Jurgen Klinsmann shocked the world on Thursday—at least the world the U.S. soccer community considers itself to be—when he announced the exclusion of Landon Donovan from his 23-man roster for the 2014 World Cup in Brazil. Now, for the first time since doing so, Klinsmann will be able to explain why as he holds a press conference at Stanford Stadium in Palo Alto, California.
The press conference is scheduled for 12 p.m. ET and can be live streamed here free.
Jurgen Klinsmann Has Zero Justification For Omitting Landon Donovan
Though Klinsmann was wrong in his decision to exclude Donovan from his roster, he did, however, admit it was the toughest decision of his coaching career (h/t to USA Today). "This is certainly one of the toughest decisions—the toughest decision in my coaching career—to tell a player like him with everything he's done and what he represents, to tell him that you're not part of those 23 right now," he said in a video released Thursday by US Soccer.
"I just see some other players slightly ahead of him," he added.
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Really, Klinsmann? Players like a 31-year-old Chris Wondolowski who's never scored an international goal against elite competition?
"The last 10 days he did everything right. He was always positive. He took it the best way possible, so his disappointment is huge. I totally understand that. He took it very professional, because he's an outstanding professional player and he knows that I have the highest respect for him."
"But I have to make the decisions as of today. I have to make the decisions what is good today for this group going into Brazil and I just think that the other guys right now are a little bit ahead of him and I told him that. And he understands it, but obviously he's very disappointed."
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