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 performance in the recent tournament. "Yes," he responded confidently when asked if he is the right fit for the job. However, the U.S. team was eliminated with just one win, finishing third in Group C with three points.
A Tournament to Forget
The U.S. team's campaign was marred by a series of unfortunate events and underwhelming performances. Uruguay topped the group with a perfect nine points, while Panama secured second place with six points. One of the pivotal moments came when Panama clinched a crucial 2-1 victory over the U.S., a match that seemed to encapsulate the frustrations of the tournament.
Adding to the woes, Timothy Weah received a red card in the 18th minute of the match against Panama, further complicating the team's efforts. Reflecting on the loss, Berhalter admitted, "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."
Challenges in Defense
Berhalter acknowledged specific shortcomings in the team’s defensive strategies. "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," he noted. The sense of missed opportunity and need for tactical adjustment was echoed throughout his reflections on the tournament.
Review and Reflection
The U.S. Soccer Federation has responded to the disappointing outcome by announcing a comprehensive review of the entire 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 emphasized.
Despite the setbacks, Berhalter highlighted the effort put in by his players. "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, praising his squad's dedication and underscoring the importance of consistent performance.
A Mix of Experience and Youth
As Berhalter enters his fifth year as head coach, he is navigating a complex roster that includes a significant cohort of players who competed in the 2022 World Cup and a trio of players aged 30 and older. "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 stated, acknowledging both the strengths and areas for growth in the team.
The Path Forward
Berhalter remains optimistic about the 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," he said, highlighting the progress made under his tenure. However, he also recognized the need for further improvement. "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 the review process underway and lessons to be learned from the past tournament, the U.S. men’s national team and Berhalter will look to refine their strategies and come back stronger. The resilience and commitment shown by the squad provide a foundation upon which future successes can be built.