Wambach can put together a successful MEN’S program the way Jurgen did in Germany, then I’ll listen to what she has to say about him. She’s had a great career in WOMEN’S soccer, but they’re not precisely the same sport.

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