USA coach Jurgen Klinsmann criticized the performance level of several of his players since the World Cup, saying that “a lot” of his squad members — particularly hisEuropean-based players — have played poorly for their club teams since this summer’s tournament.
“Right now at the end of 2014, going into the last two friendly games, looking at thelast couple months, is a bit of a concern to us,” Klinsmann said in a video posted by US Soccer. “A lot of our players that played really well in the World Cup and were consistent and worked very,very hard really dropped their performances after the World Cup, even after they are starters with their teams or in many cases unfortunately are not starters in their teams anymore. And I’m lookingmore at the European players in that moment.”
According to ESPN, the German World Cup winner has a point, as Jozy Altidore (Sunderland), Geoff Cameron (Stoke City), JohnBrooks (Hertha Berlin), Fabian Johnson (Borussia Monchengladbach), Julian Green (Hamburg), and Alejandro Bedoya (Nantes) have all failed to hold down regular starting spotsfor their clubs so far this season.
Speaking ahead of the USA’s final two games of 2014, a pair of friendlies against Colombia in London on Nov 14 and then the Republic of Ireland inDublin four days later, Klinsmann said consistency would be a huge topic of conversation with his European-based players. “Talking to them and telling them, ‘Listen, it takes more to becomeconsistent,” he said. “It takes more professionalism and strength to come after World Cup and show those performances again in your club level.’”