The United States men’s football team will have a decidedly German flavor now that Jurgen Klinsmann has taken over as manager.
The German hopes the mix of international experience and American knowledge will help him improve the national team.
The star striker of the past and former Mannschaft head coach, who has lived in the United States for 13 years, held a news conference in Manhattan on Monday evening, and shared his vision on how to popularize football in the country, where it is not even called that.
He also said he hopes US fans would appreciate a proactive style and plans to consult with coaches in the country’s diverse development system, from the youth to college levels.
The 47-year-old stated on the day that the US will look to discover a global star of its own.
“You know, nobody showed Kobe Bryant to do certain moves, he did it himself. And soccer is the same way,” he said
“Soccer is self-teaching. You learn it, you get better the more you play. If you play it 20 hours a week you become really good,” he went on to say. “If you play it two hours a week you will be always limited. So if you want to one day have a [Lionel] Messi representing the United States you need to find a kid that kicks the ball around 20 hours a week. And it might be out there.”