All Things American - Night Before Hex News

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It is hard to listen to this story without hearing an echo of Klinsmann's recent barbed public challenges to Clint Dempsey. As Klinsmann describes it, his approach is confrontational. "When I come in here I tell the players straight to their faces 'I'm not content with where you are right now. Even if you play in the Premier League, I am here to get you to the next level.' When I get this feeling a player is giving me the sense that he has made it then he will hear from me that he hasn't made s---. That is my approach," he confides. "Not every player will buy into it. It's as simple as that."

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While Klinsmann touched on several players, he spoke most about Feilhaber. Klinsmann said the veteran midfielder showed well during the recent January camp and friendly against Canada, but wants Feilhaber to demonstrate more consistency with Sporting Kansas City and the U.S. “We want him to become more a pusher in terms of being involved in the game on a consistent basis, every couple minutes, every two, three minutes,” said Klinsmann. “Here and there it seems like he’s fading out and coming back in and it’s a bit inconsistent. He’s working on that and that has to do obviously with the technical approach but also the physicality of it, the rhythm, the pace of a game. “We are thrilled that he’s moved to Kansas now and he will get pushed by Peter Vermes doing that. I have spoken to Peter about that already and we think he absolutely has the qualities, the technical capabilities to be part of the inner circle of the national team. Not being called in now for these games does not mean he’s out, not at all. … With World Cup qualifiers, friendlies and a Gold Cup coming up, there will be opportunities as well.”

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I feel very proud now to play for the U.S. National team and tomorrow for the first qualifying game with the national team,” Chandler said on Tuesday before the U.S. team’s training session at Estadio Olimpico Metropolitano. “Of course I was in the last game, in Russia, and I like the mentality of the team and of the trainer very much and I’m only proud to be here, and happy.” Chander pointed to the feeling of camaraderie within the team as one of the key reasons for finally deciding to commit to the United States. “The whole team are fine, and it’s like a little family and I very much like it,” Chandler. “I speak with (Klinsmann) a lot and he told me that he wanted me to make a future with the USA. That’s why I come here. I want to help the USA and I hope I can do it.

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“It’s about time you know,” said U.S. goalkeeper Tim Howard. “It’s been a lot of back and forth. Probably too much if you ask me. That’s my opinion and Timmy, we think he’s a big part of the team. He’s young, but he brings a lot of grit and experience and he’s a really good player.

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