Philly got past Atlas last night to get to the Concacaf Champions League semifinal--where they'll play LAFC. Sets up a rematch of last year's MLS Cup final, and will give us two competitive head-to-heads between Cherundolo and Curtin. Given the possible USMNT coach implications, it stands to be the game between MLS clubs that I've been most the most excited to focus on tactics and adjustments, probably ever.
Good article on Berhalter and the conference The inside story of why Gregg Berhalter went to *that* leadership summit, how his fateful comments got published, and how the ensuing mess might’ve cost him his USMNT job:https://t.co/Ox3UQ1mGcP— Henry Bushnell (@HenryBushnell) April 13, 2023
Berhalter seems like a guy who goes thru life erecting defense mechanisms and wrapping them in morailty to hide what he knows is his inadequacy. He really ought to address his inadequacies at the nuts and bolts level - i.e., football. The morality and material success will follow on in the natural course of events. Heck the Galaxy job might come open soon. Go for it. Berhalter re-hired for the USMNT gig brings to mind Karl Marx's saying that "history repeats itself, first as tragedy and then as farce."
I am beginning to believe that US Soccer has been waiting to see how Cherundolo fares with LAFC during the beginning of the season and Champions League. More and more, I am coming to expect that he will be the next coach.
Are there any data on what MLS coaches get paid? Seems like we take for granted that the MNT job is preferable to being a winning coach in MLS, with more day to day influence. Dolo, Schmetzer, Curtain why would they leave? Clearly the 2026 hosting reorients the discussion but the gap in prestige between MLS and MNT from when Bruce took over to now has shrunk. There's now a non zero chance that high performing coaches in MLS are not looking to jump to international management, they have good gigs. Maybe Vanney would leave the tire fire Galaxy, or Vermes would leave SKC (if offered the manager position, not Sporting Director). When Gregg left Columbus, the team was relocating/folding.
I think we're probably in similar places with a couple of key differences. I also don't think coaches can work miracles at this level or are the primary driver. But I do think they can provide a boost or hinder an amount that can be a material difference. Given that, I really don't see an American or MLS coach that I love. (I will admit to knowing basically nothing of Matarazzo, though.) I have basic preferred criteria for the hire, not in exact order: Some history of winning at a higher level. I'm fully aware that every coach's record needs to be adjusted for talent, so I don't need only people who win titles ... but you know, winning's nice. Commitment. This doesn't mean someone needs to be American, but one of my concerns about Tata is how often he simply quits, for example ... and he tried to do that with Mexico as well right before the World Cup. Ability to communicate and motivate the younger American player. Again, they don't need to be American, speak English natively, or know the US player pool in detail. But they do have to have a motivational style that will fit with the cultural dynamic we see with this team. Man management is the #1 responsibility and there are absolutely managers who would create issues. National Team coaching experience. Frankly, I think Berhalter took a long time to learn about how much he could put on people, and how to do it. I think there were learnings about rotations in windows and burnouts in tournaments, etc. I don't think everything was a mistake, but I also don't want someone who needs to re-learn it all. Ideally, there'd be someone with national team experience and tournament experience. Enough tactical nous to both make strong gameplans, in game adjustments, accommodate a changing pool and both continue the press/possession philosophy while also being able to accommodate an underdog gameplan as needed. Okay, this may be a lot. Players improve under them. I know there's not a ton of dev with the national team, but Berhalter still have a ton of direction, and part of this is recognizing a players strength and putting them in positions to succeed. Cherundolo and Schmetzer have some of these. Certainly #2 and #3, I think. I think both have won (#1), but not very long in Cherundolo's case and neither at a higher level. Neither have #4 national team coaching experience, and Schmetzer doesn't even have the playing experience, though both have coaching in tournament settings. I'd actually say both seem decent at #6. Tactically, like you, I suspect Schmetzer is a bit of a sandbagger, and have been impressed by his teams playing different ways. Cherundolo is playing pretty much like the US in a ton of ways, so that's a plus, even if LAFC have needed to do less adjusting. He does get a nice + for managing a weird ego situation with Bale and Chiellini coming in last year. So what's that? Like maybe 4 out of 6? Someone like Low, though there's questions of if he's past it, certainly hits quite a few they don't. Some question marks as well.
I agree coaches can make some difference; I just don't see them as the be all end all of a team's success and tend to think there is more danger of coaches who get too clever and create problems than with those who keep it simple and get the basics right. I'm pretty much in agreement on most of those criteria, especially 1-4, mostly 5 as well although I'm less concerned with sticking to the way we have played because all these guys play in different systems under different coaches and can adjust. I'd go so far to say they need to be able to adjust and if they can't it's a problem. That's weakness I see in American players generally though so maybe that's part of working with what you've got. I'm far less concerned about #6 just because I think mostly players improve at clubs and the one thing I always will think Klinsmann got right was emphasizing how players are responsible for their own growth and how important growing in their club careers is to their development even if he had a lot of other issues. (For example, I think someone needs to have a real heart to heart with Dest and make sure he understands his role will be limited if he remains a part-time player much longer.) The national team doesn't get together enough for it to lead to meaningful individual improvement if they're not doing that elsewhere. The learning curve in international game sis a really good point and is a good reason to look for someone experienced, especially now that we're in time wasting mode and are likely to end up with just three years instead of four to get ready and no qualifiers to get the coach up to speed as much as the players who at least have mostly been through it before.
Haven't read it yet, does it say anything about how this Berhalter speaking at a leadership conference thing was set up, since it was just days after the US crashed out of the World Cup? Was he scheduled to speak there from before the World Cup? Because if so wouldn't that mean he was never expecting the US to play a fifth game (or more)? At least then someone from US Soccer would be in contact with Timmy Tillman
He was originally planning on speaking via zoom from Qatar in the middle of the night. The person who put together the conference was someone he’s close to (and the article describes their relationship) and he was basically participating as a favor to his friend. Once they were knocked out he changed his plans to participate in person.
I don’t think there’s that level of thought involved yet. Remember we don’t have a sporting director and that person is going to come in and be given a clean slate with what to work with. Just as it was reported that part of the reason that Berhalter is still publicly under consideration is that US Soccer doesn’t want to tie the hands of the incoming sporting director in any way. So I don’t think there’s any waiting to evaluate Cherundolo or any other candidate quite yet. Sportsolgy did reportedly complete a list of candidates for the new sporting director, but that person may or may not use that list.
How did you deduce that? Again, I don't understand this thing where people assume Berhalter is this really insecure guy. If anything, I get from the piece that Berhalter seems like someone that's aware that he can learn a lot, which isn't the hallmark of an insecure person. This moral leadership thing is just something being highlighted in this piece; why do you assume he's not also trying to learn to be a better soccer coach? I don't begrudge people personally disliking Berhalter or not; but this weird perception of him as insecure tinges a lot of actual analysis about his decision-making.
The difference here is huge because this job is the once in a lifetime opportunity to lead your country into World Cup battle on home soil. You can throw much of the angst of this decision that Curtin, Schmetzer, or Cherundolo would otherwise feel out the window because of that reality.
I am not in the habit of taking statements like this at face value. If there is a great candidate out there that they believe they can get who has expressed interest behind the scenes, the US Soccer hierarchy will simply hire a sporting director who is on the same page with them on that hire. One must be really credulous to accept that there is nothing going on with feelers out to managers until a sporting director is hired. I am just not buying that from the fed.
What happened is sportsology put out feelers to gauge interest, but I can’t imagine anything else has happened beyond that. But also there’s no candidate whose going to clear cut be the guy over anyone else. You are going to have to talk to guys, here their vision for the program, etc. What sporting director would take the job if it’s already predetermined what decision they would make? Picking a coach is the most important thing they are going to do.
They all make less than Berhalter did, most by a decent amount. The two who are closest are Bruce Arena and Phil Neville. More broadly the USMNT job is still seen as the best job in the US domestic landscape. And then there’s the chance to coach the USMNT at the World Cup at home. On top of that there’s a number of MLS coaches who are former USMNT players. The exceptions in the MLS coaching pool are guys are probably guys like Phil Neville.
Well, not sure why you deduce that I dislike Berhalter, as you suggest, when I encourage him to go after the Galaxy job. I don't think we have to rehash the pro/con of Berhalter getting the 26 cycle because I'm pretty sure the USSF wants to go a new direction. I was just giving my impressions of the article in the context of a fairly weak performance in Qatar. Let's give Berhalter credit for what he achieved: He won a lot at home. Winning matters. He should have a future in football.
I have zero insight into Berhalter’s mental state. I do find the author’s framing of him putting his personal needs/desires (in this instance) above the people he was hired to lead as moral leadership, or a desire to learn, absolutely hilarious though.
Something like the Galaxy job, rather than the US position, should have been the next step in his progression from the Crew.
The Galaxy job may soon open up if Vanney doesn't stop having meltdowns while airing grievances and defending his incompetent bosses... Greg Vanney talks about context of the season so far …the upset supporters and bad situation overall at the #LAGalaxy pic.twitter.com/UCRFokdZOK— Eduard Cauich (@MayanTiger1) April 13, 2023
I remember a reporter on some SiriusXM FC show saying Berhalter was still in play for the Galaxy job pretty late in Sarachan's interim tenure.
So wow, he considers it us against the fans? Really bad perspective there, hard to believe really. Does he know who funds his paycheck? Nothing but excuses and lashing out at anyone outside team administration and staff. I wouldn't want that guy anywhere near the national team.
Funnily enough, some Galaxy fans were turning their noses up at him at the time. Yeah, this Galaxy saga is going to be interesting. Vanney actually has a lot power in LA; he's basically right under the President, Chris Klein, so asking for Klein to go is sorta like asking him to go -- though the supporters have made it clear the protest is not about the coach or the players. The fact that the team is still winless and just had a meltdown in Houston (lost 3-0, took two red cards) isn't really helping Vanney's case, though. So the pressure's getting to him a bit and El Traffico is this weekend...