Klinsmann replaced Bob Bradley, who was relieved of his duties after a poor Gold Cup campaign in which the US lost to Panama in the group stages and stuttered to the final before squandering a 2-0 lead against a vastly superior Mexico side to lose 4-2.

Bradley did though lead the US to a Gold Cup triumph in 2007, as well as a remarkable run to the final of the Confederations Cup, where they beat then European Champions Spain and led Brazil 2-0 in the final, and also guided the US to the second round of last year's World Cup after winning a group involving England.

Klinsmann, the former Germany and Bayern Munich coach, was announced as the new coach on Monday (August 1) and said that the Olympics was "a bigger event than it ever was before," but American football tradition dictates that the national coach is replaced by an under-23 manager, who only takes up the post for the duration of the Games.

The Olympic football tournament is an under-23 tournament, with just three players over that age allowed to participate, and former coach Piotr Nowak's successor is expected to be named soon.

Nowak (pictured) left the post in 2009 after a poor performance at the 2008 Beijing Olympics, where the US exited at the group stage, though the women won their tournament against Brazil.

US Soccer President Sunil Gulati remains tight lipped about the appointment.

"It's a short-term assignment," he said.

"It's too early to talk about specific names, that will happen in the weeks and months to come."

The best the US have done in the men's Olympics is a silver medal at St Louis in 1904, a year in which they had two teams playing and also took a bronze.

Since then the best performance they achieved was in Sydney 2000, when they came fourth.

They will be hopeful of competing well next year when they take on the likes of hosts Britain, Belarus, Switzerland and world, European senior and under-21 champions Spain.

But Spain, Brazil and Copa America winners Uruguay are likely to be the favourites for the tournament, with South American teams traditionally taking the competition more seriously than their European rivals, and both the Brazilians and Uruguayans have a host of talented under-23 stars at their disposal such as Neymar, Paulo Henrique Ganso and Nicolas Lodeiro.

But before the US can think of London they need to make it past Canada, Mexico, three central American countries and two from the Caribbean in an Olympic qualifier next March.

Klinsmann though, is determined that the US will qualify and compete well in London next year.

"[The US possesses a] good foundation that is laid out now," said the former Tottenham Hotspur striker.

"The European nations never gave that much importance to the Olympics, and that has changed.

"We would like to send a strong team to the competition."

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