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Beer?halter to be re-hired?

Yes. For me, it's a timing thing. Beer?halter calls him up for WC camp. And promptly tells Gio that he will be little used in the dream of every soccer player who ever lived. At age 19, would you sulk and dog it around at practice? Very possibly. And then he formally apologizes to the team, including the coaches.

Are people saying he was an active participant in a conspiracy to damage Gregg's reputation during contract talks? He had to know about some of the going's on between his parents & the Berhalters. But if somebody can prove that he participated, I'll be instantly down on Gio. 'till then, I choose to give this kid a break.
I’m going under the assumption he generally knew what his parents were doing behind the scenes. Did he know his dad was going to call USSF soccer during the World Cup and threaten to make the leak the story….maybe. I find it highly unlikely he didn’t have conversations with his parents about the story and releasing the same. Even more unlikely he told them not to do the same.

The results of the investigation will be interesting. Will it be an accurate representation of the facts or will USSF chose a fall guy and leave it at that?

Not a fan of the new media MLS media deal. Those Sunday night ESPN MLS games were fantastic.
 
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Alright, so earlier in the thread I alluded to other things going on but I wouldn’t print them. Some of that is trickling out in other forums so I’ll share a little more. I do not have the USSF and media sources I once had, so I’m not 100% sure of a lot of it, so take all of this with a grain of salt.

The real root of why a long simmering rivalry between close families, or at least part of it, spilling into the media, supposedly relates to the handling of Greggg’s son, not Claudio.

The narrative is that Gio’s mom went crazy and went public over Gio’s playing time. Some people have suggested a counter narrative that there were assurances at the top of US Soccer about the future of Sebastian Berhalter.

Gregg’s son played youth soccer for the Crew while his Dad was there, then one season at where (?), UNC, where both parents were playing legends and generous donors. He lasted one season, went pro, and signed where (?) the Columbus Crew, where his Dad was coach. He did not play much and then Dad left for the USMNT.

He played some more, apparently to get his value up, but there were no takers. Normally a college program drop out with no playing time and no MLS or USL interest would be dropped to free his spot for a TAM player in a position of need or a trial player. That didn’t happen. He was loaned to where (?) Austin FC. Where Claudio makes the hiring decisions.

He played a little at Austin but the roster is crowded and Claudio declined the option. He was returned to the Crew who did not want him and sold him to the Whitecaps in exchange for the minimum TAM allowed. I think it’s $50,000, but it could be a case of beer and a spare bus tire.

He played a few games for the Whitecaps, struggled and is now on the bench of the reserve USL team owned by Vancouver. He barely qualifies as a pro athlete at this point.

If you believe it’s a telenovella, it’s really the Berhalters who caused drama by flexing for their son privately and are upset both that their son isn’t playing but that his career is basically over and Gio is a world class name. And that Claudio could have and should have done the Berhalters a solid and kept him at Austin where he could “develop”. But Claudio betrayed Gregg and his son by making an honest judgment on the kids future.

Supposedly, that’s the motive that Gregg had for telling Reyna on the front end that he wouldn’t be playing in the WC, potentially costing him millions. Because Berhalter is pouting that Claudio didn’t play his son. There’s other stuff about the wives floating around and there’s other stuff I’m hearing too about their friends/rivals relationship.

And this is just the superficial stuff. I assume there’s more.

The problem is USSF has growing pains. The money and visibility has gotten big enough to get interesting but the pool of people running USSF is still limited to the inner circle that’s been around since 1988 basically. As we move past the 2002 generation running things, it’s a good opportunity to professionalize the USSF. The trouble is, USSF is run by a confederation of youth league leaders more worried about their marginal daughter’s chances at signing with Clemson and what they are cooking for dinner that night or restoring their grandfathers pickup truck. And they are easily manipulated by folks like Gulati, SUM, the Berhalters, Garber and others.

Listen to every word Wynalda says. You don’t want him running things. That would be a disaster. And he wasn’t completely right on this story, it’s clear he was manipulated by the Reynas, but he wasn’t wrong either. And he was called crazy for being way out front on this story. He shouldn’t have made the story about him, as usual. But he’s definitely right and has been right for 15 years that the Game of Thrones in USSF needs to end.
 
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I had forgotten about Berhalter's son. I had seem him play some for the Crew and then some for Vancouver last season but had no idea he was in Austin as well, where Josh Wolff, another USMNT player of yore, is the coach. Wolff's son plays some pretty significant minutes in Austin and he's pretty good on the front end. He's not a top US player but with some development he might be there in a few years (I think he's 17 or 18).

If this story is true and the drama behind the drama, Berhalter needs to go. We need the best players the US has at its disposal playing for the USMNT, not making roster decisions based on a personal vendetta to avenge for your kid not having the playing credentials you think he should have. That's some pretty petty youth club level crap right there. Trust me...I know all about the drama in youth soccer.
 
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First off, Josh is the man. But he has two sons. Tyler and Owen. You are talking about Owen. Who can play. He’s young but he has talent. Whether he would be in MLS if his dad didn’t have an S on his chest is another story. Bob Bradley never should have been allowed to let his 16 year old son play two years early and get the advantage of invested millions in training time, facilities, experience, etc. It set him up for life and every coach sees that and wants that now. Owen has had a lot of advantages. Tyler had a good start, in the Crew youth program too while Josh was an asst, but he’s earning his time as a journeyman and that’s the way it should be.

Josh used to work for Gregg at Columbus as well as be former teammates back to their U19 days. The parting was not sweet sorrow. No news there. Makes it easier for me to believe Team Claudio.

Are y’all starting to see why Hajji Wright went to the World Cup and others didn’t? Mr. U18 teammate of McKinney and Pulisic …
 
First off, Josh is the man. But he has two sons. Tyler and Owen. You are talking about Owen. Who can play. He’s young but he has talent. Whether he would be in MLS if his dad didn’t have an S on his chest is another story. Bob Bradley never should have been allowed to let his 16 year old son play two years early and get the advantage of invested millions in training time, facilities, experience, etc. It set him up for life and every coach sees that and wants that now. Owen has had a lot of advantages. Tyler had a good start, in the Crew youth program too while Josh was an asst, but he’s earning his time as a journeyman and that’s the way it should be.

Josh used to work for Gregg at Columbus as well as be former teammates back to their U19 days. The parting was not sweet sorrow. No news there. Makes it easier for me to believe Team Claudio.

Are y’all starting to see why Hajji Wright went to the World Cup and others didn’t? Mr. U18 teammate of McKinney and Pulisic …
I'm not 100% against Wright being on the team but it seemed stupid (and for Ream to be there too) since they hadn't been part of qualifying at all. And Ream's excellent form going back to last season and helping Fulham regain their spot in the EPL. He's been playing great for almost 2 full years now and he only got some spot duty in the Gold Cup in that time and I don't recall him being brought in to any of the WCQ camps. Wright either and I think his only time with the USMNT before the WC were a couple of insane friendlies against nobodies. Both had the form and I can't say any one else they could have brought in to man the 9 would have been better than Wright (exception Sargent).

On a side note of 9's...Dike is playing really well right now for West Brom. He has 2 goals and an assist in his 3 starts this season (he had been injured and not doing much until recently). I expect him to be in the mix for some USMNT for upcoming friendlies, Gold Cup etc. We need to find a commanding 9 for 2026.
 
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One more English Championship note. Burnley and Sheffield have all but sewn up their promotion to EPL for next season. Through 26 match weeks, Burnley has 56 pts and Sheffield has 51. Next closest is Blackburn Rovers at 42. There are 13 teams within 7 points of 3rd place including West Brom at 38. Norwich is at 36. Places 3-6 enter into a playoff at season's end with the last one standing earning promotion to EPL for next season.
 
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I don’t look at the EPL until Boxing Day and the Championship until March, maybe April.
 
If you believe it’s a telenovella, it’s really the Berhalters who caused drama by flexing for their son privately and are upset both that their son isn’t playing but that his career is basically over and Gio is a world class name. And that Claudio could have and should have done the Berhalters a solid and kept him at Austin where he could “develop”. But Claudio betrayed Gregg and his son by making an honest judgment on the kids future.
This would certainly explain the timing issue that bothered me when Beer?halter even bothers to call Gio up & then promptly tells him that he'll have little, if any, pt in the games. There had to be something going on between the families prior since Gio hadn't played for the MNT due to injury for months before the WC, and when he did play, he was a star for us.

And now, CBS Sports reports that Gregg really wants to continue as coach of our MNT. This is strange because a few months ago, Beer?halter is very public about wanting to coach a club team since he would have much more time with the players to mold a team & impart his "system".

All this tells me is that after the WC, job offers from big &/or small clubs in Europe were NOT forthcoming.
 
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This would certainly explain the timing issue that bothered me when Beer?halter even bothers to call Gio up & then promptly tells him that he'll have little, if any, pt in the games. There had to be something going on between the families prior since Gio hadn't played for the MNT due to injury for months before the WC, and when he did play, he was a star for us.

And now, CBS Sports reports that Gregg really wants to continue as coach of our MNT. This is strange because a few months ago, Beer?halter is very public about wanting to coach a club team since he would have much more time with the players to mold a team & impart his "system".

All this tells me is that after the WC, job offers from big &/or small clubs in Europe were NOT forthcoming.
He’s positioning himself for a lawsuit under Illinois law against USSF. Unlike other states, he has no claim for tortious interference with a future business opportunity if there is no damage. He completed his contract and was fully paid. The incident disclosed was true. Even before his most recent statement he has said he wants to coach in Europe. And that’s where he started. If nobody hires him now, he’s got no claim against USSF unless he now says he’s wanted to keep the job all along. My sense is that his agent has advised him to call John Harkes in USL and ask him how breaking the code in the lockerroom has worked out for him and whether there’s any coaching opportunities in Chadron, Nebraska coming open. He’s worried. And should be. Claudio might be right behind him in the line to figure out what to do next.
 
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If any of you are still having lingering doubts, Pepi’s people are already floating that Gregg intimated through intermediaries that if he left the Bundesliga and went to Holland and was scoring he would get the spot. Which he did. Then Berhalter didn’t even tell him he was off. An assistant called him. Pepi hung up the phone in the middle of the conversation. Bob Bradley pulled similar stunts. The more we are learning the more it’s clear to chalk this up to achieving what we needed to do (get out of the group stage) but we did it in ways we don’t want to repeat. So it’s time to move on.
 
Being reported that the US at least tried to go get a big fish for Coach. Apparently Zidane turned us down. My son says he is lobbying for the France job.
 
If they have gone after Zidane, maybe they have touched base with people like Thierry Henri and Roberto Martinez, also. Naah! Either would make too much sense (too me, anyway).
 
Who take the job at this point? Who would work for the fired guy’s brother and his best friend going back 30 years.

They will have to clear the whole house.
 
C. Pulisic is badly hurt. In his 3rd start for Chelsea after the WC, he winds up to smash it close in, Man City's John Stones slides in to block and CP kicks it into Stone's leg & torques his knee. First, Chelsea says out for a few weeks, now it's months. So much for a transfer later this month. And maybe his career. Just sucks for Cap'n America.

One guy that might make it to the EPL later this month is Wes McKinnie. Heavy buzz that Juventus is willing to let him go. Josh Sargent has a new coach and needs to start scoring as Norwich City is sinking fast in the English Championship & doubtful for promotion to the Prem. He needs to catch the eye of some EPL team if they don't get promoted.

Yunus Musah gets the start for Valencia vs Real Madrid today in a semi-final of the all-Spanish Super Cup. Valencia takes them to a shootout after 120 minutes tied 1-1. But loses to RM on PK's. Musah is another who might be changing clubs soon. Hopefully to the EPL.
 
God, I hope not.(career) He is in his prime.
No one has really released any info on what the injury is. Potter said 2 months but they hope his rehab will push him to a sooner return. Speculation is a sprained MCL. We know it's not an ACL because they would have said he's out 8-9 months. The other possibility is the leg hyperextended on the tackle and he injured his meniscus...which we should have heard about a scope to clean it up.
 
No one has really released any info on what the injury is. Potter said 2 months but they hope his rehab will push him to a sooner return. Speculation is a sprained MCL. We know it's not an ACL because they would have said he's out 8-9 months. The other possibility is the leg hyperextended on the tackle and he injured his meniscus...which we should have heard about a scope to clean it up.
Could be his PCL?
 
So the latest on the USMNT coaching possibilities is Theirry Henry who seems to be lobbying for the chance. I don't know much about his coaching chops but apparently he was an assistant for Martinez w/ Belgium (?) and he decided not to follow Martinez to Portugal because he has the desire to be the guy in charge. Thoughts?
 
I like it! He would bring a combination of Arsene Wenger, his coach for years at Arsenal and Roberto Martinez. We could do way worse, and prolly will with the USSF calling the shots. The Belgium MNT under Martinez is correct.
 
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