U.S. men's national team head coach Gregg Berhalter stands firm in his conviction that he is still the right man to lead the team despite the disappointing performance in the recent tournament. The squad managed to secure only one win, finishing third in Group C with just three points.
Poor Performance and Missed Opportunities
The U.S. team’s journey was cut short, largely due to a critical 2-1 loss to Panama. Timothy Weah’s early red card in the 18th minute of that match certainly didn’t aid their cause. Reflecting on the match, Berhalter admitted, "Obviously, the loss against Panama really hurt. I think when you talk about being, 80th minute, in a good position to get a draw and get something out of the game, we didn't get it."
In the same vein, he highlighted tactical lapses, specifically in their defensive strategy. "When you look at that moment specifically, there's some issues there. I think in that game in particular, a low block defending, needed to improve in that moment," Berhalter noted.
Comprehensive Review Ahead
The U.S. Soccer Federation has stated that a thorough review of the entire tournament will be conducted. "We're going to do a review of the whole tournament and see where we fell short. The margins are so small and there's very little separating any of these teams, and you have to treat every game as the same," Berhalter shared.
Berhalter is now in his fifth year as head coach and remains confident in his approach and philosophy. "Yes," he affirmed simply when asked if he was still the right fit for the job.
Assessing the Team’s Performance
Despite the early exit, Berhalter praised his team's effort and resilience. "When you see the effort tonight that we put in, it's incredible. The guys did a great job. They worked extremely hard, put in a great effort against a really good team but that needs to be the standard every time we step onto the field," he elaborated.
He pointed to the defensive strengths and attacking potential of the squad. "Defensively, we're a very good team. Most games, we have higher expected goals than the opponent. We create chances, we move the ball well. To me, the whole thing is, you want to keep moving the team forward and I feel like we have."
Looking Forward
Berhalter’s assessment also focused on the depth and experience of his squad, particularly noting the presence of experienced players who were part of the 2022 World Cup team. "You think about the depth of the squad, the number of players that have played in games, so there's certainly improvement, and we need to keep going. In my opinion, it's not something you say, 'Okay, this program's doomed.' It's not the case at all. It was a poor performance; we didn't get the results we expected, and we need to get better."
Given the commitment of the players and the coach’s determination, the future for the U.S. men's national team, under the watchful eyes of the federation and its forthcoming review, could yet hold promise under Berhalter's continued leadership.
As Berhalter succinctly put it when asked about his future, "That's not up to me." The comprehensive review will surely play a significant role in what happens next for both Berhalter and the national team.