For the most part, the USMNT's performance at the 2022 World Cup was very encouraging. But everything that has happened since the tournament has been wildly concerning, and it looks like the program has a lot of problems to figure out moving forward. Of course, the Gregg Berhalter-Gio Reyna scandal is responsible for many of these problems.
For those who missed it, Reyna and his parents attempted to blackmail Berhalter into playing Reyna more at the World Cup after the star US midfielder found out he wouldn't be playing much during the tournament. This has resulted in several huge issues popping up for US Soccer, and another twist was recently added to the tale when it was announced that Sporting Director Earnie Stewart would be leaving his post to return to the Netherlands to work with PSV Eindhoven in the Eredivisie.
“U.S. Soccer sporting director Earnie Stewart is leaving his post to join Dutch club PSV Eindhoven, the U.S. federation announced Thursday. The move, which U.S. Soccer said was ‘not impacted' by the Reyna-Berhalter scandal and the ongoing review of the U.S. men's national team program, will deepen and prolong the uncertainty around the USMNT and its coaching future…In the aftermath of the World Cup, at which the U.S. advanced to the Round of 16, official statements from U.S. Soccer framed Stewart as the one leading a broad review of the USMNT program. That review has now taken an uncertain turn.” – Henry Bushnell, Yahoo Sports
This is another huge development, as Stewart was supposed to play a role in helping the program figure out how to move forward from this scandal. Instead, he has jumped ship, leaving the status of pretty much everything surrounding US Soccer up in the air. This whole scandal between Berhalter and Reyna has been interesting to follow so far, and it looks like it will remain that way for the foreseeable future.
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