He claims that he did not see it coming, and actually blames himself for not having a better feel for what the players were thinking and feeling. Some people say that the 7th place finish at the Algarve Cup was the reason for his sudden departure and others think that the veteran players complained.
If the veteran players in fact complained about the coach, I would say I am embarrassed for them but also for President Gulati for listening. Do you think President Gulati cares if players on the men's national team like Jurgen? Do you think Carlos Bocanegra was asked if his feelings were hurt when he went from team captain to essentially nothing in one years time? Or how Donovan feels being left on the bench because he supposedly didn't train well enough at practice the week prior? I doubt it...
A veteran should act like a veteran. If you don't know where you stand on the team then ask! The truth is, veteran players like Wamback, Lloyd, and O'Reilly won't be able to play forever and we needed to bring in some fresh legs. If it is because we lost two games in the Algarve Cup, I would say Gulati jumped the gun. The team is in a time of transition and with that sometimes comes losses. Bringing up youth members at this time also allows them to learn from the more experienced players. The game is changing and the US team needs to keep up. The time of athleticism and toughness has left. The speed and intelligence of our new young crop of players is the fun and refreshing style of soccer this team needs to be successful.
Having said all of that...I love the US National Team and will always cheer loud and proud, but going forward I think the coaches for all US National teams should be American. Complaints of a coach not understanding "the culture" of the team and players will not be an issue if you hire someone who knows the competitive nature of Americans, and trust me, there are plenty of amazing coaches right here in Red, White, and Blue Country to get the job done!
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