The United States Men's National Team certainly did not expect to be in the match for third place in the CONCACAF Gold Cup, but that is what happened when the team was upset by Jamaica in Atlanta. Now the team faces more questions which could prove to be a major distraction as they now try and salvage the tournament and get a win against Panama before heading into what is predicted to be a lot of changes for the team.
Team captain Michael Bradley admitted the team is disappointed. The team was expecting to get a win in the tournament before keeping momentum moving into 2018's World Cup tournament. However, the team could look at lot different come that point especially after the loss to Jamaica.
"We want to continue the process toward 2018," manager Jurgen Klinsmann said, via ABC News. "This is Year 1 after the World Cup in Brazil, a year of rebuilding the pieces and bringing in young, new players, trying a lot of things out. They have to go through these pains. We're going to do a step back here and there."
Perhaps the biggest question for the men's soccer team is Klinsmann. Following the loss, ESPN.com began reporting that the coach was expected to be out at the end of the tournament whether he walked away willingly or was fired. For now, the team is focused on redemption. They only have pride to play for at the moment. A win or loss likely will not factor into the future of Klinsmann. The Americans are now focused on developing the roster for the future and getting players time on the pitch to try and find some rhythm for upcoming matches.
"Finishing off in style, being third then and doing that with the right attitude and right approach - you owe that to fans and the tournament," Klinsmann said, via Los Angeles Times "Swallowing that pill, it's not nice to swallow. But it is what it is, you can't change that anymore. Then we keep building, we keep progressing, we keep working hard in order to go toward World Cup qualifying by the end of the year and it starts all over again."
