The United States Soccer Federation is setting a high bar for its selection of a new U.S. men's national team coach, formally firing Gregg Berhalter on Wednesday after a disappointing performance at the Copa America 2024, where Berhalter's team failed to even make it past the knockout stages despite hosting the tournament in the country.
Even before Berhalter was fired, many American soccer fans had been calling for a change in manager. Former Liverpool manager Jurgen Klopp has been the leading candidate for the job in recent weeks. The German is widely seen as the front-runner for the US national team. Klopp recently left the club after more than eight years with the Reds.
Many believe the German is merely a pipe dream to hire the US national team manager, but the US Soccer Association is reportedly in the market for Klopp. IndependentThe governing body has already made a formal approach to the former Liverpool manager, and while talks between the two sides are still in their early stages, the initial contact is certainly good news for USMNT fans.
US Soccer technical director claims he is more prepared to take on USMNT coaching role
The biggest question surrounding Klopp is whether he'd be willing to take on the US national team job – the German recently left Liverpool to escape the stress – but the national team duties are certainly less than those of his club counterparts.
National teams only come together at certain times throughout the year, while a club manager would undoubtedly face additional day-to-day stress, especially for a larger team. Previous reports have also suggested that Klopp is specifically interested in managing the United States men's national team.
As they wait to see if Klopp wants to join the Stars and Stripes, there are also questions about whether the U.S. Soccer Federation can find a suitable candidate. U.S. Soccer technical director Matt Crocker defied most fans last summer by bringing back Berhalter, a move that drew immediate backlash and backfired.
But Crocker insists he is now better equipped to make a good judgement. “I think I've been in the program for 12 months now, I've been in that environment… I think I have a lot more clarity and a lot more confidence in what I'm seeing,” the executive said. Yahoo!Henry Bushnell of “And Greg and [former USWNT manager] Vlatko [Andonovski]I now have a much clearer idea of what I need to do going forward.”
“So I think we're now in a position to have a more targeted search. We're going to be more aggressive and look earlier for specific candidates that we think meet the criteria that we're looking for.”
Klopp's hiring will energize USMNT fans ahead of the 2026 World Cup.
Negotiations with Klopp are still in the early stages, but the German coach is clearly the first choice for many Americans to replace Berhalter. Trust and morale are both extremely low for the U.S. national team right now, but landing Klopp would energize the team's fanbase.
It would also be a much-needed addition to the list of talent ahead of the 2026 World Cup, which will take place across 16 cities in North America – five of which will be across Canada and Mexico, but the majority of the tournament will be in the United States – and it would certainly send a strong message to have Klopp in charge of the US sideline at this major tournament.
Not only is it a big signing, but Klopp's tactics also seem to suit the US. While Berhalter's coaching style was a bit too conservative, the German coach will be willing to take risks with the US. The US may not have the top-tier talent that Klopp had at Liverpool, but he would bring an attractive, attacking style to the current squad.
While initial contact has only just been made, USMNT fans and players will be praying that the German will officially join the team soon.
Photo: Imago
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