Jurgen Klinsmann seems perfectly content with how he's adjusting to life so far as the U.S. men's national soccer coach.
The Americans are winless in three matches since the former star German player was hired to replace Bob Bradley as coach, although those results are of little concern to Klinsmann.
For now, he sounds pleased just to be getting a better handle on things after a relatively hectic opening few weeks leading the American side.
''Every day you get a bit more settled,'' Klinsmann said on a conference call Friday. ''It's been an interesting couple of weeks.''
Next up: A game against Honduras in Miami on Oct. 8, followed by a meeting with Ecuador three nights later in Harrison, N.J. The roster, which Klinsmann expects to feature many top U.S. players, will come out sometime during the last week of September.
''I want always the best players to represent their country,'' Klinsmann said. ''And if there's maybe an exception or two, OK. But in general, I want the players to understand that the most important thing is to show up and represent your country. It's the same with the Argentinian or Brazilian players. So because I look at things differently and plan things differently, it's been quite a challenge, the first couple of weeks.''
Klinsmann was hired July 29, less than two weeks before the Americans played Mexico to a 1-1 draw. The last two matches have ended with 1-0 defeats, against Costa Rica at Carson, Calif. on Sept. 2 and at Belgium on Sept. 6.
Those matches were scheduled before Klinsmann arrived. And original plans called for the U.S. to use primarily Major League Soccer players against Costa Rica, followed by European-based players in Belgium. Klinsmann's preference is to get the best players possible for any match, which would seem to be one of the reasons why these first few weeks may be more of a feeling-out process for the new coach than anything else.
By year's end, he'll have more of his own stamp on things, as would be expected. Sometime next month, Klinsmann expects the scheduling of two November matches in Europe to be completed.
''Going forward, the first two games where I have my hand involved will be November,'' Klinsmann said. ''I love to kind of get my hands around the program, building the first couple of weeks, build a lot of bridges.''
Klinsmann scored 11 goals in three World Cup appearances as a player, tying him for sixth-most in tournament history. World Cup qualifying for the 2014 matches in Brazil starts next year.
