Klinsmann: Brooks performing 'on a very high level' with Hertha Berlin
United States coach Jurgen Klinsmann praised Hertha Berlin defender John Brooks after he established himself as a first-team regular over the past few weeks.
Brooks dropped out of the U.S. squad after spending the early stages of the Bundesliga season out of the starting XI, but the 22-year-old returned to the lineup in November and started the final six league matches before the winter break.
Those displays included the winning goal in a 2-1 victory against Bayer Leverkusen on Dec. 5 and a pair of shutouts against Mainz and Darmstadt over the past two weekends. Brooks’ performances over the past few weeks displayed the reliability necessary to establish himself as a regular fixture in the side, according to Klinsmann.
“John Brooks over the last few weeks has become really consistent, and this is, I think, the biggest learning curve for him right now,” Klinsmann told ussoccer.com. “He’s still a very young player, and he not only earned his spot back in the starting line up at Hertha Berlin, but now he’s now really performing week in and week out on a very high level.”
Those recent successes caught Klinsmann’s eye and prompted him to reach out to Hertha manager Pal Dardai to gauge Brooks’ progress over the past couple of months. Dardai offered confirmation of Brooks’ strides as he stated his claims for the Champions League-chasing side.
“I’ve been talking to his manager and his club over the last couple of weeks,” Klinsmann said. “They are very impressed about his learning curve, about his focus, and hopefully can keep that up. We are very proud that he’s doing well in Berlin right now.”
Brooks’ return to form after a lengthy spell out of the team means two U.S. players are currently pushing for Champions League places next season.
Hertha Berlin sits third in table after winning five of their last six games prior to the winter break, while Fabian Johnson and Borussia Mönchengladbach are three points behind in fourth spot after recovering from a dismal start to the campaign.
The success of both sides bodes well for Brooks and Johnson as they attempt to push forward with the U.S. team next year, according to Klinsmann.
“This means a lot to us because they get challenged week in and week out with very, very good teams,” Klinsmann said. “Especially for Fabian -- [playing] in the Champions League was a tremendous experience for him as well. We are proud that they are doing well, but they have to confirm it week in and week out and hopefully they continue that way.”
