Of the most likely candidates to take over the vacant England managerial job, Jurgen Klinsmann would be the best choice.
Sunderland boss Sam Allardyce is the favorite to take over from Roy Hodgson, but this would be yet another mistake by the FA. Allardyce is a very good football coach, but it would be a huge jump to take over as England manager despite his experience.
Klinsmann would bring a fresh outlook to England, and he brings international experience in his short managerial career.
As a player, Klinsmann is tied in fourth for most goals scored for the German national team, and he put together a sparkling professional career. He was a World Cup and European Championship winner with Germany, and he played in three international tournament finals.
At club level Klinsmann suited up for the likes of Bayern Munich, Inter Milan and Tottenham Hotspur, and would go onto win two UEFA Cups.
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To say he understands football at the very highest level would be an understatement, and his success doesn’t stop as a player.
Klinsmann became manager of Germany in 2004 following the country’s early exit from Euro 2004. He took an aggressive approach to changing the entire setup, placing a major emphasis on developing young players, many of whom went onto win the World Cup in 2014.
Klinsmann picked players based on form. He picked them on what they can offer at the next tournament, not on what they may have achieved previously in their career. Hodgson was the complete opposite as England boss, insisting on playing Wayne Rooney, Raheem Sterling and Jack Wilshere even when they were out of form or below 100 percent. Rather than picking the best players for his system, Hodgson continued to push square pegs into round holes.
As Germany boss, Klinsmann guided them to third-place in the World Cup just two years after the team was sent home in the group stages of the Euros.
Klinsmann didn’t stay on as coach following the World Cup, handing over the reigns to assistant Joachim Low. Low has been instrumental in the recent success of the national team, but Klinsmann helped get the ball rolling with his youth movement in 2004.
The German has enjoyed similar success as manager of the US national team. Klinsmann has once again placed an emphasis on youth, looking at the entire setup of American football rather than focusing solely on the senior squad.
Klinsmann would win the 2013 CONCACAF Gold Cup with the United States, and guided them to the Round of 16 of the 2014 World Cup, a respectable accomplishment. Getting there required advancing through a group featuring Germany, Portugal and Ghana.
If the FA is given a choice between Klinsmann and Allardyce, it should be a very simple decision.
Klinsmann can not only help an underachieving squad reach their potential, he can also reignite a youth structure to achieve sustained success at an international level. Klinsmann is a coach who would gain immediate respect from the entire squad, and his positive, attacking style of play would suit the current talent.
Allardyce might have more years of experience, but he’s largely been restricted to teams battling relegation. His best work has come when saving teams in danger, setting the foundations for another manager to push on with. Allardyce is an excellent coach, but his defensive-minded style might not bode well with fans.
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Klinsmann would be a perfect choice to take over as England boss. He would offer a fresh perspective on international football, and finally restore some faith the English team is crying out for.