Klinsmann Won't Coach U.S. Soccer Team

Juergen Klinsmann withdrew Thursday from consideration as coach of the U.S. soccer team after several months of talks failed to lead to an agreement. U.S. Soccer Federation president Sunil Gulati scheduled a telephone conference call with reporters Friday "to make an important announcement on the search for the next head coach of the U.S. men's national team," a USSF statement said.

Bob Bradley, the coach of Major League Soccer's Chivas USA team, was to be announced Friday as the interim coach of the national team, a soccer official with knowledge of the decision told the AP. He also spoke on condition of anonymity because the announcement had not been made.

Photo:FRANK AUGSTEIN: AP

Klinsmann, who led Germany to the World Cup semifinals last summer, was the overwhelming favorite for the U.S. job. "Sunil (Gulati) and I have concluded our discussions about the US men's national team program, and I have withdrawn my name from consideration as coach," he said in an e-mailed statement. "I'm not going to go into details about our conversations. But, I certainly want to wish the next coach of the U.S. men's national team much success, and I want to, also, thank Sunil for the opportunity to exchange ideas."

Earlier this week, it appeared the USSF and Klinsmann were moving toward an agreement. Authority had been as big an issue as money in the talks, a second person famili ar with the negotiations said, also speaking on condition of anonymity. Klinsmann's friend, Bruce Arena, was let go in July after 7 1/2 years. Arena coached the American team to the World Cup quarterfinals in 2002, the best showing by the United States since the initial tournament in 1930. But the U.S. team was eliminated in the first round this year.

A former star forward for Germany's national team, Klinsmann took on the Germany job as his first professional coaching assignment. He lives in Huntington Beach, Calif. -- a close commute to the practice facility in Carson where the Americans often train.

The United States, which hasn't played since it was eliminated from the World Cup in June, opens 2007 with a Jan. 20 exhibition against Denmark at Carson and may meet Mexico on Feb. 7 in the Phoenix area. Bradley coached 12 years at Princeton before becoming an assistant to Bruce Arena at D.C. United in 1996, when he also served as an assistant to the U.S. Olymp ic team. He moved to the expansion Chicago Fire in 1998, winning the MLS Cup title in his first season.

He returned to his native New Jersey to take over the MetroStars for the 2003 season and remained for nearly three full seasons before he was fired. He quickly returned to MLS, assuming control of Chivas USA before the start of the 2006 season. He has won more games in MLS (124) than any other coach. Bradley also has won 14 in the postseason.