When will the U.S. have a new Head Coach?
If anyone knows how to have an interim head coach, it is the U.S. Men’s National Team. The USSF announced Tuesday that USMNT assistant B.J. Callaghan would be elevated to the position of interim head coach following former interim head coach Anthony Hudson’s departure.
Hudson served as the interim manager for the U.S. following the 2022 World Cup. He coached the USMNT for five months, amassing a record of two wins, one loss and two draws. The U.S. also qualified for the Concacaf Nations League semifinals under Hudson, where it will play Mexico on June 15.
Hudson is departing his role with the USMNT to take a new head-coaching position in the Middle East.
New interim coach B.J. Callaghan has been an assistant for the USMNT for the last four years. Before that, he spent seven years with the Philadelphia Union, first as an academy coach and later as an assistant coach for Union manager Jim Curtain.
“B.J. has been an integral part of the USMNT staff during the last four years as this young team has grown and developed,” said USSF sporting director Matt Crocker in a statement. “Working alongside Anthony Hudson these last five months, we are confident he is prepared and ready to lead this group in the summer tournaments.”
All Quotes Via ESPN
The USMNT is currently preparing for a busy summer of competition. They will be looking to defend both their Nations League and Gold Cup titles from two summers ago.
“Our goal is clear: defend both of our CONCACAF titles,” said Callaghan.
While Callaghan seems like a decent coach that has experience with this current group of U.S. players, two interim coaches are two too many.
The USMNT has been without a coach since Gregg Berhalter’s contract expired at the end of 2022. Berhalter’s contract was not renewed following an investigation into a domestic violence incident from 1992 that involved him and his wife, Rosalind.
It makes sense that Berhalter’s contract was not renewed. Yes, he was cleared of all wrongdoing in the investigation, but the drama between the Berhalters and the Reynas made it practically impossible for Berhalter’s return to not be too large of a distraction.
It is also understandable that the USSF decided to take its time before hiring a new head coach. But come on, it has been five months and the USMNT is about to try and retain not one but two Concacaf titles this summer.
Matt Crocker has said that the USSF hopes to hire a new head coach by the end of the summer. Names such as Jesse Marsh, Jim Curtain, Thierry Henry and José Mourinho have been floated around as potential hires for the USMNT.
The process has still taken too long. Hopefully, the lengthy search process will mean a top-caliber head coach for the USMNT, but who knows with the USSF?
No offense to B.J. Callaghan, but he is not going to give U.S. fans confidence heading into the summer. The USMNT needs a head coach, not more caretaker managers. Granted, if Callaghan does manage to lead the U.S. to victory this summer, he will be fondly remembered by U.S. fans for years to come.
Callaghan is not the long-term solution though. The USMNT needs a new head coach, someone who can start shaping the team as the U.S. gets ready for the 2026 World Cup.
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