Does Klinsmann need to win Copa America to remain U.S. manager?

Jurgen Klinsmann's time as manager of the United States men's national team has been polarizing. He has been at the helm of the U.S. for six years, and his list of accomplishments is as commendable as his list of perceived grievances is long.

This summer, the iconic German striker of yesteryear will oversee the U.S. in the Copa America Centenario, a 100th anniversary edition of South America's continental title. As hosts, the U.S. hopes to compete well against some of the world's finest teams.

Related - Copa America Centenario Preview: United States

Success won't come easy, though, and the competition is fierce. It begs the question: Could a poor showing in the Copa America spell the end of Klinsmann's tenure as U.S. national team manager?

Making the case

Klinsmann has always had his detractors, long before the Copa America. His shaky relationship with Major League Soccer has U.S. soccer fans divided in opinion; Klinsmann has publicly urged young players to leave MLS and head to Europe, and has never shied away from expressing his discontent when national team players join MLS outfits.

Yet he affords MLS talent consistent opportunities with the national team and doesn't harbor lingering resentment for those who returned to the U.S. top flight.

He's had his critics, chief among them Landon Donovan, who called for his resignation following a 2-0 World Cup qualifying loss to Guatemala. Those calls died down when the U.S. won 4-0 in the reverse fixture, but Donovan alleges deeper problems in the team's camp.

"The sense I get, and I talk to a lot of the players, is that there's no confidence because there's no stability," Donovan said, according to ESPN FC.

Stability has been a sticking point for Klinsmann, especially as it relates to his job. He has yet to nail down a consistent position for Michael Bradley, his captain, and often plays players in unorthodox positions.

His decision-making was lambasted when the U.S. crashed out of the 2015 Gold Cup semi-finals, but if there was indeed a lack of confidence, it wasn't being shown in the 2014 FIFA World Cup. Back then, the U.S. escaped the "Group of Death" against tough opponents Portugal, Germany, and Ghana.

When it counted, Klinsmann pulled through, but despite his successes - or, rather, his lack of concrete failures - he hasn't convinced everyone. That's not his concern, though; right now, Klinsmann's focus is on the Copa America.

The Copa America challenge

Drawn in a tough group with Colombia, Costa Rica, and Paraguay, the U.S. has a tough task in this Copa America's initial stage, and finishing second in this group will likely yield a quarter-final match against Brazil. That's likely about as far as this U.S. national team will go.

The expectation should be to at least get out of the group, which won't be easy, but that underdog role tends to serve the U.S. well. If Klinsmann's side crashes out of the group stage with a lackluster showing, calls for his head will follow.

To be fair, the Copa America has never really been a priority for Klinsmann, though he'll certainly welcome elite opposition. He has never shied away from expressing how important he feels it is for players to play against superior opposition consistently.

However, the emotional investment in winning this tournament isn't quite so deep; a home crowd in iconic U.S. stadiums ramps up fan fervor, but if the U.S. was not acting as hosts, expectations would be tempered tenfold.

Verdict: Copa not key

In the end, Klinsmann's job likely won't be on the line, regardless of the outcome of this tournament, unless the team humiliates itself with three big losses. It would serve only as the first obvious sign that there are critical issues within the group that just happened to come to a head in the Copa America.

Parting ways with the German tactician would then be a result of those now-visible issues. If the U.S. gets the boot against Brazil, it'll likely be met with a shrug and a groan.

Where Klinsmann will be judged, and rightfully so, is in CONCACAF World Cup qualifying, specifically "The Hex."

On September 2, the U.S. takes on St. Vincent and the Grenadines and then takes on first-placed Trinidad and Tobago four days later to wrap up Group C. A pair of wins and the U.S. will qualify for "The Hex" and compete for a spot in the 2018 FIFA World Cup.

Losing here would almost certainly have Klinsmann fired, even if television sets across the United States broadcast Bradley lifting the Copa America trophy. Missing the 2018 FIFA World Cup isn't quite as forgettable.