USMNT brings back Gregg Berhalter: Best tweets as fans frustrated by uninspiring hire
After a six-month search, the USMNT is bringing back Gregg Berhalter in a move that’s the opposite of inspiring to USA soccer fans on Twitter.
Thursday night had a celebratory mood around the USMNT. Team USA welcomed new addition Folarin Balogun. The lineup fielded against Mexico in the semifinals of the CONCACAF Nations League looked full of exciting young talent. And Christian Pulisic led them with verve to a 2-0 lead early in the second half.
USMNT fans had plenty to be excited about…and one big thing weighing them down.
That’s because just as the game kicked off, reports started to trickle in that the U.S. Soccer Federation was on the verge of hiring a head coach. More accurately, they were set to re-hire the old one.
The Athletic’s Paul Tenorio reported that Gregg Berhalter’s return was “imminent.” Several other publications confirmed that report in due time.
How did the fans on Twitter react to that news? With a collective groan.
USMNT fans let out frustrations over Gregg Berhalter re-hire
We are beating and outplaying our biggest rival and yet the Berhalter news has killed my vibe
— Travis (@EffzehNSC) June 16, 2023
HT #USMNT Thoughts:
— USMNT 🇺🇸 Thoughts (@USMNT_Thoughts) June 16, 2023
-Gregg Berhalter should not be rehired
-USSF is a joke
-Good goal from Pulisic
Gregg Berhalter returning to the US National Team is everything that’s wrong with the US National Team
— Zealand (@theoldzealand) June 16, 2023
It's sad. This team has a decent starting XI that can play well even with a PE sub teacher coaching from the sidelines.
— SuperiorUSMNT (@EinSchwarzwelt) June 16, 2023
And this federation wants to waste this generation with Berhalter... again.
I don’t know what’s funnier: spending 13 months trying to find a national team manager only to wind up with Gregg Berhalter, or letting Berhalter walk, spending six months trying to find a national team manager, only to wind up with Berhalter again.
— Zach Lowy (@ZachLowy) June 16, 2023
What’s really funny is that this team looks better under BJ than it ever has under Berhalter! 😂
— Gregg Beerholder 🍺 (@MLShater) June 16, 2023
Moronic federation.
It's not that Gregg Berhalter is a bad coach. He's an A to B coach. But he's not a good game-day coach and he refuses to make personnel adjustments when the #USMNT is crying for it. And you want to be moving FORWARD, not backward.
— Jason Smith (@howaboutafresca) June 16, 2023
Many fans shared Clint Dempsey’s reaction to the news from half time: “I’m confused.”
"I'm confused... If you go back with Berhalter then we've wasted a lot of time. Why have we wasted this much time to go back with who we had in the beginning?"@Clint_dempsey reacts to the reports of Gregg Berhalter returning as manager of the #USMNT. pic.twitter.com/22Y6yTQBdS
— CBS Sports Golazo ⚽️ (@CBSSportsGolazo) June 16, 2023
U.S. Soccer declined to renew Berhalter’s contract after the World Cup amid allegations of domestic violence from decades ago. Those allegations turned out to be part of a larger campaign purportedly fueled by Claudio Reyna and his wife to oust Berhalter after Reyna’s son, Gio, was not heavily featured by Berhalter at the World Cup.
Following an investigation, Berhalter was cleared to remain a candidate for the job he once held while U.S. Soccer explored other options. Nothing came of those other options obviously, as they’ve landed right back where they started.
Berhalter is 37-12-11 as the head coach of the USMNT but he has been criticized for being an uninspiring figurehead for U.S. Soccer, particularly in terms of game management. He was not particularly successful as the head coach of the Columbus Crew in MLS and his performance in the World Cup did little to suggest he is capable of elevating Team USA to new heights.
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