CALLING THE SHOTS:

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Cesar Hernandez did his best to protect media attention from his famous coach just before his soccer game Friday at Costa Mesa High. He knows the drill. The famous coach doesn’t want the limelight, especially not here, while coaching a youth soccer team in a special once-a-year tournament.

“Our coach is not here,” he told me.

A parent close by who apparently didn’t know the drill shouted, “Yes he is. He’s right there.”

And there he was, Jurgen Klinsmann, smiling as he posed graciously for a photo with a fan. Yes, soccer great Jurgen Klinsmann is coaching a team in the ninth annual Daily Pilot Cup.

Though he posed for pictures with anyone who asked, he requested that no photos be taken of him in the newspaper. He also said he didn’t want the story to be about him, turning down an interview.

“Just keep it low. Keep it low key,” said Klinsmann, who was on Germany’s 1990 FIFA World Cup championship team and has also had great success as a coach and manager.

He seems to always keep it low, Klinsmann, a very unassuming guy. Even what he wore wreaked of ordinary — a gray sweat-jacket, jeans and running shoes.

He tried to control the media on this day, but he couldn’t control the buzz about him surrounding the track at Costa Mesa High. Klinsmann appeared to ignore that stuff. He was too busy watching the game and his son, Jonathan, play with his friends. This might be the last week he’ll get to do that here, since he is moving to Germany to start work with soccer club Bayern Munich in July.

For now, he’s teaching and coaching kids, encouraging them.

His team trailed, 2-0, but just before the half his boys scored two quick goals — one by Cesar and the other from the foot of Jonathan — and Klinsmann calmly told his players, “We’re back in this game.”

The Newport Heights boys, fifth- and sixth-graders of the Silver Division, went on to lose, 4-2, but they are winning in every sense of the word from their experience with Klinsmann.

“He’s kind,” Hernandez said of his coach. “He doesn’t get mad really fast. He’s patient. He doesn’t always want to win. He doesn’t care as long as we have fun. I’ve learned a lot from him.”

In addition to coaching the kids, Klinsmann has also led a soccer craze at Newport Heights, principal Kurt Suhr said.

“When he told us he would be coaching the Daily Pilot Cup soccer team that was just unbelievable news,” Suhr said. “Some of the kids are familiar with his history and what he has accomplished in the game of soccer and others are just learning about it.

“It’s probably going to be one of those things where when the children get older and they’ll reflect back on this opportunity they’re having right now, they’re just going to appreciate this opportunity of working with one of the world’s greatest soccer players and soccer coaches in the history of the game. That’s something the kids will never forget as long as they live.”

The Newport Heights boys weren’t thinking about memories or their unique experience in this year’s Daily Pilot Cup during their game Friday. They were only thinking about playing.

The young players showed excitement with the score tied, 2-2, at halftime. Cesar stood out with a handful of shots on goal. When he won 50-50 balls or made an accurate pass, Klinsmann would say, “Gorgeous.”

He smiled at the passion all the players showed, even the fire from the Mariners Christian team. Klinsmann also made like an athletic trainer and helped stopped the bleeding of a scraped knee from his goalie Ramsey Hufford, a 6-foot, 230-pound 12-year-old who seemingly looked like a baby finding comfort in daddy’s arms.

Hufford, too, is learning from Klinsmann.

“... He tells us, ‘every time you touch the ball you get better,’ and, ‘the ball is your best friend,’ ” Hufford said. “He’s all about fun, just go out and have fun.”

The Newport Heights boys are doing just that.

STEVE VIRGEN may be reached at (714) 966-4616 or by e-mail at [email protected].