Football
Doug McIntyre, ESPN Staff Writer 7y

Jurgen Klinsmann insists Bob Bradley 'jockeying' claim 'simply not true'

WASHINGTON -- United States coach Jurgen Klinsmann responded on Monday to former manager Bob Bradley's remark that he was "jockeying" for the U.S. coaching job in 2010, a year before he replaced Bradley at the American helm, by saying the claim is "simply not true."

Bradley was sacked by U.S. Soccer president Sunil Gulati after the U.S. lost the 2011 Gold Cup final to Mexico, and Klinsmann was hired the next day. Bradley went on to coach Egypt's national team from 2011-13, leading them to within a game of their first World Cup berth in 24 years amid political chaos in the country.

During his introductory press conference, Bradley said he believed his dismissal by the U.S. was a mistake, and that he believed Klinsmann, a California resident since his playing days ended in 1998, had been eyeing the position long before signing on.

"When he did commentary on the 2010 World Cup, he was already jockeying for the job," Bradley said on Friday.

"It's simply not true," Klinsmann told reporters before his team trained at RFK Stadium, where the U.S. will face New Zealand in a friendly match on Tuesday (8 p.m. ET, ESPN/WatchESPN).

"I could've taken the job in 2006. I could've taken it in 2010. I was not jockeying anything."

Bradley had successful stints with clubs in Norway and France before becoming the first American to helm an English Premier League team when Swansea City hired him as their new boss on Oct. 3.

Gulati approached Klinsmann about succeeding then-coach Bruce Arena as national team coach after the U.S. failed to advance from group play at 2006 World Cup. Bradley became interim coach later that year before the tag was removed in 2007. But Gulati again approached Klinsmann three years later before ultimately re-signing Bradley.

The German-born Klinsmann managed Germany and Bundesliga giants Bayern Munich before accepting the U.S. job in July of 2011.

Last week, he called Bradley's hiring at Swansea "fantastic." Klinsmann named Michael Bradley, Bob's son, the U.S. captain last year.

"I wish Bob the very, very best," Klinsmann said. "It's a big, big moment having an American coach coaching a Premier League club. I think it's huge. He's an awesome guy. He's a good person and I just keep my fingers crossed for him."

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