Episode 112 (Where the Playas Dwell): Klinsmann v. Garber

It's Episode 112, "where the playas dwell."  As such, we open with a little bit from the 112 song "Only You (Bad Boy Remix)."

Today, we discuss the recent public spat between US men's national team manager Jurgen Klinsmann and MLS commissioner Don Garber.

Simply put, Klinsmann is spot on in his criticism of the way the US does "the beautiful game."  And he has the credentials to back it up:  While Garber is a career suit who's trying to fit soccer in the US into the NFL mold (which isn't working), Klinsmann is a former player for the West German/German national team; won the 1990 World Cup with the West German team; played his club football with Stuttgart, Inter Milan, Monaco, Tottenham, and Bayern Munich; and has a winning record as a manager for Germany, Bayern Munich, and the US.

 
By the way, we briefly discuss the three players specifically called out in the Klinsmann-Garber back and forth.  Here are their respective club careers:

Landon Donovan: '99-'00 Bayer Leverkusen II; '00-'05 Bayer Leverkusen (loaned to San Jose Earthquakes '01-'04),  '05-'14 LA Galaxy (loan spells to Bayern Munich in '09, Everton in '10 and '12)

Clint Dempsey: '04-'06 New England Revolution; '07-'12 Fulham; '12-'13 Tottenham; '13-present Seattle Sounders (loaned to Fulham '14)

Michael Bradley: '04-'05 MetroStars (now NY Red Bulls); '06-'08 Heerenveen (a Dutch team); '08-'11 Borussia Monchengladbach (loaned to Aston Villa '11); '11-'12 Chievo (an Italian side); '12-'14 Roma; '14-present Toronto FC

Donovan spent most of his career in MLS, while Dempsey is mostly a product of the English game and Bradley has been truly nomadic as a pro.



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