Jurgen Klinsmann is a man without a country. Fired from Bayern Munich with only a few matches remaining in the Bundesliga season, Klinsmann's "American" ideas always made him slightly distasteful to a demanding German public. Despite leading his country to a somewhat surprising third-place finish at the 2006 World Cup, Klinsmann has simply spent too much time in the good old U. S. of A. for his countrymen to consider him properly German.

And yet, he's not really American either.

Many American soccer have a soft spot for Klinsmann, and on more than one occasion, I've heard staunch "the National Team should have an American coach" proponents back down from that stance when Jurgen's name comes up. Sunil Gulati's courtship with Klinsmann came to naught the first time around, and Bob Bradley stepped in. Bradley's done a good job to this point, through he naturally has detractors. Could we see USSF flirt with Klinsmann again?

My feeling? Maybe, and probably, but not yet. How's that for taking a position?

Let me explain myself. I certainly think that Gulati is desperate to hire Klinsmann. But as long as Bradley continues to have success, and as long Gulati lacks just-cause, the USSF's hands are tied. Bradley, as of yet, has given the federation no reason to let him go; as callous as the powers-that-be can act in this type of situation, I can't conceive of a legitimate reason to shake things up at this point at time.

Does that mean it won't happen? Of course not. Gulati will continue to drool over the only man on the planet with a significant pedigree and a solid managerial background that splits the difference between "foreign" and "American".

That's the draw. That's what makes Klinsmann's potential leadership of the Nats so intriguing. The man lives in California, has eagerly embraces American techniques, and has a good understanding of American players. What's not to like?

I don't know if Klinsmann will try to get back into management immediately, or if he plans to go back to California and chill his heels for a bit. I don't know if he has actual interest in any job, much less one in the United States. Conceivably, he could even be seen as a candidate for a Major League Soccer job if things continue to go poorly for certain clubs (LA Galaxy spring to mind). But let's pretend for a moment that he would take the USMNT job if offered: what's to say that Gulati doesn't give Klinsmann a handshake deal, one that will have the German replacing Bradley when the timing is right for a change?

A run of poor results, a bad showing at the Confed (or Gold) Cup, or just the conclusion of World Cup qualifying could all be used as excuses to make a change. I don't want to say that it's a foregone conclusion, and I could very well be made to look like an idiot when the Nats head to South Africa with Bradley still at the helm; I don't claim to know anything, it's just idle speculation.

But does any of it sound unreasonable?