The Big Lead

Former USMNT head coach Gregg Berhalter has a new gig in MLS

By Joe Lago

Jun 23, 2024; Arlington, TX, USA; United States head coach Gregg Berhalter acknowledges the fans after USA shuts out Bolivia 2-0 in a 2024 Copa America match at AT&T Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Jerome Miron-Imagn Images
Jun 23, 2024; Arlington, TX, USA; United States head coach Gregg Berhalter acknowledges the fans after USA shuts out Bolivia 2-0 in a 2024 Copa America match at AT&T Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Jerome Miron-Imagn Images / Jerome Miron-Imagn Images
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Despite his detractors' harshest criticism about his coaching ability, former United States men's national team head coach Gregg Berhalter was always going to land on his feet. And the most convenient landing spot was always going to be Major League Soccer.

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On Tuesday, the 51-year-old Berhalter took the next step in his career by becoming the director of football and head coach of the Chicago Fire.

Berhalter addressed Fire fans in a video posted on the team's social media accounts. "I'm excited and honored to be leading this club into a new era. I love this city and can't wait to work together with you to build something we can all be proud of," he said.

Berhalter spent five years as USMNT coach, helping guide the U.S. back to the World Cup in 2022 after its failure to qualify for the 2018 tournament under Jurgen Klinsmann and Bruce Arena. He ushered in a new generation of American players who had made the jump to Europe to further their development and elevate the USA.

However, that progress was stunted by the controversy stemming from Berhalter's benching of forward Gio Reyna during the 2022 World Cup. Berhalter's ill-advised critical comments of Reyna at a post-World Cup speaking engagement emerged, igniting an ugly series of events that began with Reyna's parents dredging up old allegations of Berhalter's abuse of his then-girlfriend and current wife in college.

A year transpired before the USMNT head coach vacancy was filled. New U.S. Soccer sporting director Matt Crocker opted to rehire Berhalter, but the Americans crashed out of last summer's Copa America in the group stage, leading to Berhalter's firing.

Berhalter has nowhere to go but up with the Fire. With one game left in the MLS regular season, Chicago sits in last place in the Eastern Conference with just seven wins in its 33 matches and a goal differential of minus-19. The club will miss the MLS playoffs for a seventh straight year.

Berhalter knows what it takes to win in MLS. In his five-season tenure with the Columbus Crew from 2013 to 2018, he led the club to the postseason four times and the 2015 MLS Cup, which the Crew lost 2-1 to the Portland Timbers in Columbus.

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