Ecuador Denies Hiring Former USMNT Manager Jurgen Klinsmann

Jurgen Klinsmann during his time as USMNT coach
Jurgen Klinsmann during his time as USMNT coach in 2016. Photo by John Dorton/ISI/REX/Shutterstock (7435394u)

It looks like former USMNT manager Jurgen Klinsmann isn’t taking over Ecuador after all. Ecuador Football Federation (FEF) director Carlos Galarza spoke with reporters on Thursday and denied news that Klinsmann would be the new coach for the country’s national team. 

 Multiple reports surfaced on Wednesday that Klinsmann agreed to take over Ecuador national team and that his hiring is expected to be announced in the next several days. The 55-year-old German would take over from Hernan Dario Gomez, who was fired in July after a heavy 6-1 defeat against Argentina.

Still, Galarza insists that this news is pure speculation.

“There is nothing concrete, just speculation,” – Galarza told reporters but confirmed that they already had talks with “one coach in particular.”

Besides Klinsmann, several other high-profile names were considered for the job, including Fernando Hierro, Santiago Solari, and Nestor Pekerman.

Jurgen Klinsmann is without a job since being fired as the United States men’s national soccer team’s head coach in November 2016. Klinsmann spent five years with USMNT, compiling 55-16-27 record and leading the nation to the CONCACAF Gold Cup championship in 2013 and 15th place at the 2014 World Cup in Brazil. He previously coached Germany and Bayern Munich.