Juergen Klinsmann has never been known as a great tactician. But the U.S. national team coach is a pretty good motivational speaker.
Blunt, honest and direct, his words seek clarity, not compromise. They challenge rather than cajole.
So what to make of Klinsmann's comments in a lengthy interview with the Washington Post's Steve Goff last week?
While demanding accountability from his players, Klinsmann accepted little of that for his coaching. While criticizing the state of the game in the U.S., the national team's technical director assumed only partial responsibility for changing it.
“The way the game is educated, told, driven, we are still far away from real soccer nations,” Klinsmann told the Post.