Sampson Defends Job, Gets Vote of Confidence

“Here he comes, dead man walking,” one American reporter cracked as U.S. Coach Steve Sampson entered the mixed zone following Sunday’s 2-1 defeat to Iran.

Behind Sampson marched a grim-faced Alan Rothenberg, president of U.S. Soccer, looking like he had seen the ghost of 1990, when the United States bombed out of the World Cup, three losses and out.

After the perfunctory happy talk about being “proud of the players and proud of the effort,” Sampson was asked by a European journalist, rather bluntly, if he would be stepping down now as U.S. coach.

Sampson scoffed at the idea, although the questioner couldn’t see why.

In Europe, if you coach a team that loses to Iran in a World Cup match, no one bothers asking--you do the sensible thing and resign without prompting.

“You’re kidding,” Sampson said, somewhat incredulously.

“Give me a break. I couldn’t have done anything differently. That team was well prepared and it played well. There is nothing I would have done differently.”

Including pulling your captain and sweeper, Thomas Dooley, in the 82nd minute of 1-0 game and replacing him with midfielder Brian Maisonneuve?

And then watching Mahdi Mahdavikia run 50 yards virtually uncontested to make it 2-0 two minutes later?

“I brought on Brian Maisonneuve because of his ability to hold the ball and his long-range shot,” Sampson said. “I would not change anything.”

Two other countries with 0-2 records in this World Cup, Saudi Arabia and South Korea, have already fired their coaches. Rothenberg, however, in unlikely to bring the total to three.

Asked to assess Sampson’s status, Rothenberg assured reporters that “he’s not going to be replaced during the tournament, that’s for sure.”

Sensing that might not sound strong enough for vote-of-confidence purposes, Rothenberg added that, “As I was watching the game, I was thinking if there was something I would’ve done differently. And I couldn’t think of it.”

Besides, Rothenberg pointed out, “I have been criticized for predicting that we wouldn’t make it to the second round. Well, here we are. It’s going to take some time. I’ve set a target of 2010 for the United States to win the World Cup. It’s going to take a dozen years.”

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In an attempt to rally from a 1-0 deficit, Sampson used every forward on his bench with the notable exception of the leading scorer in the history of U.S. soccer, Eric Wynalda.

Roy Wegerle and Brian McBride started at forward. Joe-Max Moore started as a holding midfielder. Preki and Ernie Stewart were used as second-half substitutes.

But Wynalda, with 32 international goals to his credit, did not play a minute after starting last Monday’s opener against Germany.

Not surprisingly, Wynalda blew through the mixed zone without stopping to answer a single question.

So Moore was asked about Wynalda’s benching instead.

“I would have liked to have had him out there,” Moore allowed. “If you need someone to score you a goal, he can be a very dangerous player.”

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Goalkeeper Kasey Keller was asked how the news of World Cup elimination against Iran would be greeted back home.

“Obviously, Americans love winners,” Keller said. “This is disappointing, but I wouldn’t necessarily call it a setback . . .

“I think kids in American still realize what a World Cup is and the difficulties of playing in a World Cup. People know that only six different [countries] have ever won the World Cup.

“Kids at home will be disappointed, mainly because they’ll think this is a game we should have won.”