As all of you saw Thursday night in the CONCACAF Nations League Semi-Finals match against Jamaica, the US Men's National Team couldn't beat their low block and looked frustrated, inept, and couldn't put the ball into the net. They looked horrible, and nothing worked till Jamaica put the ball into their net. During the post-match press conference, Gregg Berhalter met with the media and asked why Gio Reyna was playing when he wasn't getting any minutes with his current club in Nottingham Forest.
Berhalter took a shot toward Jesse Marsch from the CBS Sports podcast "Call it What You Want" with Jimmy Conrad and Charlie Davies on why Reyna deserved to be on the National Team for the Nations League. Even though he never said Marsch's name, we all knew who he was talking about and why he aimed his petty comments at him. Conrad, Marsch, and Tony Meola were at the desk to respond to those comments, and while Marsch stayed diplomatic, Meola went right after Berhalter.
What Berhalter did showed a man who is petty and can't take any criticism. If you saw the post-match press conference on Twitter or YouTube, he tried to possibly bully his way with the US Soccer Media at the presser. Instead of talking about this issue with Reyna's non-fitness and his non-minutes with Forest, how about explaining to the American Soccer Media and the American Soccer fans why your tactics have been failing these talented players who are playing in Europe with some of the best clubs in the world.
Why have Jamaica and Panama hired better managers as they have improved their playing style or neutralized the simple, easy tactics from Berhalter? What have Thomas Christiansen and Heimir Hallgrimsson done differently than what Berhalter has for the USA? They made adjustments on the pitch and poked the holes in what Berhalter had done. Also, let's look at Berhalter's assistants. Why did Anthony Hudson and B.J. Callaghan get the most of these same players, and Berhalter can't? Because they found ways to make sense of what they needed to do while on the attack.
You saw a quality head coach and an up-and-coming one go out there and make sense of what they have as a National Team Head Coach and dominate the game when you have the best players available. Sadly, one left for the Middle East to coach a club, while the other returned to his position as an assistant coach. If I can see this, and you can see this, why can't US Soccer see this? Why are they messing around and keeping Gregg Berhalter? To make the players happy? Make themselves happy? When will they understand that keeping this man in the technical area is not working anymore?
It's not about having a Yes man. It's about results and showing the world we can play with the big boys. Not just dominate or beat the same old opponents in CONCACAF. Mexico has always been the rivalry game, but one day, they will snap this losing streak against the US Men's National Team, and if Berhalter is that man it could happen to, will we finally see a change happen? Regardless, if Berhalter wins or loses to Mexico in the Nations League final, his time with the National Team should be over. His tactics are poor, his decision-making is Jekyll and Hyde, and you never know what you will get depending on the opponent he is facing.
Better managers can easily outfox Berhalter; it's not that hard. This Jamaican National Team almost did the impossible until they ruined it for themselves with that own goal. They gave Berhalter the lifeline he desperately needed, but after the game, how about you blame the players and yourself for that pitiful performance against Jamaica's B squad? They fell asleep in the opening thirty seconds and couldn't hit the broadside of a barn. I still give credit to Berhalter for making the correct substitutions, but that performance was a complete disaster.
If US Soccer thinks they will do better against the better talent from South America in the Copa America this summer, he has another thing coming. It won't be easy against Uruguay, Argentina, Brazil, Colombia, or the other National Teams of CONMEBOL. They will chew them up the US Men's National Team and Spit them out. It's better to make a change now than after the Copa America. It's time for some new blood and better game management.
It’s very hard to care about the USMNT when most casuals blow off local + lower league soccer.
They are downright snobbish about it.
The U.S. will probably be in the next world cup because they automatically qualify.
It will be truly embarrassing if they do not make past the first round.