But Crocker, a Welshman who comes to the USSF with plenty of experience in English football, was vying for the top spot among the candidates. Management, Statistics, Psychological Tests before deciding that no changes are needed.
Over the past year, Berhalter Continued regional success But he struggled to take the U.S. team to the next level, and that Lost in the first round at Copa America This summer.
On Wednesday, during Berhalter’s second dance, the music stopped. Crocker announced that he had been fired. He has two years left on his contract.
“It’s been a difficult week,” Crocker told reporters in a video call. “I know for me personally it’s been a difficult week for everybody associated with U.S. Soccer. It’s a really difficult decision.”
But it was inevitable: Crocker, who wanted the deal to work, wasn’t planning on getting much out of a Berhalter-led team. Young US Team Berhalter made considerable progress in his first term. The failed 2018 World Cup cycle Advance Knockout stages of the 2022 tournament.
If we look at the Copa America as a measure of global progress, the US has made no progress.
Crocker is now responsible for finding a suitable replacement. This time, there is no room for failure. There is too much at stake. The next World Cup is — It is held mainly in stadiums in the United States.There are less than two years until the Copa America, along with a handful of venues in Mexico and Canada, which may seem like a long time, but with no tournament at anything approaching the Copa America standard, a new coach will need to instill belief and solidify tactics in regional tournaments and friendlies.
How is this search different from last year’s?
“I’ve been with the program for 12 months now,” Crocker said, “and I’ve had a lot of experience in both the men’s and women’s environments, but that’s mainly because there have been so many changes made to both programs in the last 12 months. I’m a lot clearer and a lot more confident about what I see, what I think is needed going forward.”
“I think we’re in a better position now to do a more targeted search and be more aggressive and early on recruiting specific candidates that we think meet the criteria that we’re looking for,” Crocker added.
Crocker appears to have made the right decision on the women’s side. Teams eliminated early from the 2023 World Cup in historic fashion In Australia and New Zealand, Director Vlatko Andonovski I got off.
Crocker Then he hired Emma Hayes.A highly decorated Chelsea FC athlete and internationally acclaimed coach, Hayes’ appointment was seen by many as a major win for the U.S. program, even if it meant a major one for the program. Wait 6 months She will take over as manager this summer, ending her tenure at Chelsea.
American women There is fresh energy and excitement They’ll be competing in the Olympics, but expectations are tempered as the coach and recruits find their footing. Overall, Hayes’ goal is the 2027 World Cup in Brazil.
The USSF named Hayes the highest-paid women’s coach in the world, putting her on equal financial footing with Berhalter. Will this commitment to equality limit what Crocker can offer the men’s coach?
“My job is to get the best head coach possible to move this program forward,” he said. “I know it’s a very competitive market salary-wise, and we need to be competitive to get a coach at the level that I believe can move the program forward. [the] “We need to continue to push for higher standards and equality, but I don’t see that as an impediment to our investment.”
Crocker believes the men’s program will benefit from a fresh perspective and sees the program as full of potential: Young players employed by European clubs Players compete in the top league. The 2026 World Cup will be held at a time when many of these players will be at the peak of their careers.
Crocker will need to hire someone who can improve on the tactics and personnel of a team that is attacking on paper but has allowed five goals in its past five games, and will need to overhaul the talent pool and look at players who have perhaps been overlooked.
So where does Crocker go? He had begun considering his options even before Berhalter’s announcement, but no names were mentioned Wednesday. Fan rumors online about former Liverpool manager Jurgen Klopp seem fanciful. MLS coaches are in the middle of their seasons. European club coaches are starting training camps. Some of the Euros and Copa America coaches may be looking for jobs.
While coaches heavily involved in club football are like chefs in a chaotic kitchen, preparing matches and registering players around the clock, the international game simmers slowly.
Crocker will need to find the right chef.
“I just want to get the best coach that can help the team win, and whether that coach is from the U.S. or another country, they need to fit the profile of a coach with back-to-back championships, someone who can continue to develop this group of potential players, someone who has a great interest and passion for player development,” Crocker said. “This group remains young, but at the same time, we’re at a stage where we have a lot of the right experience that we should get out of the group, and that’s my intention.”
