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He only goes to the US if Klinsmann promises he'll make the team for this summer's WC & plays. Otherwise he'd be wise to wait Germany. I think he could make the German team in time for '18 WC where ever it ends up.
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World Cup: German federation pursued Julian Green with personal call from Joachim Low's staff
AMSTERDAM – [COLOR=#red]A representative from the German soccer federation told MLSsoccer.com on Wednesday that although Germany lost out on the international services of Bayern Munich II hotshot Julian Green, the Germans certainly did not go down without a fight.[/COLOR]
On Tuesday, Jurgen Klinsmann announced that the 18-year-old Tampa native had filed a binding onetime FIFA allegiance switch in order to commit to the US national team.
As it turns out, the staff of Germany senior side boss Joachim Löw was in contact with Green up until the final decision was made.
[COLOR=#red]"We also were in contact with Julian Green,” Germany national team communications director Ralf Köttker told MLSsoccer.com. “[Löw's assistant coach] Hansi Flick (above, left) had a personal conversation with him. But ultimately, it is the personal choice of each individual, as we urge for anyone. Anyone opting for the DfB must also be one hundred percent behind it."[/COLOR]
Green, who played two U-19 European Championship qualifiers for Germany back in October, recently trained with the US ahead of their March 5 friendly loss to Ukraine in Cyprus. He has been released by Bayern for the April 2 US friendly against archrivals Mexico in Arizona, but it is not yet known whether his FIFA switch will be approved in time for a debut appearance.
Until then, Green will carry on as top scorer for Bayern II, who stand atop the fourth-flight table. The youngster, who has recently been moved back out to his natural wing position, will try to add to his season total of 15 goals when the young Bavarians visit Viktoria Aschaffenburg on Saturday.
A while back @J_Klinsmann told me he wouldn't use a #USMNT WC roster spot on player that couldn't help this summer.
— Alexi Lalas (@AlexiLalas) March 18, 2014
[h1]Green's dad on his son's switch, if World Cup promise was made[/h1]
[h3]Leander Schaerlaeckens[/h3][h3]FOX Soccer[/h3]
MAR 19, 2014 4:08p ET
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Boris Streubel / Bongarts
Green committed to making the switch from Germany to the USA on Tuesday.
On Tuesday, 18-year-old German-American Bayern Munich prospect Julian Green committed to making a one-time switch and represent the United States internationally, after a long courtship by head coach Jurgen Klinsmann. On Wednesday morning, FOX Soccer caught up with Green's Tampa, Fla.-based father Jerry, to elaborate on his son's decision.
This conversation has been edited for clarity and length but not for content:
FOX Soccer: Have you spoken to Julian since his decision was announced?
Jerry Green: Yeah, I talked to him a little bit yesterday. He was very happy and looking forward to going out and playing -- really excited about it.
FOX: Why did he choose the United States?
JG: I didn't ask him why he chose them, so I can only speculate. I think a lot of it has to do with the comfort level that he feels with the teammates of his and also a lot has to do with the coach.
FOX: How long does Klinsmann's courtship of Julian date back?
JG: Two or three years, it's hard to say. Klinsmann first of all is a great coach, Julian knows that. Of course, he also knows that Klinsmann played for Bayern and he coached Bayern for a little while. So there's that connection there and I think that's a very strong and deep connection for Julian, to know that there is a coach there that he identifies with and has a lot of respect for. At the end of the day, that was probably the thing that won out at the end.
FOX: How much of a factor was Klinsmann's own playing pedigree to Julian, given that he was born just three years before Klinsmann retired?
JG: I think it was huge. If you're a student of the game, the way Julian is, he's well aware of the players who played before him.
[h2] [/h2]
FOX: Why did Julian make this decision now?
JG: I don't know why he made it now. My personal thought is that he felt comfortable enough after his two-day trip to Frankfurt with the team. The opportunity to go and participate and practice with the team had a lot to do with it. From what he told me, the team really embraced him, the guys were great. He felt at that point that he was ready to make that choice.
FOX: How much of a factor do you think the 2014 World Cup was in the decision?
JG: I don't think it had anything to do with it, quite frankly and honestly. Julian and I, the times that we've touched on the World Cup, it's not something that he was ever preoccupied with. Really, to be truthful, his preoccupation has always been with Bayern and how he's doing there and how he's doing and how he can continue to make strides to make it to the first team. World Cup conversations, at least between the two of us, have been very, very minimal, if at all. He's never really had a focus on the World Cup. It's not something he's given too much thought to.
FOX: Does he then think that playing for the USA will help his club career?
JG: I think that he feels that it will help his club career. When you play professional soccer, anytime that you can play at a national level, it can only aid you with the team that you're presently playing for. Because their thought is, "Wow, if we have a player on our team and his country team wants him to play" -- now granted he has basically two countries -- it can only help. And it helps in your growth too, overall.
FOX: But wouldn't it have been more convenient to Bayern if he held out for Germany so he wouldn't be traveling so much?
JG: Perhaps. I can't speak for them and I don't know if convenience was something they were really focused on. I think the larger point for the Bayern folks is that they want to make sure that their player isn't exhausted to the point where when he comes back to the club he's not effective. My understanding is that coach Klinsmann did call Bayern and explained to them his plan for Julian as far as him coming here to play games. I think his call to them might have helped ease any concern that they had in that area.
[h4]HEAR US OUT[/h4]
FOX: Did Jurgen and Julian talk about this upcoming World Cup? Did Jurgen make any promises about that?
JG: My understanding from Julian is that the two days that they spent in Frankfurt, the World Cup came up maybe one time and he told him that if you play hard, if you practice hard, if you're good enough, you have an equal shot like anybody else would have. And that's, I guess, all he needed to hear. I think he was satisfied to know that he would have as good a chance as anybody else and that him coming in late would not necessarily hurt him if he was able to perform.
FOX: Was the German federation notified that a switch was happening? Did they put up any resistance?
JG: I don't know what the German position is on Julian. I lived in Germany for 13 years. I have a pretty good idea of how Germans operate and they're very process-oriented. When it comes to soccer, the process is you play for the youth teams and when your time comes you make your way to the national level. They're not as vocal in the media as we are here in America about the way that we do things and what we want. That was never a concern for me, nor was it a concern for Julian because we understand that Germans operate on their own timetable, they believe in their own process. When the time is right, that's when they take action.
FOX: They don't worry about a youth player until he gets into the senior team picture, is what you're saying?
JG: Well, there's just a process that you go through. They realize, the Germans already know, that they have their team already set. They know what players are out there, they absolutely know what talent is there, but they also know that they have a process. And you go through their process and if you're good enough you'll play and that's just how they look at things. I fully believe that had he waited, going through all the steps and waited the time, he certainly would have been involved with them at the national level. But it was always my desire that he play for the American team, that's no secret. But at the end of the day, it was of course his decision to make. As an American, I think Julian can help [the USA]. That's important to me because I want to see us win.
“We are absolutely thrilled that Julian Green has chosen to be a part of the U.S. National Team Programs!"
— Jürgen Klinsmann (@J_Klinsmann) March 18, 2014
He's with us, boys!!
Now... Who's spot did he just take? Shea? Herc? Juan?
Apparently Shea's loan to Barnsley was terminated and did not end well either.... so he's back at Stoke.
A big part of the decision was the experience I had in Frankfurt. All the players were super nice and welcomed me from the beginning. Clint Dempsey gave me a jersey with my name on it, and the way they supported me gave me a lot of belief. The coaches have shown a lot of trust in me, and now I hope to do everything I can to earn a spot on the World Cup roster.
I havent seen Julian Green play before, is he really that good. My friends are acting like he is the next coming of Messi
USA to start U-21 national team program
By Ryan Rosenblatt @RyanRosenblatt on Mar 20 2014, 2:20p +
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Jurgen Klinsmann's latest change to U.S. youth development has the green light -- an U-21 team.
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The United States is growing their youth program. Frustrated with their lack of a program after the age of 20, they are adding a U-21 team to their youth program, according to Brian Sciaretta. The new age group will eventually serve as preparation for the Olympics, with the current U-21's being eligible for the 2016 Games.
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Ryan Rosenblatt
To have U-21, U-22 and U-23 teams is common in Europe, where players are considered "youth" through their Olympic year. That isn't the case in CONCACAF, where teams only compete through the U-20's, with the exception of hastily put together Olympic teams.
Jurgen Klinsmann has made youth development a priority for the U.S. and has spoken before to the importance to keep players in the program past the age of 20. This new team will do just that.
The obstacle for the U.S. will be getting players to join them with any regularity because many 21-23 year olds are important members of their clubs, and finding competition for the team. They will have to travel to Europe for most of their good competition, where they could play against other international U-21, U-22 or U-23 teams as well as club teams at those age levels. They will also get to play some Mexican club teams, which have reserve teams full of older youth players, as well as USL or MLS reserve teams. The Pan American Games will probably be their biggest non-Olympics-related competition.
The first U.S. U-21 camp will take place next month at the StubHub Center. It is still unclear who will coach the team, but this is still a major development in U.S. youth development, even if only in the investment it requires. As for how necessary and successful, we'll find out.