Probably. US Soccer seems to like to keep everything quiet and in house, so the constant leaks are probably annoying to someone there. At the higher levels, I think the intent is to keep one voice and present a very unified face to the world. This is pretty much consistent with every organization ever. I imagine a lot of the leaks are personally motivated. There's a lot of organizations that do the intentional leak thing, and I can see that for Berhalter or some of the staff, but I don't get the motivation here for Earnie and up. I have no idea if they have the capability or will to actually investigate leaks, though. Seems like a lot of work for really no chance of actually figuring it out. I've never been in an org that has had a situation quite like this. But in something vaguely similar, we got basically a policy update and a warning, not some hardcore investigation. The only thing that went investigation was HR stuff we could be sued for.
Actually, I think the AP article is an authorized leak. It's based on one source and claims the reasoning is because the decision hasn't been announced yet. I'm not sure what AP's policies are, but most reporters wouldn't go with a single-source anonymous story unless it's someone at or near the apex of the organization. What's more, usually the rationale for anonymity is based on reprisals or speaking out of turn -- i.e. concrete consequences that require protection. Instead, as I've said, this is based on just speaking a little bit earlier than intended: which has the air of someone getting out the official story. I wouldn't be shocked if the source for the AP article is Stewart himself. Curiously the AP contacted US Soccer's spokesperson (sure), Cindy Parlow Cone, but not Stewart, for comment. There's one scenario in which this isn't that weird (for some reason AP went to Stewart but the spokesperson interposed himself), but one plausible scenario is that Stewart is the anonymous source. Many media organizations do not allow sources to be cited by name and used as an anonymous source in the same story. It also suggests the reporter thinks Cone and Stewart have different perspectives. The other interesting detail, according to AP, is that Stewart announced McBride's departure at the end of the meeting -- another tidbit suggesting there's something a bit off about this, rather than a mutual, amicable (or semi-amicable) parting of ways.
Earnie did the intentional leak thing. He was directly statement releases by the Reynas. It was the phone conversation with him and his decision that pushed most of this with the evidence we have. I’m not 100 percent on Earnie’s credentials either despite having the tie to the US. He has plenty to lose though… The Dutch aren’t coming back for him.
Jimmy Conrad mentioned on the In Soccer We Trust podcast last week that he was hearing rumors at a US Soccer Coaches Convention he attended recently that something like this was going to happen to McBride. Mind you this episode aired a few days before the Friday announcement, so it sounds like maybe there was something to those rumors. The description was a little cryptic, but I think the gist of it was that Reyna had spoken to both Stewart and McBride during the tournament, and that US Soccer higher-ups felt that McBride should have reported what Reyna was telling him earlier than he did, if only so that they weren't as blindsided when things escalated later. (And it sounds like Stewart might have been more prompt about reporting this up as soon as he learned about it, which might have saved his job.) I'll just quote what I thought was the relevant part from Conrad: "If Brian and Earnie Stewart got this information do you feel like that they need to report it to the people that are above them? That 'Hey, there's something brewing here, I think you should be aware of it.' Or because, to Heath's point, they're friends, that it just stays with them? And...do you feel like US Soccer is feeling some pressure to name a fall guy in this situation? Because I wonder if something is going to happen or heads are going to roll, or because Brian McBride's contract is up....I wonder if US Soccer feels like there should be a head that needs to roll, because this is just unacceptable that this happens. And it feels like it comes out of nowhere, when there were clearly people that knew. And there was some speculation that maybe Earnie had done that and Brian hadn't, and that was going to give them cause to let him go. This is kind of what was being gossiped about I would say at the coaches convention. I can't confirm any of that. But...let's get into what we do know is that those guys did know. And do you feel like they should report above them, Charlie, when they get this type of information?"
Every organization leaks, it’s just the way of things. Look at the White House, government agencies, Congress, private companies like Twitter, professional sports teams, etc. People are always leaking to the press.
Prediction: After Berhalter is not rehired as coach he is offered McBride's GM position after he can't get any decent coaching offers.
The whole thing is totally stupid, because Gio Reyna, the staff, and players dealt with it at the World Cup. Reyna was unhappy with his role, threw a little hissy fit..............but then apologized. They'd moved on. That was the gist of what Berhalter said at the leadership conference too. There was an issue, we solved it together. McBride can't be the fall guy. He can't be. Actually, Gio and Berhalter can't be either. Gio's big crime was that he wanted to play. Players are unhappy with their roles all the time. Berhalter's crime was that he picked the team. Its his job to pick the team. If he determines that Gio is coming off the bench, then Gio is coming off the bench. He's the USMNT coach. I know this will come as a shock, but Danielle Reyna isn't the USMNT coach. So I guess people think McBride should have reported to his superiors that Danielle Reyna told him Berhalter had a domestic dispute frickin' 30 years ago while at UNC. No charges were ever filed, and he's been with the woman for 30 frickin' years. I don't really get it. I guess it wasn't something Danielle or Claudio thought was worth mentioning when Berhalter was interviewing. Only when their boy wasn't playing to their satisfaction. This whole thing spiraled, and at the base of it...................is nothing. A player wanted to play. A coach determined who plays. There was a problem. It was fixed. But I guess that wasn't good enough for Danielle Reyna. Soccer mommy went on the attack to bring down the whole organization cuz her son was ONLY coming off the bench at the World Cup. And NOBODY is disputing what Berhalter said about Gio at that leadership conference. So Berhalter's crime was telling the truth about her son? People claim to want more transparency when it comes to the USSF. I guess not?
I agree with most of this…but Danielle Reyna told the truth as well. It isn’t much of a defense when you damage people.
Yeah, is the reason GB disclosed the 30 yr old incident publicly because someone at the Fed told him it was going to have to come out anyway?
If him being letting go was somehow related to the Reyna situation, that’s something would almost certainly come out once the results of the investigation are released. Whether or not he had a duty to report would very much depend on whether USSF had a written policy in place requiring him to do so. It’s also possible that the investigation uncovered some other conduct that was fireable. I still do think it’s most likely they are rethinking the GM position overall.
Yeah, the AP article had their unnamed source claiming Stewart hadn't made up his mind about whether or not there'd be a future GM. Kicking Berhalter upstairs until the controversy dies down and he can find a decent job makes sense.* *(I've seen Florian Kohlfeldt get multiple bundesliga jobs so let's not pretend Berhalter can't handle a European job.)
I think Berhalter at the very least gets an MLS job without question (though he'd have to wait till some open). I imagine he'd want to kick the tires on European opportunities though and he could have some interest in the Netherlands, Germany, Belgium, or the Championship. Maybe not enough to get a job there, but he's definitely going to explore those options (as it's not like any MLS team is likely to fire their coach in the next few months anyways).
Right. That's why the theory about "kicking upstairs" makes sense. If US Soccer feels like they can't continue with Berhalter, but also as if he's gotten a bit of a bad beat and has basically been a good soldier, a "promotion" to general manager makes a ton of sense. It would preserve his options and image as he does a soft job search.
bingo - that was my thought exactly .... it just does not make logical sense. forget Berhalter and Reyna for a moment - including Jay. I have just never seen or heard of any ill will between Stewart and McBride. the whole situation seems very odd. just like Berhalter and Reyna - Stewart and McBride were also teammates.
I don't see that AT ALL. If they're moving on from McBride due to this incident, they have to move on from Berhalter. Cuz really, what exactly was McBride's "crime" here? Not reporting a domestic incident from 30 years ago to his leadership? McBride probably assumed that since Berhalter had been hired as a player and a coach umpteen times since the incident.............that it was in the past. I mean, Danielle Reyna did tell the truth about Gregg. But only when her little Gio was criticized for throwing a hissy fit about playing time and almost getting kicked off of the WC squad. She didn't say a word when he was hired by the Galaxy as an assistant, or with the Crew, or with the USMNT. Didn't bother her then that he was being put in a leadership position. I have a little theory. The USYNT/USMNT was a very small community in the 90s/early 2000s. Much of it around UNC and UVA where this whole drama unfolded. LOTS of people knew about this incident, not just Danielle Reyna. Just my unsubstantiated theory. It wasn't until somebody actually put it in writing, that the USSF went into "CYA" mode. McBride will land on his feet just fine, because none of this had much to do with him. As far as I can tell anyway.
Classic. Because we decided to virtue signal, you’re a little too toxic to continue as coach. On the plus side we can offer you the gig of a dude that chose not to air your dirty laundry. - Signed Anonymous Source
Except McBride (St. Louis/Illinois) and Stewart (Holland) were nowhere near UNC. Ironic that they get tarred with the 30 year history between two former teammates whose wives were roommates at Chapel Hill. You are right - maybe it will help McHead to get out of this shit storm. btw - I am a McHead homer. Will never forget the bravery he displayed to stick his head in places where a human just should not (without a helmet on).
If asked in an interview, McBride can just say he wished he went to leadership with the accusation sooner. I don't really think he'll have an issue. You know who was at UNC? Cindy Cone. Anybody who was anybody in that era on the women's side was at Anson Dorrance's program (which wasn't without scandal). Well, almost anyway.
Why would he lie? It wasn’t virtuous to out Gregg. Earnie decided not to take a chance that reporters might one day discover that Gregg’s a current day wife beater…which is the only way it could go truly bad for him.
I'll say again: this always seemed like a half-job, with a likeable but perhaps not completely qualified former USMNT player in the role. He wasn't fired; his contract was up, according to everything I've read. Reyna scandal or no, I don't know that this job is the same going forward or that it even exists, but in either situation, McBride might not be what they are looking for. There's really no drama needed. There could be drama, but there doesn't need to be.
Pretty much this. Batson was asked about it 2 weeks ago and said at the time McBride was currently still employed but they were reviewing everything. At the same time the entire quote was fairly non commital and to me sounded like a dead giveaway they decided not to keep McBride. I don't really think it's a big scandal or anything (unless it comes out that McBride had a more active role with the Reyna drama) as much as its a decision to go a different direction
Yeah, I mean, there may be scandal. But I think it's also entirely justifiable they are just moving on. The job always seemed like something created as overflow work that Berhalter and Stewart didn't have time to do or didn't want to do. Basically, coordinating releases was taking forever with COVID and the youth teams and the Olympics and so let's get someone to do that. If anything, I think this points to a new coach because I think there's still uncertainty about what scope that new coach is going to have. Will they want more control and have someone on their staff do these things? Or will they want to focus only on the national team in camp more, meaning this job might actually get a broader scope? Do they intend to pay the new coach a lot so they need to cut salary?