During Gregg Berhalter’s tenure as manager of the U.S. men’s national soccer team, he always seemed to be working toward meeting modest expectations. But he never exceeded them in a way that excited the fan base and other stakeholders in the sport.
That kind of form was enough to keep Berhalter as coach for a while. He was supposed to be rehired after the 2022 World Cup, before a feud involving U.S. midfielder Gio Reyna and his family erupted publicly. (Instead, Berhalter’s contract expired at the end of that year, before he was rehired less than six months later.) But when expectations are met, and not exceeded, it confines political capital inside the U.S. Soccer Federation and goodwill outside of it.
So, when a crucial lapse occurred – and failing to make it out of the group stage at the Copa America held in the US is considered a major lapse – Berhalter was left with no recourse. Now, Berhalter finds himself out of a job.
Berhalter was fired on Wednesday, and U.S. Soccer sporting director Matt Crocker said during a conference call with reporters that the decision was his and that he didn’t take other people’s opinions into consideration. He said it was because, “We had a clear plan and some clear measures of what success looked like over the last 12 months, as well as in the tournament. Some of those measures we weren’t able to implement.”
Croker spoke of a lack of chance creation and not enough scoring from set pieces, and also spoke of concerns “about the general development of the group”, not just the Copa America but the 14 games played over the past 12 months.
“That gave me a really strong direction that I believe we’re going to move forward with,” Crocker said.
Few USMNT fans will be happy with Berhalter’s dismissal. Given recent results, Crocker’s decision to fire Berhalter was necessary. But this is not a day for celebration for US Soccer. It highlights the mistake the federation made by rehiring Berhalter in June 2023, when there were many solid reasons not to do so.
Those reasons included Berhalter exposing his dirty laundry — no matter how well-hidden it may have been — when he shared the story of how Reyna was nearly sent home from the World Cup. There was also the domestic violence incident from more than 30 years ago that surfaced in Reyna’s family’s retaliatory action. Then there’s the poor performance history of American managers when they come back for a second stint: The message becomes stale, and the team stagnates.
Still, Crocker brought Berhalter back last year after much pressure from the players. Crocker was just two months into his tenure as U.S. Soccer’s head of technical operations when he made the decision, and he put candidates through a variety of tests.
But after Berhalter’s return, instead of the team taking the next step on the international stage, it began to show signs of decay, as its performances were uneven with opponents the U.S. typically has success against.
During a conference call Wednesday, Crocker said he is not obligated to change his approach in selecting the next coach, though he feels better prepared to make a decision. He said parting ways with U.S. women’s national team coach Vlatko Andonovski last year after the worst World Cup in the team’s history will also help Crocker deal with Berhalter’s exit.
“I think I’m a lot clearer and a lot more confident in what I’m looking for,” Crocker said. “And reviewing with Greg and, obviously, Vlatko, I’m a lot clearer about what I think we need to move forward. I think (I’m) in a better position now where I can do a more targeted search where I’ll work harder and go quicker with specific candidates that I think meet the criteria that we’re looking for.”
Berhalter’s tenure was not devoid of positives. He took over a program that had failed to qualify for the 2018 World Cup and rebuilt it around a core of exciting young players. He won the first three editions of the Concacaf Nations League, though the second victory came while Berhalter’s status was being investigated by US Soccer and B.J. Callaghan was managing the team on an interim basis.
At the 2022 World Cup, the US progressed through an easy group before losing to a much more talented Netherlands team in the round of 16. While it was expected, the loss has created impatience about when the USMNT is going to get a win that will offer a more concrete indication of the team’s progress.
Not only has the US never had a big win, but since the World Cup, the US has been on a downward slide, struggling to get the results they want and inconsistent performances. That’s the fault of Berhalter and the players. It’s also the fault of Croker.
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Moreno: USMNT fired Berhalter two years too late
Alejandro Moreno reacts to Gregg Berhalter’s dismissal as USMNT boss.
There are already complaints from some US Soccer board members that Crocker should have been fired as well. But it seems likely that after missing out so badly on rehiring Berhalter, Crocker won’t get any more chances to be appointed USMNT manager, and he needs to win gold for the 2026 World Cup, which the US is hosting alongside Canada and Mexico.
Crocker said he wants to hire a coach before the September international window, though he also has a contingency plan in case he doesn’t. He’s also not concerned with how much money it will take to hire a top-quality coach or the federation’s emphasis on parity. (USWNT manager Emma Hayes makes about the same as Berhalter did.)
“I know it’s a very competitive market in terms of salaries, and we have to be competitive to get the level of coach that I think can take the program forward in terms of getting the results that we need on the field,” he said. “But I’m also really aware that we need to continue to strive for high standards and equality. I don’t think that will be a hindrance in terms of our investment; our national team is a priority. It’s something we’re prepared to invest in and something we will invest in.”
Crocker also said that “communication is very important” to get the message across to the players. It seems like that would rule out the possibility of a non-English speaking coach. But Crocker said he will cast a wide net both domestically and abroad.
“I just want the best coach that can help the team win, and whether they’re from the US or from somewhere else, they have to fit the profile, which is a consistent winning coach, someone who can continue to develop this potential group of players,” he said. “Someone who has a great interest and passion in player development.”
That way, perhaps the USMNT can begin climbing the ladder again in international soccer, instead of falling behind.
