Klinsmann demands another gear from USA

Jürgen Klinsmann has demanded the United States step up in their last two World Cup qualifiers despite having already booked a spot in Brazil.

The USA’s head coach has already switched his focus to Brazil 2014 and, while Klinsmann’s team are assured of a berth at next year’s World Cup finals, the 49-year-old German is keen to see his players improve in their qualifiers versus Jamaica and Panama over the next week.

If the USA win their last two World Cup qualifying matches, they will top CONCACAF’s fourth round and Klinsmann believes that will give his team plenty of confidence at next year’s tournament.

“Once you achieve the goal to be qualified you understand right away that now the next higher level is waiting for us,” Klinsmann said.

“The World Cup is obviously a couple of levels higher up than qualifying even if it’s not an easy thing to go through.

“The benchmark now in the World Cup is just far higher so everything we do now prepares us for the World Cup, whatever we do in camp these few days together set the tone towards the summer of 2014 and therefore it is important that the players understand it is serious business that we deal with.”

The USA will host Jamaica in Kansas City on Friday before they travel to Panama on Tuesday.