Klinsmann: I was close to taking over as USA coach

Jurgen Klinsmann reveals he was on the verge of taking over as USA national team boss.

USSF decided to extend Bob Bradley’s contract for another four years after they failed to reach an agreement with Klinsmann, who led Germany to third place in the 2006 World Cup.

“We had conversations, maybe about three or four weeks’ period of time, and very positive conversations. But we didn’t get it to a positive ending because we couldn’t put into writing what we agreed to verbally,” said the German coach.

“Verbally we agreed on that the technical side is my side, and I should have a 100% control of it. Written terms, they couldn’t commit to it.

“At that point I said, ‘Well then, I can’t get the job done because I have to have the last say as a head coach for my entire staff, for all the players issues, for everything that happens with the team.’ Unfortunately they couldn’t commit to that, and that was basically the end of our talks, and then they agreed then to continue with Bob as the head coach, and that’s totally fine.”

[Source: USA Today]