WASHINGTON – Tuesday's 1-1 draw with New Zealand was hardly the prettiest performance or result for the US national team. Coach Jurgen Klinsmann suggested afterwards that he got what he wanted, though: Lots of observation data on a player pool that must be mobilized efficiently in order to earn results in next month's World Cup qualifiers against Mexico and Costa Rica.
The biggest winners? The kids.
“I think we found a couple of very interesting answers over the last 10 days,” said Klinsmann as he addressed the media in a cavernous room that once housed RFK Stadium's subterranean batting cages. “Julian Green is back in the picture – he had not only only a very nice goal today but just overall, in every training session, he's becoming more mature, he's becoming stronger, he has far more confidence.
“Lynden Gooch confirmed what we saw in training already: He's fearless, he takes people on, very physical as well, doesn't shy away from physicality. So there are a couple of things that we saw that we didn't know before the camp.”
With two goals in the USMNT's two friendlies and a sequence of lively, committed practice sessions, Green has skyrocketed in the coaching staff's estimation.
“I'm really happy about it,” said Green. “It's my goal to always be here in this team, and when I'm here I want to give my best. And I think I did very well … I have to do my job in my club, I have to work hard there and I always will get a chance to play, I think.”
The 21-year-old winger faces a brutal daily battle just to earn a place on Bayern Munich's bench, but seems to have won the confidence of manager Carlo Ancelotti – and Klinsmann's may not be far behind.
“I think for Julian, it's just a maturing process,” said Klinsmann. “He's getting a little bit older and he knows that there's a lot at stake for him towards the future. He wants to break into that team and he wants to get minutes there, and he has people like [Frank] Ribery and [Arjen] Robben ahead of him. But the way he presented himself these 10 days – and it was actually from the first training session on, where we said, 'oooh!' He made a big step forward. I think he just becomes more of a personality.”
The US boss went so far as to suggest that first-team minutes at Bayern may not be necessary for Green to be trusted with a significant role in November's titanic clashes.
“Maybe we will send some people to watch his training sessions, just to spend maybe a few days there, just to see how active and involved he is there as well,” said Klinsmann of Green. “A lot depends also now on how we come to a conclusion on what system we want to play… but he left a very strong impression in these 10 days. That's really nice to see – and Lynden Gooch as well … He's a very interesting character.”
The RFK crowd hooted Gooch's name as he made his US debut in place of Kellyn Acosta in the 59th minute, and liked what they saw in his lively half-hour of work on the right flank.
“I think the first time I got the ball I was positive and I put a cross in the box. And just chased down defenders and just tried to energize the team a little bit,” said the 20-year-old Sunderland prospect. “Hopefully I caught Jurgen’s eye and hopefully I can be involved next month.
“I think I did really well. I think on another day with more time, maybe I would’ve been able to create a goal or maybe score a goal. I had a shot that was blocked that was a bit unlucky. But I don’t think I did a lot wrong today.”
