It's becoming clearer and clearer that 18-year-old Julian Green was likely promised a spot on the U.S.'s World Cup roster by coach Jurgen Klinsmann in advance of the youngsters FIFA-sanctioned permanent international switch away from Germany prior to this summer’s tournament in Brazil.
This story is juicy enough as it is for patriotic Americans – who watched their national side coax a young teenager to switch nationalities, essentially admitting the limits of their local talent – but, considering their likewise positions as outside wingers/forwards, it appears Green's inclusion was at the cost of the U.S.'s all-time leading scorer Landon Donovan, who was left off the U.S.'s final 23-man squad by Klinsmann on May 22.
Green, whose sole link to the U.S. is the fact he was born in Tampa, Florida, moved to Germany as a toddler with his mother. There, he was raised and eventually featured for the U19 German national team. His club team is Bayern Munich, Germany's perennial powerhouse and version of the New York Yankees. By nearly all measures, Green is just as German as his club teammate Bastian Schweinsteiger.
In an interview televised during ESPN's broadcast of the U.S.'s 2-1 friendly win over Turkey on Sunday night, Green's mother said she asked her son why he chose the U.S. over Germany and why he made the permanent decision at such a young age. "He said, 'Mom, you don't understand, it's the World Cup,'" she said.
The writing is on the wall.
Green has reportedly denied these rumors at every opportunity. On Sunday his father also chimed in as CBS Las Vegas reported Jerry Green father also vehemently denies Klinsmann made any pledges to his son.
"Anybody who makes the statement that 'I know Julian was guaranteed this or this,' is a liar," Jerry Green told CBS Las Vegas. "I'm just telling you the straight and simple. Unless they were in that room or were part of any of those conversations, they're a liar."
Recruiting imported talent is not foreign to the World's elite soccer nations who have put ego and national pride aside to add a key player when it's deemed necessary. Italy, Germany, Belgium and even defending World Cup champion Spain have recruited from outside their boarders in recent times. Spain recruited Altetico Madrid forward Diego Costa away from Brazil of all countries prior to this year's World Cup. England’s Football Association was embarrassed early this year when word broke it had attempted to lure Belgium-born starlet Adnan Januzaj to join the Three Lions after he began to perform well for his British club side Manchester United. Januzaj, 19, was born and raised in Belgium, and only moved to England at 16.
It might ease some of the tension if Klinsmann came out and said what many soccer insiders expect. The former World Cup winner with Germany could be forgiven for admitting that this is how the big dogs compete and unpleasant decisions are a necessary measure at times.
However, it doesn't even appear that Klinsmann needs to explain himself. U.S. fans presented a slight outcry when Donovan was surprisingly cut from the squad, but little complaints have been brought at Green's inclusion. The wunderkind has done impressive things for Bayern Munich's B team, scoring 15 goals in 23 games this season.
It seems unthinkable that the leaders of the U.S. Soccer Federation and the American public would be agreeable with relying on foreign talent in and of itself — Klinsmann chose five German-Americans in total – but sacrificing a legend of U.S. soccer in the process seems grounds for a unbridled riot. Yet, neither an uprising nor explanations have taken place.
In an uncharacteristic move, it appears U.S. soccer leadership – as well as the American public – have chosen to swallow their pride and sit idly by as its team aggressively dips into the international market for its national team.
U.S.—Turkey game notes
With the win against Turkey the U.S. defeated a legitimate opponent that had entered winning nine of its last 10 and narrowly missed qualifying for the World Cup.
Green made his second international appearance for the U.S. in the second half.
American captain Clint Dempsey returned from a groin injury scare that ruled him out of the math against Azerbaijan to start and, inspiringly for U.S. fans, showed no ill effects, applying tricks to the Turkish defense that no other U.S. player can. He scored the U.S.'s second goal on a tap in after the Turkish defense made a mess of a Brad Davis cross in the 52nd minute.
With striker Jozy Altidore out of sorts at the moment, Dempsey is the U.S.'s best offensive weapon by a mile. In fact, the trio of Dempsey, midfielder Michael Bradley and goalkeeper Tim Howard often look heads and shoulders above their teammates. The three of them will have to be stupendous for the U.S. to have any chance of advancing out of the group stages.
Bradley, a defensive midfielder by trade, was played in a more advanced attacking position by Klinsmann in this the second of the U.S.'s three warm-up matches before they head to South America. Bradley proved he could orchestrate offensively when called upon having played a part in both U.S. goals. He flicked an inch-perfect pass on the opening goal for the U.S., a beautiful smashed volley by Fabian Johnson for the right back's first international goal.
The U.S. will play its final game of the Send-Off Series on June 7 against Nigeria.
| Nicolas Hallett is a staff writer for 105 The Ticket. He recently graduated from the University of Minnesota and has written for the Murphy News Service, the Minnesota Daily and the St. Paul Pioneer Press. Follow him on Twitter @NicolasHallett |