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What Do You Make of the Sordid Jurgen Klinsmann-Don Garber Spat?

U.S. national team coach Jurgen Klinsmann once again criticized Michael Bradley and Clint Dempsey for returning to MLS. Then Don Garber assembled the media to criticize Klinsmann's words. Who's right? Who's wrong? Graph your position below and share a few insights. Hover over any shaded cell to read what others' think.

Posted
October 18, 2014 12:44 PM
I side with Garber
I side with Klinsmann
These conversations are healthy It was childish
Jurgen need to get over himself — USMNTFN
You shoot your mouth off and act like a jerk, you deserve to get called out. Grabber has every right to speak up as MLS commish, and Juergen Fluergen has every reason to listen given that The Don sits on the USSF Board of Directors. — JoshW
DG must defend his league and his business. Lets not also forget that he works for the owners of MLS. Therefore as much as people would like to think its all personal, it is more than liekly not. — TU
Garber overreacted to a statement of the facts. He should spend more time on how to identify, develop, and incorporate home-grown youth into MLS rosters. Currently 38% of MLS players are foreign players. Per cent of starting line-ups are over 50% . That's what Garber should be working on -- not whining about legitimate criticisms! — Short passes
Klinsmann wasn't wrong, but Garber was more right — Caleb
Spain, Italy, Germany. The last 3 WC winners. And all have domestic leagues dominated by domestic players. — Joel
Klinsmann should be fired — Hvhfxfgng
US club soccer (including MLS) is a critical player in the long term success if USS, Klinsmann should incorporate this logic in to his motivational tactics. — EE
Taylor Twellman should not talk during games, same with Lalas. All issues would be solved then. — Bob Ley
High-level American players are not given the benefit of the doubt or the central role several of them have deserved in Europe. The problem is one of perception of American soccer. There is no other national team (think Croatia, Bosnia, Cote d'Ivoire, Ghana, Portugal) comparably ranked to the US, which does not have about five players placed at top-tier clubs in Europe. Given that this is the case, it is much better for top-level American players to assume that central role in MLS than play bit parts in higher status leagues. — BC
Good on you, Don. — noses malone
idk why — Drew
Definitely childish. Completely unnecessary. And never would've happened if our "genius" coach who thinks he knows everything about everything would just shut up once in a while. — Brian
JK is a diva — KXRTI
I'm good with it all. — @KyleR
Completely pointless. — BDM
They both had their points, and these kind of conversations are a good thing. — MJF
Klinsmann needs to keep inspiring his team towards greater results; targeting Bradley, Dempsey, and other Nats in MLS is not wise so early in the cycle. Garber is right to be upset, though both should be having this conversation in private, for the best of US soccer and MLS. — Paul
Both are just doing there job. — John
I don't necessarily disagree with JK. But he needs lessons in tact, timing, and PR — Mark
yawn — wandmdave
This--> — Pwyll
Klinsmann should have known better than to take the bait, but I don't disagree with his perspective. As for Garber, he comes off poorly—making it seem like the U.S. national team coach should defer to MLS. Maybe if Garber stopped scheduling matches on FIFA international dates we could take his league more seriously. — JHG
Klinsmann's probably more right than Garber, but they both have good points relating to their own interests. — Geo
about time we had this tough talks. — LMT
if you listen to what JK was saying and what DG said, how could you side with anyone other than JK? If not, you're either uninformed on the level of intl soccer or you just don't like that I even suggested you should know about intl anything. — @NotAlexis
It's a healthy conversation to have, and Klinsmann is right for criticizing his top players for not playing at the highest level they could. Would you rather MB90 be at Roma or Toronto? It was really childish for Garber to come out against Klinsmann and make his comments. — Obertan
Yes sir, thank you sir — gf
It's not Klinsmann's job to make Garber's life easier and issuing demands that people stop criticizing MLS is nonsensical and un-American. But it's good that both parties care so much and the interest expressed by the fans I think reflects a growing soccer culture in the US. — Wendy
Its great for media attention so thank you Don for ranting. I'm not sure Jurgen wanted or planned for this but I don't feel he's done nothing wrong in his comments. International players like Nowitzki, Gasol brothers, and Ginobilli came to play in NBA because that was where the best b-ball players play and since they joined Spain and Argentina beat the US on the international level. It matters to have our best players playing against the best in the world and that is in EUROPE not MLS/US. — Adrian
Klinsmann is mostly correct, tact may be lacking, but he is right. MLS is not at an elite level yet. It will be in time, but it is not right now, nor will it be during the 2018 or even 2022 cycles. — Matt
Can't really argue that MLS is on the level as top European leagues. — Alex
MLS has fundamental, structural problems it needs to address before it becomes a viable destination for top international talent. Klinsmann should be concerned that his best players aren't fighting for playing time overseas instead. — Dudley
Klinsmann is right. If you want to be the best, you have to beat the best — Kevin
Klinsmann just spoke facts. MLS isn't the best league in the world. That's not a slight at MLS or Garber. It's just the truth. Garber came off like an idiot though. Of course Klinsmann can criticize MLS players, just like any other player. — Adam Snavely
Garber needs to get out of here with that weak stuff. — Gawd
What does Don Garber think? The MLS ranks 49th in the world in the IMMIF world league rankings. MLS teams could barely compete against 2nd division teams in the test of the world. Check it out! — Frank
JK is correct. — arctic fox
Klinsmann is right. To be the best you have to play against the best--a lot. He's right about promotion/relegation too. — Longballer
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