SANTA MONICA — And they’re off. Today, Aug. 1, marks the beginning of the search for the next USMNT Head Coach.
The USMNT head coach role became vacant after the team’s embarrassing 2-1 loss to Trinidad and Tobago last year, failing to qualify for the World Cup as a result. While the failure to appear in the World Cup has left a bitter taste in most US fans, every eye has turned to see who will become the next head coach of the team. However, its no short list.
More than a dozen coaches’ names have been tossed out as potential head coaches. Prospects range in experience, ethnicity and age. While there are several foreign prospects, they seem long shots in the race with several promising American candidates in contention. Gregg Berhalter is one top pick to consider amongst the Americans while Juan Carlos Osorio is a top contender on the foreign market.
U.S. Soccer waited until after the World Cup to even begin talks about the team’s future and who might be at the helm. It may have been a strategy to see how several foreign candidates faired with their teams in the soccer spectacle, but that still wouldn’t guarantee a foreign coach. USMNT manager Ernie Stewart simply has more time to evaluate the candidates and leeway with the decision, extending caretaker coach Dave Sarachan’s contract to finish out the year with the team. Should a MLS coach be chosen, they’ll have the luxury to finish out the MLS season with his team before heading off to work with the national team.
