Berhalter Confident Despite U.S. Men's National Team's Early Exit
U.S. Men's National Team head coach Gregg Berhalter remains steadfast in his belief that he is the right person to lead the squad, despite a disappointing exit from the Copa America. "Yes," Berhalter affirmed when asked if he sees himself as the appropriate fit for the job.
The U.S. team was eliminated early in the tournament, finishing third in Group C with just one win and three points. Meanwhile, Uruguay dominated the group with a perfect nine points, and Panama secured the second spot with six points, which included a critical 2-1 victory over the U.S. team.
Berhalter did not shy away from acknowledging the significant impact of the loss against Panama, noting, "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."
Timothy Weah's red card in the 18th minute of the match against Panama complicated the U.S. team's efforts. Berhalter remarked on the need for improvement in specific defensive situations, saying, "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."
The U.S. Soccer Federation has announced an upcoming comprehensive review of the team's performance throughout the tournament. "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 explained.
Despite the early exit, Berhalter praised the 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 said.
In his fifth year as head coach, Berhalter reflected positively on his tenure, emphasizing the team’s strengths and areas for development. "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," Berhalter stated.
He also pointed to the depth and potential of the squad, noting, "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."
With no fewer than three players aged 30 and older, Berhalter’s squad was bolstered by a mix of experience and youthful vigor, including a significant cohort who competed in the 2022 World Cup. However, the team’s performance fell short of expectations, prompting a critical evaluation of strategy and execution moving forward.
Regarding his continued role, Berhalter maintained that the decision is not solely his to make, remarking, "That's not up to me." The coach's reflection underscores the broader, systemic review that the U.S. Soccer Federation will undertake as they aim to strengthen the team’s international standing.
As fans and analysts await the conclusions of the comprehensive review, Berhalter's confidence and candid assessment of the team's performance will undoubtedly be central topics of discussion. The journey of the U.S. Men's National Team in the Copa America may have ended prematurely, but the lessons learned could pave the way for future successes on the international stage.