Need Greggggggg to come back in and preach some discipline to these players
The Gregg thing is so bizarre
I’m of the opinion that the Reyna’s were the worst sort of travel parent and while Gregg did something bad it seems to not be worth much decades later
But sitting with no coach for six months and the. Just bringing him back is wiiiiilllld
3 Likes
Peak CONCACAF after dark last night.
We get that same official for this game all the time, he loses control after letting the game get chippy and then goes on a card spree late and seems shocked when things get out of hand.
I am ok with GGG coming back as long as he doesn’t mess with the formation too much and leave his MLS love children at home mostly for the big cup. No pressure to qualify this time, so just leave the same 11 who started last night build up more chemistry the next 3 years and we might legit have an outside shot at the semis the next WC. He starts working in Jordan Morris and Acosta to everything and constant pressing until we are dead in the 60th minute, getting out of group is our ceiling.
NGL, I was pretty stoked for a day there with all that Vieira smoke. Not a world beater or anything, but would have played the best players. That’s always the concern with GerGGGGGG.
Search firms are the biggest scam on the planet if their conclusion was to bring back the guy you basically sent packing 6 months ago.
1 Like
For the record
I think Gregg did a better job than most give him credit for because I think the WC outcome fit our quality for the most part (we aren’t as good as many think?) - though I agree with th MLS kink noted above - the only guy from the MLS who deserve minutes are Zimmerman and Miles Robinson when he’s ambulatory
But the PROCESS here is nuts
2 Likes
The USSF is amateur hour from top to bottom. Finally get rid of all the nepotism that had been in the ranks for years, bring in a new director and then hire GGG again. Freaking dumb. They need to find somebody who knows how to come up with more money for a legit manager.
I’ve been banging the same drum for the past 15 years and he was available last month, but you legit had an opportunity to hire Marcelo Bielsa last month and don’t even shoot your shot. Was within the pay range and would have transformed the entire squad into legit contenders in 2026 and you hard pass because his English sucks. Dummies.
1 Like
I think he’s a C- coach that botched the striker position so bad for the cup he should never be considered for the job, among his many other faults. Jesus Ferreira started an elimination game. Let that sink in. It’s one move but a microcosm of his galaxy brain.
I’m out on him all together, but US soccer is messy like the Kardashians, so whatever.
I never understood why we didn’t give Pefok a shot at striker
He scores a solid amount in Ligue 1, and did ok in the Bundesliga this year. that’s a better CV than anyone else
I don’t see why you would ever run the same manager two WC cycles in a row. I know some of the players wanted it, but was only the few who started every match when he was here. Of course they would want him back.
IDK though, willing to give him the benefit of the doubt. Maybe if we crash out of the COPA next summer, he’s gone.
1 Like
I’ll admit that the Reyna’s whole vibe probably made me reflexively stan Gregggg
2 Likes
I think the US (and Mexico) job is one of the most unique in international soccer. We play in a region that we expect to dominate, with only one opponent that can match us on talent. But when we get to the World Cup, particular the knock out stages, we are miles behind the better nations. So have to be able to play multiple ways as there will be games when we can boss the field and others where we are going to have to be a little more defensive.
I think Gregggggg was the right coach for the last cycle. Had to qualify and then not embarrass ourselves at the WC. Mission accomplished. But I don’t think he is the coach that will be able to take advantage of the best collection of talent we’ve ever had.
1 Like
His love for MLS guys is annoying which leads to some terrible (IMO) personnel decisions but his tactics are just as annoying. Pressing when you don’t have the legs, zero creativity in the final 3rd, just thing after thing.
And regardless of what side you are on with the Reyna’s (both sides stink, Claudio the most), there was a huge public controversy with a potential centerpiece of the USMNT for the next 7-10 years. How do you come back from that from both sides? Seems so unnecessary, unless Gio isn’t going to be a big piece of the team moving forward, which also feels like a mistake.
It was the most America soccer headline ever though. Parents complaining about their son’s playing time at the World Cup
1 Like
If we were staying with a safe coach, would much have preferred Jim Curtin. Way higher ceiling than GerGG.
Curious about what the commentary was like, especially in the final 25 minutes or so, when the game became an “ish” show. I was watching in Spanish, where the commentary always sounds to me (a non-speaker) as if it’s the finals of the WC. It was pretty amusing, when in the first half, Balogun was first fouled, and the announcers switched to perfect English, saying “Welcome to Concacaf!”
I think I’m mostly okay with Berhalter because of this. It isn’t a qualifying cycle, there aren’t a ton of stakes in the near term. You want to keep building the program, building chemistry, having everyone be comfortable and growing together. The fact the Pulisic publicly backed Gregg pretty clearly is doing a lot of the heavy lifting.
If the Copa America is a disaster, go out and hire a mercenary. If you make a splashy hire now, I feel like it is more likely to go south in some weird way that you don’t need before you even get to that point.
The problem is that there were basically no strikers on good form in the program. Adding Balogun is a huge upgrade at the position that needed to happen.
I get it, but I also feel like there’s some risk to hiring a guy like Bielsa at this point.
He’s basically only had good seasons at lower levels. Was good at Young Boys (Switzerland) and in Ligue 2, but hasn’t scored goals in Germany or Ligue 1. Had 5 goals in 42 appearances this year.
Feel like the anti-MLS thing is wildly overblown at this point. There weren’t really that many MLS players who featured in the World Cup or anything like that.
5 Likes
I will say I like GGggGg over Marsch. I think the latter is overrated and his system is really hard to implement in a national team unless you’re a really good manager or the talent fits it perfectly. I think he’s an ok manager and some of the talent fits but a lot doesn’t. I think he would have been a disaster
Shaq Moore and Jordan Morris were on the WC roster and brought nothing. There is no reasonable justification for those guys taking spots given the talent pool. Previous world cups as depth/ locker room guys? Maybe. Not with the other talent available last cycle.
Guys at the end of the bench are often brought in to “do a job,” so they kind of fit.
The other option for Shaq Moore would have been Reggie Cannon but IIRC he wasn’t getting games at the time and was trying to force a transfer. It’s not like there’s some world class full back who was left at home.
Maybe Joe Scally? But he’s really young and that’s a huge ask.
The striker thing was a mess but Pefok and Pepi had bad seasons and he brought someone like Haji Wright who isn’t MLS but also isn’t a good striker. I think the reality is that all of the No. 9s were not good enough more than bringing the wrong ones.
1 Like
I get the Pefok thing, but we played Jesus Ferreira and Tim Weah (who isn’t a striker)
He seems way more credible…
Seems like Pepi blowing up was our main problem as we’re still searching for a goal scorer
It’s going to be hard to mess up Balogun. Obviously wasn’t on the same page with the team last night, but you can tell he gets to where he thinks he needs to be faster than any striker since before Altidore’s hammy started blowing out every other week.
I trust GGG enough to at least not mess with the best young club striker we’ve ever had during this cycle. Kind of saves him from himself I hope.
1 Like