Former German team player and coach Berti Vogts will bring new ideas to the U.S. national team coaching staff in his new role as a special adviser, U.S. coach Jurgen Klinsmann told German sports weekly Sport Bild.
"As a coach you always have to see if there is anyone who can train you stuff, and who has more knowledge in different departments," Klinsmann said of his surprise decision to add Vogts to his team with just three months to go until the 2014 World Cup. "It is not always easy to win new experience and new ideas and pass that on."
"To me, Berti Vogts has been an initiator, as well as adviser and provider of ideas for many years. And it was important to me, that he always challenged my opinions when he doubted them. He has an enormous wealth of experience to lead a team including the staff.
"I have always profited from him. As a player. As the Germany coach before and during the 2006 World Cup. We enjoy a great partnership," Klinsmann said. "That Vogts has accepted the role fills me with pride."
Klinnsmann said Vogts' "knowledge, experience and his advice" will give the U.S. team "an extra push and even more confidence."
"It is about many details at the World Cup. And he can help us in those areas. We want to reach the knockout stages, anything else would be a disappointment. But we are not level with Germany or Portugal."
In 1996, Klinsmann, as the captain, lifted the European Championship trophy at Wembley and Vogts, then Germany's coach, became the last coach to ever win a trophy with Germany. Now 18 years later, Klinsmann and Vogts will take on Germany at the World Cup, in their roles for the U.S. team.
"We, of course, want to beat Germany, and cause a sensation at the World Cup," Klinsmann told Sport Bild. "But we think that Germany will be through by the time of our meeting in the final group game. And we cross our fingers that they will win the World Cup in the end."
Klinsmann’s words were echoed by his new advisor.
"Germany have a great team," Vogts said. "There has never been a deeper squad than the current one. There have never been more players, who have been trained as well on both technically or tactically. With that last bit of luck, which they did not have during the last World Cup and the last European Championship, they will reach the final."
"We know that when we play Germany we maybe play the next World Cup winner. But: In one game everything can happen. The US have shown that in the 4-3 against Germany in 2013."
The 67-year-old Vogts was a defender in West Germany's 1974 World Cup-winning team and made 96 international appearances in all. He coached his national team from 1990-98, winning the 1996 European Championship with Klinsmann as one of his players.
Vogts went on to coach Bayer Leverkusen in the Bundesliga and the national teams of Kuwait (2001-02), Scotland (2002-04), Nigeria (2007-08) and Azerbaijan (2008-present). He will continue his job with Azerbaijan.