Crew’s Berhalter may exit after season

Several signs point to Crew SC coach and sporting director Gregg Berhalter leaving the team after the 2018 season.

Not only is the fifth-year Crew coach widely considered a top candidate for the U.S. men’s national team coaching job, but he also has been linked to the Los Angeles Galaxy, the team with which he ended his professional playing career and a front office to which he has several connections from his playing days.

It is believed that a national team hire could come in as soon as two weeks, creating a bit of a difficult timeline for MLS coaches in consideration. The MLS playoffs could take a team into the second week of December, and the national team plays important friendlies against Italy and England next month.

Berhalter recently has declined to comment on positions such as the national team that “don’t involve the club (Crew SC),” but he indicated Tuesday that he will be with the Crew through the end of the season regardless.

“Staying till the end of the season? Of course I’m staying till the end of the season,” Berhalter said. “You thought I’d just take off? Listen, I’m here and I consider myself leading this team. I think we’re all in this together and our job is to keep playing as long as we can.”

Does that mean Berhalter would stay for the duration of a playoff run that could take Crew SC into late November or even December?

“I’ll let you answer that,” Berhalter said. “I think you’ve known me long enough that you know the answer for me.”

Crew SC travels to Orlando this week to take on Orlando City SC on Sunday afternoon, then finishes the regular season at home against Minnesota on Oct. 28.