21.11.2016 20:45 h

US coach Klinsmann rips critics but fate uncertain

US national team coach Jurgen Klinsmann ripped critics after successive 2018 World Cup qualifying losses, telling The New York Times they "don't understand soccer or the team."

The Times story published Monday cited unnamed executive football sources saying that if a change were to be made it could come this week, giving a new coach until March before the team plays another World Cup qualifying match.

Many fans began calling for Klinsmann's ouster after the Americans lost 2-1 at home to Mexico and 4-0 at Costa Rica earlier this month to stand last in the North American region's final qualifying tournament for Russia 2018.

"I'm not afraid," the German told the Times. "What you need to do is stick to the facts.

"Soccer is emotional and a lot of people make conclusions without knowing anything about the inside of the team or the sport. I still believe we will get the points we need to qualify and I am even confident we could win the group.

"There is a lot of talk from people who don't understand soccer or the team."

Klinsmann said he plans to meet in the next few days with Sunil Gulati, president of the US Soccer Federation, and characterized the American squad as a work in progress.

"We are coaching a team through a transitional phase," Klinsmann said.

"We still have to break in younger players. We still have to look for leadership for the team. There are still a lot of technical and chemistry challenges ahead that are normal in this time period.

"And you put the final pieces together as you go towards Russia, which I am absolutely sure we will do."

Klinsmann said he has stressed the need for patience with Gulati from their earliest days together.

"I always made it clear to Sunil, if you really want to move up to the top 15 in the world, you need to have consistency in what you're doing," Klinsmann said. "If you react emotionally, you will become a rollercoaster."

The former German international striker said he was "very comfortable" with his position and ripped critics as "ignoring the facts" and "being disrespectful."

Los Angeles Galaxy coach Bruce Arena, who has guided five Major League Soccer championship teams, is considered a top candidate if Klinsmann is axed.

The 65-year-old American guided the US team in the 2002 and 2006 World Cups, reaching the 2002 quarter-finals before losing to Germany but failing to advance beyond the group stage in 2006.

Eight US matches remain in the North American (CONCACAF) "hexagonal" round-robin qualifying, the next being at home to Honduras on March 24 and four days later at Panama.

The three top teams in the six-nation tournament advance to the World Cup while the fourth faces a playoff against an Asian team for one of the last berths in Russia.

Disappointments under Klinsmann's tenure began in last year's Gold Cup when the Americans lost a semi-final 2-1 to Jamaica on home soil and dropped the third-place consolation match on penalty kicks.

Then came a loss to Mexico in a playoff for a berth in next year's Confederations Cup in Russia.

While the Americans made a run to the Copa America Centenario semi-finals this year on home soil, there has been tinkering with lineups and formations by Klinsmann.

"I have not said I have nothing to be blamed for," Klinsmann said.

Klinsmann attended a gathering of world leaders last week in Berlin and met with President Barack Obama, who said: "It didn't go well down there in Costa Rica, did it?"

Klinsmann told the Times: "And I said, 'Nope, Mr. President, it didn't go well at all'."