
Gregg Berhalter to Become New USMNT Head Coach
It’s perhaps soccer’s worst kept secret in quite some time, but it appears it’s finally going to be official. Gregg Berhalter is expected to be named USMNT Head Coach today. This comes just weeks after interim coach Dave Sarachan was thanked for his year-long tenure by U.S. Soccer.
Berhalter was linked to the job for almost the entirety of the MLS season and rumours were also around about a possible jump to the L.A. Galaxy, his former club. Some fans are upset that after a year the federation hired an MLS coach, something that could have been done earlier if that was the route they wanted to go.
Twitter: @ESPNFC We waited 14 months for the manager of the Colombus Crew?? (@mave3)
However, there’s no questioning that Berhalter is a quality coach. Just look at what he’s done with a Crew team that’s near the bottom in attendance, 21st of 23 in player wages, and was threatened to be moved all year. Under his tenure, the Crew made the playoffs in 4 of 5 years including a run to the 2015 MLS Cup Final where they lost 2-1 to Portland. Though, things might have been different had VAR been around. Then in 2017, they knocked Atlanta United FC out of the playoffs by winning a penalty shootout in Atlanta. This season they beat Supporters’ Shield winners New York Red Bulls in Leg 1 of the conference semifinal before ultimately being knocked out.
Berhalter has experience at the international level having played in two World Cups for the USMNT, however, this will be his first journey managing a team at the internationally. His first test will be the yearly January camp in 2019 and he is signed through the 2022 World Cup cycle.