USMNT needs a better coach, not a Steve 'yes man' Cherundolo
The main reason why US Soccer is even considering the hiring of LAFC’s Steve Cherundolo as the new head coach of the US Men’s National Team is because he’s a “yes man.” Previously, Cherundolo was interviewed by US Soccer before Berhalter was re-hired in 2023. Despite this, he has less first-team coaching experience than Berhalter whose US team crashed out of the Copa America group stage earlier this month.
While he has coaching experience in the German youth development program and at LAFC, ‘Dolo’ hasn’t been tested at a high level as a manager. To date, Cherundolo’s managerial claim to fame was coaching LAFC to the MLS Cup title in 2022, where his team won in a penalty shootout.
Coaching experience aside, Cherundolo is likely the ideal candidate in the minds of US Soccer executives. He won’t rock the boat. While he’s a genuinely nice guy who World Soccer Talk has previously interviewed, he’s the type of coach who won’t say anything controversial. He’s been schooled in the industry-speak of MLS and US Soccer where he will rarely share his honest thoughts about the programs. Instead, you’ll get a “robo-coach” who will stay on message.
What makes Cherundolo appealing to US Soccer
In hiring Cherundolo, he will hide behind many systemic problems we see with US soccer. For example, the pay-to-play system prevents many of the best athletes from becoming soccer stars. Likewise, the lack of a pyramid results in too many professional clubs going out of existence. As a result, there aren’t enough players coming through the system from the bottom up. At the same time, MLS allows more than 60% of its teams to reach the playoffs. That creates an environment of mediocrity where players can coast through the season.
These are issues that a US head coach such as Cherundolo won’t discuss publicly.
While there are positives that can be drawn from US soccer, you can guarantee that if US Soccer hired a new national team coach such as Marcelo Bielsa, Jose Mourinho, or Thierry Henry, they would speak up about the issues that are holding back soccer in this country.
Cherundolo isn’t going to embarrass US Soccer. Instead, he’s a “yes man” who will do what US Soccer asks of him, and attempt to get the best out of the squad. He won’t cause any scenes or say anything that would put MLS or US Soccer in a bad light. With him, he will say all the right things that US Soccer wants him to, thus allowing the US Soccer Federation time to concentrate on other matters.
USMNT needs a better coach and may miss out on a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity
Honestly, US Soccer hiring Steve Cherundolo will be too comfortable of a hire for US Soccer. Instead of taking risks, the likelihood is that we’ll get a better version of the status quo.
The shame is that US Soccer has the once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to hire a coach who can bring success to the US Men’s National Team at World Cup 2026. A coach who can help develop talent knows how to set up to beat the big teams and produce the results to make us proud of the national team once again. In seven long years of Berhalter’s tenure as head coach, our national team failed to defeat a single Top 25-ranked team outside the CONCACAF teams.
What US Soccer needs is someone who has the vision to generate short-term success at the same time as pushing for long-term changes. Instead of a “mister nice guy” such as Cherundolo, US Soccer needs someone who will challenge the system. While Jurgen Klinsmann wasn’t the answer (indeed, he was criticized by MLS Commissioner Don Garber for wanting his USMNT players to better themselves by playing in Europe), another German such as Ralf Rangnick would be a more logical choice.
US Soccer President Cindy Parlow-Cone and CEO JT Batson must get this decision right. Ultimately, they’re the ones who hired US Soccer Technical Director Matt Crocker, so the buck stops with them, not Crocker.
Does US Soccer hire one of their guys, or does the Federation choose someone better who will encourage the changes necessary to propel this proud soccer nation to greater accomplishments? One thing that we can be sure about is that the USMNT needs a better coach.
Photo: IMAGO / ZUMA Press Wire