U.S. Men’s National Team coach Gregg Berhalter remains optimistic about his position as head coach, despite a recent underwhelming performance in the tournament that saw the team finish third in Group C with just one win and three points.
"Yes," Berhalter responded when asked if he believes he is still the right person to lead the squad. His confidence persists even as the team faces scrutiny following their loss to Panama and an overall disappointing campaign.
Group Stage Struggles
The U.S. team’s outing in Group C culminated with Uruguay clinching the top spot with a flawless nine points, while Panama took the second position with six points. The decisive match which saw Panama secure their spot with a 2-1 victory over the United States significantly impacted the latter’s progression. A critical moment in that game came when Timothy Weah received a red card in the 18th minute, setting back the team's efforts early on.
Berhalter Reflects on Key Moments
Reflecting on the match against Panama, Berhalter noted, "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." He pinpointed specific areas needing improvement, especially during decisive moments. "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."
Depth and Defensive Strength
Despite the setbacks, Berhalter remains bullish on the team's future. "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." His belief in the squad is reinforced by the substantial experience within the team, highlighted by the presence of several players who competed in the 2022 World Cup and three players aged 30 and over.
Berhalter acknowledged the rigorous effort put forth by the team. "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 emphasized that maintaining this level of performance consistently is crucial for the team's success moving forward.
Looking Ahead
A comprehensive review of the tournament has been announced by the U.S. Soccer Federation. Berhalter recognized the importance of this review, stating, "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."
He highlighted the importance of the team's depth and the number of players who have gained game experience, stating, "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."
While Berhalter acknowledges that the final decision about his future is not his to make, as he put it, "That's not up to me," his determination to lead the team forward remains unwavering. As the U.S. men's national team navigates through this challenging period, Berhalter's conviction and strategic insights will be pivotal in shaping their journey ahead.