Intro:

US soccer coach Jurgen Klinsmann has said that he is glad to have Mike Parkhurst in the side.

Script:

SOUNDBITE (English) Jurgen Klinsmann/Manager:

"I don't know if it is an advantage, but certainly it is a good feeling that we kind of have a visual. We have a good understanding about our training site, our base camp, hotel, and that the players that will be joining as well in the summer time kind of already have an idea of how it looks like. So I think it just makes you feel more comfortable. Ideally you want to play the confederation cup before the world cup, unfortunately we missed out on that one. Because you want to play in those stadiums. You want to get a real feel for it. For us coaches it was very helpful because we, I traveled training sites from Natal to Recife, same on the way back from Manaus, seeing the training sites. Seeing the hotels they are staying, the stadiums. It gives you a real good idea. You drive those distances, you know the infrastructure., You meet the people and individual places, and that is helpful. I think for us, it can only be a plus. And we have done that for two weeks, and hopefully it pays off in the summer time."