USA boss and former Tottenham star Jurgen Klinsmann keen to take on England challenge if the FA come calling
German mastermind would relish the chance to lead the Three Lions but will wait for governing body to make the first move
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HE disarmed his critics first time round with a swan-dive that brought the house down for Tottenham.
Winning over the doubters may be even harder for Jurgen Klinsmann if he does become England’s third foreign manager.
But the baker’s son from Stuttgart, who transformed himself into a global superstar, is not a man who will turn his back on a challenge.
And while Klinsmann will wait for the FA to make the first move after Roy Hodgson’s departure, it is clear the inquiry will meet with a far more positive response than it has from Gareth Southgate and Arsene Wenger.
The German legend, 51, is on rocky ground with his USA bosses after failing to kick on since the World Cup two years ago — despite taking them to the semi-finals of the Copa America last week.
But this is the man credited by many with drafting the blueprint for what Germany have achieved over the past decade.
Klinsmann inherited a national team on its knees after a desperate group stage exit in Euro 2004.
The former striker went for youth, turning Philipp Lahm, Bastian Schweinsteiger and Lukas Podolski into key players rather than kids on the fringes.
By the time he quit after the 2006 World Cup, there was a clamour for Klinsmann to stay on. And current boss Joachim Low, then his assistant, said: “With Jurgen a new era began.
‘The team idea is what strikes people most about this Germany side. Jurgen laid the foundation in 2004 and we continued with that idea.
“He altered decisive things at the youth performance centre which still resonate today. He put a new manager in place, sports psychologists and American fitness trainers.
“They were drastic changes, which were incredibly important back then. Without those, they wouldn’t have been able to enjoy this kind of success.”
It is success the FA and England team can only dream about. Klinsmann, too, does not hide his belief in the wider aspects of the role, words that will resonate with the FA.
The Spurs legend, who took control of the Yanks in 2011, has an all-encompassing role with US Soccer which sees him control all the youth development programmes.
He has been hands-on in trying to revolutionise the game, installing the kind of scouting structures and coaching networks which had not been seen before his arrival.
The German said: “I enjoy being hands-on with the coaches, the education of youth development, getting people together and communicating.
“You always have the bigger picture in mind. This is a different job to the one I did for Germany. My brief was to win the World Cup at home in 2006. There was no development talk. But at the same time you still need to have good results.
“Every national team coach is the same — it’s part of the job. I love having to work on the other topics too, it keeps things in perspective.”
Klinsmann’s deal expires in 2018, but with US Soccer chiefs refusing to guarantee an extension, he knows taking over the Three Lions could be too good an opportunity to turn down.
He added: “I am enjoying every day of it (the US job), my family is well settled, we moved to America after France 98 and right now there is no reason to change anything.
“Of course, in football you never know. I never thought I would play for Spurs, so things can happen quickly but I feel very privileged to have this role. I want to make something happen here.
But, of course, you get measured on big tournaments.
Klinsmann, who is on £1.8million a year, has been battered by fans in the US who want to see their team in better shape.
He was blasted for failing to reach next summer’s Confederation Cup and recently lost to Guatemala in a World Cup qualifier.
He was also criticised for urging Americans to play in Europe rather than the MLS and recruiting players who have not played in the country.
Leaving his home in California would be a wrench, but any hopes of a new contract seem slim. If the FA does go down the overseas route, Klinsmann may be the best fit.
And unlike some of the others, he definitely fancies it.