Juergen Klinsmann, who left his post as Germany head coach shortly after last summer's World Cup, has told the Associated Press he's been discussing the U.S. national team job with U.S. Soccer President Sunil Gulati and said that, "Sooner or later, I have to get back into coaching."

Klinsmann said he's had a "couple of conversations" with Gulati and "I'm evaluating everything that comes up. I'll stay in touch with Sunil and see what it leads to. It's a very casual and relaxed correspondence."

Gulati, who dismissed Coach Bruce Arena after the USA's first-round exit at the 2006 World Cup, is not commenting on the specifics of his search for a replacement.

Reporter Jack Bell of the New York Times asked Klinsmann about Arena's recent comment that the next U.S. coach should be an American, Klinsmann responded with, "All I can say is that soccer is a global game, and when you deal with a national team it is all about guiding it in the World Cup. You need a global picture, not a U.S. picture. It always helps to know about the domestic situation, but there are always people you can use as a resource - Bruce, Sigi Schmid, Bob Bradley."

The AP quoted Klinsmann as saying, "I've lived in this country for eight years now, so I've followed soccer development in the United States. It's definitely a very different situation in this country. Obviously, the approach here in the U.S. would be a totally different one. The player-development aspect is a huge aspect."

Klinsmann guided Germany to a third-place finish on home soil last summer four years after Coach Rudi Voeller coached the Germans to a runner-up finish at the 2002 World Cup in Asia, but the team was deemed in deep crisis when Klinsmann took over after its embarrassing first-round exit at 2004 European Championship. He remained a California resident and commuted to Germany during its preparation, a setup he was criticized for until his World Cup success.

FURTHER READING: Click here for Soccer America's pre-World Cup profile of Juergen Klinsmann, whose playing career included World Cup and European Championship titles and club play in the German, Italian, French and English leagues.