Berhalter Confident Amidst Disappointing Copa America Exit
U.S. men’s national team head coach Gregg Berhalter remains confident in his position despite a disappointing exit from the Copa America. Berhalter, who has been at the helm for five years, continues to assert his capability to lead the squad, even as the U.S. Soccer Federation announces a comprehensive review of the team's performance.
The U.S. team finished third in Group C with only one victory, accumulating a mere three points. Uruguay dominated the group, securing a perfect nine points, while Panama took the second spot with six points, crucially winning against the U.S. with a 2-1 scoreline. This defeat was particularly biting for Berhalter, who stated, "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."
Compounding the team's woes, Timothy Weah received a red card in the 18th minute of the critical match against Panama, putting the team at a significant disadvantage early on. Reflecting on specific moments of failure, Berhalter noted, "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."
Despite the disappointing results, Berhalter remained optimistic about the team's effort and potential. "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 remarked.
The current U.S. squad featured a significant number of players who competed in the 2022 World Cup, highlighting a blend of experience and youth. The presence of three players aged 30 and older underscored the roster's depth and maturity. This mix, Berhalter believes, is vital for the team's development. "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," he said. "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."
Defensive solidity has been a cornerstone of Berhalter’s tenure, and he highlighted the team's strong defensive record and ability to create chances. "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 emphasized.
Looking ahead, the U.S. Soccer Federation's promised review aims to scrutinize every aspect of the tournament performance to understand where the team fell short. "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.
Ultimately, while Berhalter remains confident in his abilities, he acknowledges that the decision of his future isn't solely in his hands. Asked directly if he believes he is the right fit for the job, he responded succinctly, "Yes." However, when questioned about his potential removal, he added, "That's not up to me."
As the review commences, the U.S. team and its supporters will await the outcomes, hoping for a stronger performance in future competitions.