BTP Premium: The Copa Effect




Beyond The Pitch show

Summary: Ever since the US National Team fulfilled its target of a semi-final result at Copa Centenario, the heat surrounding its complex manager Jurgen Klinsmann has been turned down to a simmer as the next stage soon returns back to World Cup qualification. However, that does not mean that rampant speculation about his future has not subsided. In fact, it does appear that this part of the tale has some consideration to be flushed out as links to the England national team job may suggest an uneasiness or a level of raw preparation for what may come next for Klinsmann himself. Joining Anto to discuss the upcoming challenges for the US team now fully focused on the 2018 World Cup cycle and the speculative ramifications is ESPN FC football correspondent Jeff Carlisle as we examine some of the positional concerns and then the real political implication for a national team manager and technical director surrounded by divided interests and a figure largely left to defend for himself in an uncertain loop with Sunil Gulati likely taking up a more critical and harsher tone with Jurgen Klinsmann as his second four year mandate leads to some uncomfortable questions.