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Just when you thought this soap opera couldn’t get any more bizarre…….
Gregg Berhalter threatened with blackmail during World Cup
World Soccer Talk January 03, 2023 EST
Gregg Berhalter threatened with blackmail during World Cup
World Soccer Talk January 03, 2023 EST
Some of these GB out crowd are extreme fools. I hope they do capture these idiots in the investigation and out them. There was no guarantee he would be back so this was never even needed and it's illegal. Like him or not, but he notched every check mark he was supposed to. He did nothing beyond that so there as a decision to make, but to bring this crap out is pure BS.
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USSF reveals investigation involving Berhalter
U.S. Soccer has revealed an investigation of coach Gregg Berhalter over details surrounding an altercation that occurred in 1991.
www.espn.com
Don't need this stuff about what Berhalter did as a drunk teenager out in the public. They obviously reconciled a long time ago and there's no evidence of any lack of repentance on his part as an adult. I am uncomfortably anxious about what more news may come out today (or sometime soon) on this matter. I would rather not have dark clouds of blackmail drama hanging over this program. I just fear the awkward and childish direction this news may head in.
For soccer reasons, I want a new manager by the time we get to the next Copa America. What is happening now does not affect my view of the matter from a soccer standpoint (leave the Berhalters alone, is my take).
I am open to being completely wrong in this, but my sense is that they are preparing to announce a Berhalter extension (even if it may now follow some sort of hiatus for a time) and they want to be out ahead of anything going public, from a PR perspective.
For soccer reasons, I want a new manager by the time we get to the next Copa America. What is happening now does not affect my view of the matter from a soccer standpoint (leave the Berhalters alone, is my take).
I am open to being completely wrong in this, but my sense is that they are preparing to announce a Berhalter extension (even if it may now follow some sort of hiatus for a time) and they want to be out ahead of anything going public, from a PR perspective.
Super poor form by all of the Reyna's. Gio for acting like a baby during a WC and then the parents for going full blown soccer/LL parents who's kid wasn't starting. I'm glad they got called out for this as that was a sh!tty thing to do. With friends like the Reyna's, who needs enemies?
The apple does not fall far from the tree? I do hope we see a Gio Reyna who grows up from out of this because we have never developed a talent quite like him. He's still young enough to be impressionable and mature. On the field, we will need him.
There is, however, more to the story that I am sure we have been made aware of yet, though I wish we weren't made aware of any of this by the adults in the room. So far this is all just depressing.
Thanks for posting that....it only reminds me how awful so many US Soccer fans are.
I never got the impression that Claudio was an issue to any coaches. I played against him as a kid and played with a couple of his HS/Club teammates in college. He was well aware of how good he was, let's just put it like that, but he was also a 2-3 time POY in the country IIRC. Had he "developed" in this current era, he would have been in Europe at 15 but the stink on US Soccer was still pretty big during that time. So yes we have developed a talent like him...his father was a Captain at Man City and Wolfsburg. His Dad is one of the most underrated players for the US, too bad he did his son wrong here IMO.
I still have to wonder what in the hell they were thinking...like what good was going to come out of this now? The decision to keep or toss GB probably was made weeks back IMO and this won't move that needle much. They had an idea after the WC what they were thinking IMO.
Sour grapes little"*****" move by the Reyna's ! They should be ashamed of themselves.
Lots of disappointing behavior in this saga:
- Berhalter's actions against his GF (future wife)
- Gio acting like a petulant, spoiled brat, during practice in the days before and during the WC
- Danielle's actions in contacting U.S. Soccer
- Berhalter's comments at the HOW Institute conference (which several of us said (after they became public) were inappropriate in a public forum (off the record or not)
- Claudio complaining to U.S. Soccer officials during the World Cup about Gio's use by Berhalter
- Claudio being on the call with Danielle when the info about Berhalter's actions against his then GF were conveyed
U.S. Soccer has become really sensitive about mistreatment of female athletes by male coaches. If what Danielle indicated "Without going into detail, the statements from yesterday significantly minimize the abuse on the night in question. Rosalind Berhalter was my roommate, teammate and best friend, and I supported her through the trauma that followed" are accurate, Berhalter could be in some trouble with U.S. Soccer. Without knowing the extent of what took place, it's hard for me to speculate as to how this will end up. But none of the aforementioned will come off looking good as a result of the saga. And regardless of what happens to Berhalter, if Gio doesn't grow up (and also avoid serious injuries), he may not become the star for the US that many of us who watched his developments thought he might become.
Well the Reyna's and Berhlaters were supposed to be life long friends and for them to pull this BS out now is a joke. They did more harm for Gio than anything else here. What he will do when the next coach doesn't pull his number to start or if he does start over a Weah or someone else....the question will be did he earn it? The older players in the locker room already called him out for being a punk basically and now this....yeah, that will go over well in the locker room. He needs his own PR person, distance himself from their actions, and just keep his head down and bust arse. That is all he can do.
Time heals all, but the Reyna's did a lot of damage with this IMO that wasn't necessary at all. Never mind the kids of GB who now have to read about something stupid their father did at 18 years of age. His wife has to have this out there for the world to see as well and this was never about protecting her from some menace....that time had long since passed. This was a Karen Soccer Mom losing her **** and feeling entitled enough to think she had every right to do it. At this point Stewart, McBride, and all of them need to go.....get some outside folks in and get away from that poisonous tree. The fact they felt they had a right to do this and Stewart and McBride didn't nip it in the bud right there makes me think even less of them.
This whole thing is a bit icky to say the least. I HAVE to think there is more to this all than what we already know and if there isn't, it is disturbingly petty.
I still don't fully believe Gregg's take on Gio's behavior, parts of which have already been proven false (that a vote had taken place)
But even if it was just pure Gregg stupidity that Claudio took issue with, dealing with it in this way is just disgusting.
I still don't fully believe Gregg's take on Gio's behavior, parts of which have already been proven false (that a vote had taken place)
But even if it was just pure Gregg stupidity that Claudio took issue with, dealing with it in this way is just disgusting.
Ice cold celebration
I will say, the more that I hear about this whole Berhalter/Reyna debacle the more I am on Reyna's side. Of course, all there is, is hearsay right now, from both sides, but, I can see the other side.
It has been alleged, by Eric Wynalda, that Berhalter has been treating Gio bad because Claudio Reyna didn't keep Berhalters son on the team when he was manager of Austin FC.
Further, some have said that there was never any blackmail or threat but that was alleged by Berhalter as a way to get out in front of the story. What really happened is that when Berhalter started spouting his mouth about how Gio was acting, that Gio's parents were completely upset by that because Berhalter himself has much worse behavior when he was Gio's age and never had anyone talk about it. Gio was thrown under the bus for his immature behavior but at least he wasn't a domestic abuser. It was pointing out the complete hypocrisy of Berhalter's behavior.
Gio is still VERY young and very immature. He needs to grow up no doubt and his cry baby antics shouldn't be tolerated. But, if he was in fact being treated poorly as retribution for hurt feelings between his coach and his dad, I get it. Further, if was asked to LIE and pretend he was hurt to cover up his coaches hypocrisy, and then the coach publicly throws him under the bus, I can't blame his parents for trying to throw Berhalter under the bus. I guess for Berhalter, nepotism is a way of life.
Wynalda claims Berhalter had a VENDETTA against Reyna before World Cup
Eric Wynalda has sensationally claimed the fallout with the Reyna and Berhalter families is 'eight or nine months' old and that Gregg Berhalter had a vendetta against Gio Reyna.
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Ice cold celebration
Dude just needs to grow up. Mom and Dad failed him there in a major way with the BS they pulled.
I still question that whole blackmail BS. Read my post above.
I do think they brought it up, but I doubt it was blackmail.
I think it was more like, how can you get up here and throw my kid under the bus for being immature when you, at the same age, were kicking women. I think also, Berhalter was not playing Gio as much because he was mad at Claudio.
All of this is easily figured out with an investigation and looking at the texts/emails.
It has zero to do with the blackmail and it doesn't excuse what they did. Claudio was sending folks messages during the world cup about this dirt he had....yet Claudioi was cheerleading for GB the day he was hired. That is out there, he was happy with the hire of GB. You went down the GB social media hate worm hole years ago and I don't take your opinion on him or this seriously.
Theses families all knew each other, wives were college roommates, guys were teammates at Saint Benedicts, and the Reyna's brought it up during the WC as Claudio was in fact sending messages before that conference so the whole we were pissed at the leak was utter BS. If you cannot see through it,,,,oh well. Forget GB for a second, what the Reyna's did was pure trash 30 years later and not until the WC when their son wasn't getting his way. This wasn't about protecting women or anything other than entitled parent syndrome. That isn't a mystery or hard to figure out. Most people can separate how they feel about GB as a HC versus what the Reyna's did.
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Ha, I " went down the GB social media hate worm hole years ago and I don't take your opinion on him or this seriously". Its more like a year ago because of ya know....results. Drawing with El Salvador and Jamaica, losing to Canada, Costa Rica and Panama.
You are a GB fanboy, I get it, but you are taking his word on it. HE was the one who said it was a blackmail attempt. Reyna said it wasn't. I can see Claudio bitching to his friends about how GB is throwing his son under the bus and asking him to lie to the media. And bringing up the fact that when he was a kid, he did way worse by abusing a woman. That gets back to GB, and his PR firm tells him to get out ahead of this and smear the Reyna's in response.
That speculation is as valid as yours.
Berhalter has a history of not playing Gio. The Olympic team, qualifiers etc. Why? I don't know.
What I do know is if Gio was a giant baby why isn't that a problem at Dortmund. You would think their coaches know him much better than GB does.
In the end, this is why I think its most likely better to have an outsider as our national team manager.
It's all t0o intertwined and these things are bound to happen.
Fanboy of GB....LOL....good stuff as there is no such thing and you're reaching yet again. Nobody was comparing abusing women either, but if the Reyna's were so pure with their intentions, why did Claudio applaud the hire of GB when it occurred? Why did Claudio think it was such a great hire.....oh he must have forgotten about the incident of 30 years ago Greg until his kid didn't get the PT he thought his son should have. Claudio was on twitter saying it was a good day of US Soccer the day GB was hired. He didn't comdemn the hire or run to Ernie then,,,,did he Greg? Gee Greg....what changed and somehow only at the WC? You cannot be that obtuse to not see what changed or why it took 4 years for him to bring this up. From great hire to he beats women....come on Greg. Pull that hook out of your mouth.
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I was taking the piss calling you a fanboy. I assume you were by saying I hated GB for “years” and have no credibility because I fell down some sort of supposed social media rabbit hole where everyone hates GB. Maybe you weren’t.
I don’t think that Claudio is outraged or upset about the Berhalter domestic abuse incident. Obviously that’s long passed. I think, and I could be wrong, but he could have just been pointing out the hypocrisy of making something public (Gios behavior) when he himself had horrible behavior when he was the same age and it was handled with discretion for all of these years. I think GB throwing Claudio’s son under the bus sparked rage in him. Especially GB asking his son to lie.
I am aware he was injured for some time. I’m also aware he wasn’t injured other times and was behind Zardes and Ferreira.
Let’s also not forget that our best defender wasn’t on the team because Berhalter doesn’t like him. There is a history of him putting personal in front of business. Btw, it should be no surprise to you I was also team Roy Keane over Mick McCarthy. Incompetence needs to be called out.
BTW, I disagree we are lesser than Holland. I think with a good manager, we are equal.
This is all I need to read to confirm my opinions. Thanks for playing.
The problem is that Reyna is head and shoulders more talented to US Soccer going forward than any other player. Did you see his wonder strike to seal a late win for Dortmond? Yes, he has some growing up to do, but the USMNT is short on Reyna's kind of dynamic attacking talent.
This is a big part of the problem with US Soccer. Alex Ferguson was right that soccer in our country faces some huge systemic issues, but at its core, it's nepotistic. Until that changes, our country will flail on the international stage.I will say, the more that I hear about this whole Berhalter/Reyna debacle the more I am on Reyna's side. Of course, all there is, is hearsay right now, from both sides, but, I can see the other side.
It has been alleged, by Eric Wynalda, that Berhalter has been treating Gio bad because Claudio Reyna didn't keep Berhalters son on the team when he was manager of Austin FC.
Further, some have said that there was never any blackmail or threat but that was alleged by Berhalter as a way to get out in front of the story. What really happened is that when Berhalter started spouting his mouth about how Gio was acting, that Gio's parents were completely upset by that because Berhalter himself has much worse behavior when he was Gio's age and never had anyone talk about it. Gio was thrown under the bus for his immature behavior but at least he wasn't a domestic abuser. It was pointing out the complete hypocrisy of Berhalter's behavior.
Gio is still VERY young and very immature. He needs to grow up no doubt and his cry baby antics shouldn't be tolerated. But, if he was in fact being treated poorly as retribution for hurt feelings between his coach and his dad, I get it. Further, if was asked to LIE and pretend he was hurt to cover up his coaches hypocrisy, and then the coach publicly throws him under the bus, I can't blame his parents for trying to throw Berhalter under the bus. I guess for Berhalter, nepotism is a way of life.
Wynalda claims Berhalter had a VENDETTA against Reyna before World Cup
Eric Wynalda has sensationally claimed the fallout with the Reyna and Berhalter families is 'eight or nine months' old and that Gregg Berhalter had a vendetta against Gio Reyna.www.dailymail.co.uk
What I am saying has ZERO to do with his talent or his future with the squad. He's a no brainer moving forward and will be a huge piece in at least the next 2-3 WC's.
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We have a pay for play system setup in place currently. Every European that has come over has said the same....we rule out so much talent just due to the youth club structures and out pricing kids from what should be a very cheap sport to play. The in house hiring will continue as they keep putting ex mens and womens national team players in charge. Hopefully this bout will force their hand to go outside the family, but the US also has some very delusional people thinking Zidane or other big name coaches will be running through doors to coach the US.
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Zendejas makes U.S.'s fresh-faced January camp all the more exciting
The January camp is a time to get a look at the next wave of U.S. talent, and Alejandro Zendeja's call-up this year is causing quite a stir.
www.espn.com
The one time they went outside for a proven winner in Klinsmann, they didn’t like his honesty and forced him out.
They need to look in the mirror and commit to total change. That’ll happen on the 5th of Never.
Zendejas makes U.S.'s fresh-faced January camp all the more exciting
The January camp is a time to get a look at the next wave of U.S. talent, and Alejandro Zendeja's call-up this year is causing quite a stir.
I am a bit confused by this whole story. I mean, the dude is 24 and playing for Club America, it isn't like he is some sort of game changer and in midfield, which is the last place we are in need of someone. Has anyone here seen him play?
This camp isn't one where we are going to bring in any Europeans, but I am praying that Folarin Balogun will make the switch. HE is the game changer we need.
He looked really good last night as did Cowell who I imagine may see some calls from across the pond.Zendejas makes U.S.'s fresh-faced January camp all the more exciting
The January camp is a time to get a look at the next wave of U.S. talent, and Alejandro Zendeja's call-up this year is causing quite a stir.
Serbia 2-1 United States (Jan 25, 2023) Game Analysis - ESPN
Expert recap and game analysis of the Serbia vs. United States International Friendly game from January 25, 2023 on ESPN.
www.espn.com
USMNT turn eye to next generation as Brandon Vazquez, Cade Cowell shine in Serbia loss
In the first game of a new World Cup cycle, the USMNT player pool inspired optimism with young talent in full swing despite losing to Serbia.
www.espn.com
USMNT coach Anthony Hudson hails Vazquez, Cowell, Zendejas after Serbia loss | MLSSoccer.com
Hard on the heels of a thrilling, drama-laden World Cup campaign, the US men’s national team are expending significant time and resources to call in two dozen players and schedule two friendlies for this January camp, the first of which resulted in a 2-1 loss to Serbia at LAFC’s BMO
www.mlssoccer.com
Cowell hit the woodwork twice. Could have been a different result.
But, that Vazquez goal was pure Vazquez. I get that he plays against MLS competition, but he's got a lethal finishing mentality that cannot be taught—regardless of level. I hope he gets some overseas looks.
Earnie Stewart is going back to a club job in the Netherlands. Personally, I hope we do not keep the Sporting Director position anyway—it's more of a club-level thing, anyway.
So, now McBride and Stewart are no longer with US Soccer. Plus, we do not have a manager yet. Berhalter is still a candidate, but I imagine it is so because they want to avoid any potential lawsuit. I also imagine that US Soccer still probably moves in another direction when they actually make a decision.
So, now McBride and Stewart are no longer with US Soccer. Plus, we do not have a manager yet. Berhalter is still a candidate, but I imagine it is so because they want to avoid any potential lawsuit. I also imagine that US Soccer still probably moves in another direction when they actually make a decision.
Three takeaways as USMNT's 2026 World Cup cycle gets off to shaky start | MLSSoccer.com
There are big questions for the US men’s national team right now, ones that weren’t ever going to be answered on Wednesday night in Los Angeles. They are questions of coaching, and of big players and bigger attitudes, and of all the other myriad things that any team faces each
www.mlssoccer.com
