Who should the USMNT replace Berhalter with? Analysis of Klopp, Pochettino, Vieira and others

The team finished third in its group, with Uruguay and Panama advancing to the knockout stage. With just two years left until the US co-hosts the World Cup, they have decided to make a change.

There are a number of high-profile foreign managers in the market – not least Jurgen Klopp after leaving Liverpool this summer – as the US Soccer Federation (USSF) looks to appoint Berhalter’s successor.

“I think we’re in a better place now to do a more targeted search where I’m willing to work hard and go in early with specific candidates that I think meet the criteria we’re looking for.” Are,” he said. Matt Crocker, sporting director of US Soccer.

Asked whether speaking English was still a criteria for the position, Crocker said: “I think effective communication is important when you need to get the message across to players. That hasn’t changed. And we’ll really consider a broad group of candidates. I’m already straight at it. “We intend to continue that process.”

Here are some potential candidates to replace Berhalter, and the style of football they could bring to the USMNT set-up. Who would you like to see take power?

Jurgen Klopp

Jurgen Klopp favors a high defensive line and a high press designed to win back ball possession at the earliest opportunity when it is lost – as shown athleticBelow is the playstyle wheel, Which tells how a team looks to play compared to the top seven domestic leagues in Europe,

It’s high risk, high reward – always playing on the front foot, always trying to seize the initiative. Caution is not a word in the 57-year-old’s vocabulary. Looking at his “Patient Attacking” metric below (23 out of 99), it’s clear that Klopp likes to embrace his team and punish the opposition as quickly as possible.

Klopp will be a breath of fresh air in terms of tactical and man-management, he has already proven he can get the best from talent across the board – fostering a sense of unity and togetherness.

He may also like the USMNT’s roster. Take, for example, that tremendous strike that won much praise at Anfield. Klopp’s Liverpool were at their best with a high-energy, hard-running front three, and attackers like Christian Pulisic, Folarin Balogun and Ricardo Pepi could, at least in theory, be attractive to the German.

With all of those players, and indeed most of the USMNT’s core men, playing in Europe, Klopp will also be familiar with their leagues and the tactical systems they operate at their clubs.

gareth southgate

Gareth Southgate has overseen a turnaround in England’s reputation since taking over the role as national team manager in 2016.

While fans may have been frustrated by Southgate’s lack of tactical invention with so many talented players, the 53-year-old has shown a ruthlessness out of character in recent months – notably leaving the experienced Jordan Henderson and Marcus Rashford out of their long-term European squads. List of 33 players for the championship.

(Carl Racine/Getty Images)

While Southgate has favored a back four system in recent years, he has shown flexibility in adopting a back three – often as a counter-measure to the opposition setup, as shown in England’s matches against Switzerland and the Netherlands. Because they reached the Euro 2024 final. ,

International football is tactically and qualitatively different from club football, meaning that its scope is less about day-to-day coaching and more about the long-term view of the national team. Southgate may have been criticized for his tactical skills at times, but his ambassadorial presence is a valuable asset that should not be underestimated at international level.

There should also be no willingness to take worthy risks with talented but inexperienced players. 19-year-old Kobi Manu and 20-year-old Adam Wharton were added to their current squad with the saying that they were good enough and old enough, and Americans like 20-year-old Chelsea goalkeeper Gaga Slonina could perhaps realize their potential. Are. Increase in World Cup berth. So could 14-year-old Manchester City-bound prodigy Cavan Sullivan, who will now be the same age as Spain’s Lamin Yamal when the 2026 tournament begins.

mauricio pochettino

Mauricio Pochettino’s preferred style is based on high intensity and pressing, and Chelsea’s statistics for last season point to a side that does not lag behind even when out of possession (intensity: 89 out of 99).

Issues in both penalty boxes were a major storyline of Chelsea’s season under Pochettino. Their underlying chance creation (83 out of 99) was strong, but it seemed this came at the cost of a dreadfully poor defensive record (chance prevention: 32 out of 99). Chelsea’s 1.4 non-penalty expected goals conceded per 90 minutes gave them a mountain to climb in each match, and Pochettino struggled to find that balance for most of the season.

As counterintuitive as it may sound, international football is based first and foremost on strong defensive foundations and Pochettino has not demonstrated this in his recent times in the dugout.

Such shortcomings will naturally focus more attention on the individual quality of the back line and the goalkeeper; Areas where the current American roster has its own problems. Goalkeeper Matt Turner barely played for Nottingham Forest last season and his kicking and distribution were questionable at times in the Copa America. Behind him, Ethan Horvath is again a step down in quality and conceded a poor goal when forced into action following Turner’s injury against Panama.

Then there is the lack of obvious candidates to replace aging centre-back Tim Ream and doubts over the strength of depth behind him and Chris Richards. At Chelsea, Pochettino had arguably better defenders and they were still struggling.

thomas tuchel

Despite a disappointing season relative to Bayern Munich’s standards, the underlying statistics from Tuchel’s side show how impressive they still are in both boxes. Competing with a history-making, unbeaten Bayer Leverkusen team was not part of the plan, but Bayern’s 1.6 xG differential per 90 – which accounts for the quality of chances created and conceded – is among the top five in Europe’s leagues. Was the best from any side.

Tuchel’s tactical acumen cannot be denied, but question marks over his temperament could be a factor that works against him. In his three most recent roles at Paris Saint-Germain, Chelsea and Bayern Munich, his tenure averaged one year, nine months and 15 days. Of course, international football is different, but if the USMNT are looking for a long-term approach, Tuchel may not be the best man. However, he is available after leaving Bayern and joining Manchester United earlier this summer.

Tuchel celebrates winning the Champions League with Chelsea in May 2021 (Mark Atkins/Getty Images)

It could also be a thorny issue as to what Pulisic would do upon Tuchel’s appointment. The pair worked together at Stamford Bridge and it became clear that there was, at times, a strained relationship, with the US captain admitting he was “stunned” to be left out for the Champions League semi-finals in 2021.

thomas frank

Thomas Frank, 50, will bring a clear strategic philosophy. Their 5-3-2 formation is combative, disciplined and a nightmare to play against. Over the past three seasons, only Brighton has scored more points than Brentford’s 35 points against the ‘Big Six’ in the Premier League, with the west London side taking two wins over Manchester City, three wins over Chelsea and a 1–0 defeat to Manchester United Defeated 4-0. Joint.

Equally, his ability to shift his side to a 4-3-3 throughout the season demonstrates a tactical versatility that would be highly suited to international football, where maximizing the strengths of the players at your disposal is paramount.

The fact that Frank has overseen Brentford’s rise to the Premier League for the first time and has now kept them there for three consecutive seasons shows the transformational work he has done. He is an experienced coach and good motivator who claims long-term success.

He also talked about being open to possibilities and this would be an exciting new thing for the charming Dane. His likeability and ability to build morale may be welcomed by American players – especially by players like Gio Reyna, who has clashed with Berhalter several times.

(Eddie Keogh/Getty Images)

Ralph Rangnick

As the godfather of Gegenpressing, you know what you’re going to get with the Ralf Rangnick team. His high-energy, relentless approach has inspired many coaches who have worked with him, and when asked to describe his playing philosophy during a recent interview for The Coaches Voice, the German said, “It’s a high-pressing, counter-pressing football. I would say fast, active, attacking, counter-attacking, counter-pressing and exciting.”

Anyone doubting Rangnick’s ability to establish such methods on the international stage need only look at the outlook from Austria’s capture during Euro 2024 this summer. Their 10.1 passes allowed per defensive action (PPDA) – a metric where lower numbers reflect a more active pressing approach – shows them to be among the most intense pressing of any side in the tournament.

In possession, Rangnik believes in possession with a purpose. Focus on getting it forward where possible, and limiting square or backward passes that slow the game down. Fans of the New York Red Bulls under Jesse Marsh will be extremely familiar with this style, with Marsh being a staunch proponent of Rangnick’s gung-ho method of attack.

The U.S. has guys like Pulisic and, at their best, Reyna, who can make things happen while also being athletic enough to play hard in the Rangnick style.

The 66-year-old has experience in international management, having been in charge of Austria for two years.

Patrick Vieira

While Patrick Vieira’s RC Strasbourg finished 13th in Ligue 1 last season, the 48-year-old recently shared his lofty goals for the future.

Vieira unveiled in Strasbourg in July 2023 (Frédéric Florin/AFP via Getty Images)

“The ambition is to play European football in the next three years,” Vieira said on the Stick to Football podcast. “Definitely, from this year onwards, there is a big influx of young players coming through, and this year was challenging and difficult – we struggled and went through some tough times.”

Vieira favors a deliberate, possession-dominant style of football, but he hardly has the players to implement it. At Crystal Palace, he had to compromise those plans for an aggressive, counter-attacking approach, leading to Vieira’s sacking after a 12-game winning streak.

Strasbourg’s playing style looks similarly confused, as Vieira encourages his team to circulate the ball when they have the ball (82 out of 99) – even if those opportunities are rare (possession, out of 99 17) – But his team often lacks bite at the top end of the field (chance creation, 41 out of 99).

Vieira’s experience coaching NYCFC in MLS would be a useful start to his adjustment to American football, but his recent roles have shown that he is still a developing manager compared to other candidates on the list.

It is in his old position, central midfield, where the current roster is loaded with talent. Young prospects like Real Betis’ Jonny Cardoso and Malik Tillman could learn from one of the best ever in that role. Plus, the more experienced trio of Pulisic, Weston McKennie and Tim Weah will have a manager who knows what it’s like to play at Italy’s two biggest clubs, AC Milan and Juventus. The USMNT has tried great players as coaches before with varying degrees of impact (see Jurgen Klinsmann) but Vieira’s CV is one of the best.

Having a World Cup winner in charge for the next World Cup would be a potential plus.

(Top photos: Getty Images)