Berhalter hired to fix USMNT
Gregg Berhalter was hired to coach the U.S. men’s national team, making him the first person to run the Americans after playing for them at the World Cup.
He will be formally introduced today.
Berhalter, who spent the past five seasons as coach of Major League Soccer’s Columbus Crew, represents a generational change for an American team staggered by its failure to reach this year’s World Cup after seven straight appearances at soccer’s showcase.
A native of Englewood, N.J., Berhalter grew up in Tenafly and played alongside future U.S. captain Claudio Reyna at Saint Benedict’s Prep in Newark.
Berhalter’s Columbus teams succeeded despite one of the league’s lowest payrolls.
“They try to keep the ball. He’s got idea and a style of play that they stick to,” U.S. goalkeeper Brad Guzan said. “That guidance will be important going forward.”
The 45-year-old was long viewed as the frontrunner for a job that stayed open for nearly 14 months. He is the second youngest coach for the Americans in four decades; Steve Sampson was 38 when he took over in 1995.
“He is a coach that is learning at all times,” said U.S. general manager Earnie Stewart, who made the decision approved Saturday by the U.S. Soccer Federation board of directors. “Every single day he tries to develop himself so he can be a better leader for the team that he has. That is something that really stood out with Gregg and went a long way in the decision to offer him the job.”
Berhalter is a godson of baseball Hall of Famer Carl Yastrzemski. His 47-year-old brother, Jay, is the U.S. Soccer Federation’s chief commercial and strategy officer.
A defender who made 44 appearances for the U.S. from 1994-06, Gregg Berhalter started on the left side of a three-man back line in the 2002 knockout stage matches against Mexico and Germany after Jeff Agoos got hurt and U.S. coach Bruce Arena changed formation.
He played college soccer at North Carolina. Months after the U.S. hosted the 1994 World Cup, Belhalter made his national team debut that October in an exhibition at Saudi Arabia. Berhalter played at the club level with Zwolle (1994-96), Sparta Rotterdam (1996-98), Cambuur Leeuwarden (1998-00), Crystal Palace (2001-02), Energie Cottbus (2002-06), 1860 Munich (2006-09) and the LA Galaxy (2009-11).