Klinsmann opts to rotate Guzan, Howard as starting goalkeepers
U.S. men's national team manager Jurgen Klinsmann has a tough choice to make when it comes picking the country's starting goalkeeper, so for now, he's not choosing.
Ahead of the USMNT's pair of World Cup qualifying matches against St. Vincent and the Grenadines and Trinidad and Tobago, Klinsmann announced Thursday that both Brad Guzan and Tim Howard would be starters for the team - the former Friday, and the latter next Tuesday.
The United States' goalkeeper pool isn't teeming with talent, per se, and Klinsmann believes the gap in quality between Howard and Guzan and other options remains wide.
"They're both pretty much on the same level, they’re both very important to us, and it hasn't changed anything yet since Copa America because the younger ones in line which are very talented haven't reached that level yet," Klinsmann said, according to Grant Wahl of Sports Illustrated. "So we try to help them one step at a time. But as of today they're not on Tim's or Brad Guzan's level."
He added, "I'm not a big fan of rotating goalkeepers, but the situation here and even for Mexico is different than for a European or South American team. For us, playing all these different games in different places and different circumstances and purposes, we have to always juggle different rosters.
"Do I want to always start the same back four? Absolutely. But it's just not reality."
Guzan, 31, and Howard, 37, don't represent the future of the Stars and Stripes but are necessary in the here and now as the U.S. attempts to secure a berth in the CONCACAF World Cup qualifying final round - known, rather ominously, as "The Hex."
With a spot in the 2018 FIFA World Cup on the line, Klinsmann can't afford inexperienced hands in net.
"With Brad Guzan and Tim I need both on board, I need both kind of happy," Klinsmann said. "If I was 36, 37, I'm not happy if I'm sitting on the bench for two games and traveling all over the place under these conditions and then I come back to my club team.
"That's when I'm very open with both keepers and say I understand your travel and effort you're bringing here. I want you both to keep on going."