Gregg Berhalter Remains Positive Despite U.S. Men's National Team's Exit
Despite a disappointing exit from the tournament, U.S. men's national team head coach Gregg Berhalter maintains confidence in his ability to steer the squad forward. Berhalter, who is in his fifth year as head coach, reiterated his belief in his suitability for the role, stating, "Yes," when asked if he is the right fit for the job.
The U.S. team's journey culminated with a single win, finishing third in Group C with three points. Uruguay led the group with a flawless nine points, while Panama secured second place with six points. A critical 2-1 defeat to Panama, which saw Timothy Weah receive a red card in the 18th minute, was a bitter pill to swallow for the Americans.
"Obviously, the loss against Panama really hurt," Berhalter remarked. "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."
The U.S. Soccer Federation has announced that a comprehensive review will be conducted to pinpoint the shortcomings of 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.
When reflecting on the pivotal moments, Berhalter acknowledged specific areas that need improvement. "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 said.
Despite the exit, Berhalter commended the team's effort and affirmed his focus on future progression. "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 noted.
Berhalter also highlighted the team's defensive strengths and potential. "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 stated.
The U.S. team’s Copa America roster boasted several players who competed in the 2022 World Cup, emphasizing the squad's depth and experience. "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," Berhalter mentioned.
As the federation embarks on a thorough review, Berhalter remains committed to addressing the identified gaps. Despite the challenging tournament, his vision for the team's future is clear. "That's not up to me," he conceded, when asked about his future, yet his determination to uplift the team is unwavering.
In summary, Berhalter's assessment points to a team with considerable potential but in need of fine-tuning and consistent performance. The upcoming review will serve as a critical step in mapping the path forward for the U.S. men's national team under his continued leadership.