Jurgen Klinsmann fired as US soccer coach; Bruce Arena expected to take over

U.S. Soccer Federation President Sunil Gulati fired him Monday, ending a 5 1/2-year tenure that began with great enthusiasm but, amid mixed results and troubling performances this fall, left the American squad in jeopardy of missing the World Cup for the first time since 1986.

Los Angeles Galaxy Coach Bruce Arena, who guided the United States in the 2002 and 2006 World Cups, is expected to replace Klinsmann.

"While we remain confident that we have quality players to help us advance to Russia 2018, the form and growth of the team up to this point left us convinced that we need to go in a different direction," Gulati said in a written statement.

"With the next qualifying match in late March, we have several months to refocus the group and determine the best way forward to ensure a successful journey to qualify for our eighth consecutive World Cup."

The breaking point was a pair of defeats this month to start the final round of qualifying for the 2018 tournament. The Americans lost a home qualifier to Mexico for the first time since 1972 and, four days later, were pummeled at Costa Rica, 4-0, their worst setback in a qualifier in 36 years.

Eight matches remain, but the margin of error has narrowed to secure one of the region's three automatic bids.

"Sunil was boxed in -- he had to make a change," one U.S. soccer source said.

Arena led the United States to its deepest World Cup run in modern history, the 2002 quarterfinals in South Korea.

Neither Arena nor his representative replied to requests for comment.

Several of Arena's associates, who requested anonymity, said he would be eager to take the job. Arena, 65, has won a record five MLS Cups: two with D.C. United and three with the Galaxy. He was inducted into the National Soccer Hall of Fame in 2010.

Sporting Kansas City Coach Peter Vermes and U.S. assistant Tab Ramos -- both former U.S. World Cup players -- are also reportedly in the mix, but Arena would bring the experience of having coached in two qualifying cycles. The United States will host Honduras on March 24 (venue to be announced) and visit Panama on March 28.

The USSF has scheduled a conference call with reporters Tuesday, at which time, sources said, the new coach might be introduced.

Gulati and USSF chief executive Dan Flynn met with Klinsmann on Monday in the Los Angeles area, where the German-born coach has lived for years.

Klinsmann (55-27-16 record) was under contract through the 2018 World Cup. His $3.2 million salary was the highest in USSF history, by a large margin.

In the USSF's statement announcing his departure, Klinsmann, 52, did not offer any comments.

Gulati credited Klinsmann, a former world-class striker and German national team coach, with introducing new ideas and modernizing the program.

"He challenged everyone in the U.S. soccer community to think about things in new ways," Gulati said, "and thanks to his efforts we have grown as an organization and expect there will be benefits from his work for years to come."

Just 10 days ago, hours before the United States was preparing to play Mexico in Columbus, Ohio, Gulati said he expected that Klinsmann would remain aboard through the next World Cup. He also noted that the USSF had not changed coaches in the middle of a qualifying cycle since 1989.

But Klinsmann's tactical decisions against Mexico contributed to a first-half deficit and, after the Americans drew even, they conceded the go-ahead goal in the 89th minute off a corner kick that was poorly defended.

In each of the previous four World Cup cycles, the United States had defeated its arch rivals in Columbus by 2-0 scores.

In Costa Rica, with the same starting lineup (except for goalkeeper) in a different formation, the Americans fell behind late in the first half and then imploded after intermission.

The players did not seem engaged in the match, leading to speculation that they had quit on their coach.

Over the weekend, while in Germany for a state dinner with Angela Merkel and President Obama, Klinsmann made this alarming comment about the two defeats: "The team is still in the process of finding itself." At this late stage of the qualifying process, most teams have bonded and found a rhythm.

Gulati hired Klinsmann in the summer of 2011 after years of pursuit. The move was to not only guide the U.S. team but to enhance player development and introduce fresh ideas that Klinsmann brought with him from his German coaching tenure.

Under his guidance, the Americans qualified for the 2014 World Cup with two matches to spare. However, players complained anonymously that they were unsure of their roles and that there was inadequate preparation ahead of training camps.

Even before the World Cup, Gulati extended Klinsmann's contract through 2018 and added the title of technical director.

Weeks ahead of the tournament in Brazil, Klinsmann stunned the soccer world by cutting Landon Donovan, the program's all-time scoring leader. A clash of personalities contributed to the decision, which was not well received by Donovan or U.S. supporters.

Nonetheless, the Americans finished second in the so-called "Group of Death" before losing to Belgium in extra time in the round of 16.

In 2015, Klinsmann oversaw impressive victories in away friendlies against Germany and the Netherlands, but in the matches that mattered, the Americans stumbled through the CONCACAF Gold Cup and lost in the semifinals to Jamaica. It was their first defeat to a Caribbean team at a U.S. venue since 1969.

This year, the semifinal round of World Cup qualifying was marred by an embarrassing defeat at lowly Guatemala.

In this summer's Copa America Centenario, a prestigious South American tournament held in the United States for the first time, Klinsmann was on the hot seat after an uninspiring loss to Colombia in the group opener.

Failure to advance to the quarterfinals probably would've cost him his job, but the Americans rebounded to win the group and defeat Ecuador in the knockout stage before getting smoked by Lionel Messi and Argentina, 4-0.