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Tim Howard: ‘Jurgen Klinsmann Micro-managed The 2014 World Cup Team’

ByVinnie Criscenzo|

Team USA and Everton goalkeeper Tim Howard opened up about manager Jurgen Klinsmann’s managing style of the team during the recent World Cup in Brazil. 

Apparently, Jurgen Klinsmann’s managing style was a bit much at time for the American players during the World Cup, especially goalkeeper Tim Howard. Howard, who is taking a vacation from international duties until Sept. 2015, mentioned in his new autobiography ‘The Keeper’ that Klinsman micro-managed the team. Howard stated the Klinsmann made several changes to the team, including banning cell phones in the locker room and changing the food that the team ate.

“I’d spent my whole life eating PB&Js; somehow, under Jurgen, the sandwich morphed into a natural version of the staple that was practically unrecognizable … and to my taste buds, inedible,” Howard wrote in his new book, ‘The Keeper.’

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You can understand Klinsmann changing the team’s diet.  Peanut butter and jelly isn’t exactly the most healthy thing to eat, especially when you’re competing in the World Cup.  It’s hard to argue with a man who had so much success with the Germany, which is why the player tolerated Klinsmann’s philosophies.

“None of the players argued with Jurgen, but you could sense misgivings from their body language, a kind of tension when they were around him,” wrote Howard of the training sessions leading up to the 2014 World Cup in Brazil. “Jurgen was even determined to change our breathing.”

Even if some of these seem a bit extreme, it’s hard to argue with Klinsmann’s tactics. However, it seems Klinsmann’s managing style were making him lose the locker room a bit. This is probably why Tim Howard decided to take a year off from the national team.

If the US team is going to have any success, Klinsmann and his players need to get on the same page. Whether that means Klinsmann lightening up or the players sucking it up.

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