Sports
Who should USMNT hire to replace Berhalter? Analysing Klopp, Pochettino, Vieira and others
U.S Soccer has taken the decision to part ways with Gregg Berhalter after the United States men’s national team’s disappointing showing at the Copa America on home soil.
The team finished third in their group, with Uruguay and Panama advancing to the knockout stage. With only two years to go until the U.S. co-hosts the World Cup, they have decided to make a change.
GO DEEPER
USMNT had questions before its Copa America exit. Now those get even louder
There are plenty of high-profile foreign managers on the market — not least Jurgen Klopp after he left Liverpool this summer — as the U.S. Soccer Federation (USSF) looks to appoint Berhalter’s successor.
“I think now we’re in a better place to have much more of a targeted search where I’ll be more inclined to go hard and go early with specific candidates that I feel meet the criteria that we’re looking for,” said U.S. Soccer’s sporting director Matt Crocker.
Asked if speaking English was still a criteria for the position, Crocker said: “I think effective communication is critical when you need to get a message across to the players. That hasn’t changed. And we’ll be considering a really wide pool of candidates. I’m already on that straightaway. Our intention is to continue with that process.”
Here are some of the possible candidates to replace Berhalter, and the style of football they might bring to the USMNT set-up. Who would you like to see take over?
Jurgen Klopp
Jurgen Klopp favours a high defensive line and a high press designed to win the ball back at the earliest opportunity when possession is lost — as shown by The Athletic’s playstyle wheel below, which outlines how a team look to play compared with Europe’s top seven domestic leagues.
It’s high risk, high reward — always playing on the front foot, always trying to seize the initiative. Caution is not a word in the 57-year-old’s vocabulary. Looking at their “Patient attack” metric below (23 out of 99), it’s clear Klopp likes his side to go for the throat and punish the opposition as soon as possible.
Klopp would be a breath of fresh air tactically and man-management wise, he’s already proven he can get the best out of talent across the board — fostering a sense of unity and togetherness.
The USMNT’s roster could appeal to him too. Take, for example, the blistering attack which won so many plaudits at Anfield. Klopp’s Liverpool were at their best with a high-energy, hard-running front three, and attackers such as Christian Pulisic, Folarin Balogun and Ricardo Pepi could, in theory at least, be appealing to the German.
With all those players, and indeed most of the USMNT’s main men, playing in Europe, Klopp would also be familiar with their leagues and the tactical systems they operate under at clubs.
Gareth Southgate
Gareth Southgate has overseen a transformation of England’s reputation since he took the role as national team manager in 2016.
While fans might have grown frustrated by Southgate’s lack of tactical invention with such a talented squad of players, the 53-year-old has shown a ruthlessness to his character in recent months — most notably leaving the experienced Jordan Henderson and Marcus Rashford from his long list of 33 players for the European Championship.
While Southgate has favoured a back four system in recent years, he has shown flexibility in adapting to a back three — often as a counter-measure to the opposition setup, as shown in England’s matches against Switzerland and Netherlands as they reached the Euro 2024 final.
International football is tactically and qualitatively different from club football, meaning the remit is less about the day-to-day coaching and more about the long-term vision of the national team. Southgate may have been criticised for his tactical acumen at times, but his near-ambassadorial presence is a valuable asset that should not be underestimated at international level.
Neither should his willingness to take qualified risks with gifted but inexperienced players. Kobbie Mainoo, 19, and Adam Wharton, 20, were included in his current squad on the adage that they were good enough and so old enough, and Americans such as the 20-year-old Chelsea goalkeeper Gaga Slonina might feel their prospects of a World Cup spot increase. So too may 14-year-old Manchester City-bound prodigy Cavan Sullivan, who will be the same age as Spain’s Lamine Yamal is now when the 2026 tournament begins.
Mauricio Pochettino
Mauricio Pochettino’s preferred style is grounded in high intensity and pressing, and Chelsea’s numbers for last season point to a side that did not step off when out of possession (intensity: 89 out of 99).
Issues in both penalty boxes were a key narrative of Chelsea’s season under Pochettino. Their underlying chance creation (83 out of 99) was strong, but it seemed to come at the expense of a dreadfully poor defensive record (chance prevention: 32 out of 99). Chelsea’s 1.4 non-penalty expected goals conceded per 90 minutes invariably gave them a mountain to climb in each match, and Pochettino struggled to find that balance for a lot of the season.
As unglamorous as it may sound, international football is grounded in having strong defensive foundations first and Pochettino did not showcase that in his most recent time in the dugout.
Such shortcomings would naturally put more focus on the individual quality of the back line and goalkeeper; areas where the current U.S. roster has its problems. Goalkeeper Matt Turner barely played for Nottingham Forest last season and his kicking and distribution were at times questionable at the Copa America. Behind him, Ethan Horvath is a step down in quality again and conceded a poor goal when forced into action after Turner’s injury against Panama.
Then there is a shortage of obvious candidates to replace ageing centre-back Tim Ream and doubts over the strength in depth behind him and Chris Richards. At Chelsea, Pochettino arguably had better defenders and they still struggled.
Thomas Tuchel
Despite a disappointing season relative to Bayern Munich’s standards, the underlying numbers from Tuchel’s side show how dominant they have still been in both boxes. Competing with a history-making, invincible Bayer Leverkusen side was not part of the plan, but Bayern’s 1.6 xG difference per 90 — which accounts for the quality of chances created and conceded — was the best of any side across Europe’s top five leagues.
Tuchel’s tactical acumen is undeniable, but question marks over his temperament might be a factor that works against him. Across his three most recent roles at Paris Saint-Germain, Chelsea and Bayern Munich, he averaged a tenure of one year, nine months and 15 days. International football is different, of course, but if the USMNT is looking for a long-term vision, Tuchel might not be the best man. He is, however, available after leaving Bayern and meeting Manchester United earlier this summer.
There may also be the thorny issue of what Pulisic would make of a Tuchel appointment. The pair worked together at Stamford Bridge and it became clear it was, at times, a strained relationship, with the U.S. captain admitting he was “dumbfounded” at being dropped for a Champions League semi-final in 2021.
Thomas Frank
Thomas Frank, 50, would bring a clear tactical philosophy. His 5-3-2 formation is combative, disciplined, and a nightmare to play against. In the past three seasons, only Brighton have taken more than Brentford’s 35 points against the ‘Big Six’ in the Premier League, with the west London side securing two wins over Manchester City, three over Chelsea, and a 4-0 thrashing of Manchester United.
Equally, his ability to shift his side to a 4-3-3 across the season shows a tactical versatility that would be highly suited to international football, where maximising the strengths of the players at your disposal is paramount.
The fact that Frank has overseen Brentford’s rise into the Premier League for the first time and has now kept them there for three consecutive seasons speaks to the transformative job he has performed. He is an experienced coach and a good motivator boasting long-term success.
He has also spoken of being open to possibilities and this would represent an exciting new one for the personable Dane. His likability and ability to build morale could be welcomed by the U.S. players — especially those, like Gio Reyna, who have at times clashed with Berhalter.
Ralf Rangnick
As the Godfather of gegenpressing, you know what you are going to get with a Ralf Rangnick team. His high-energy, relentless approach has inspired so many coaches who have worked with him, and when asked to describe his playing philosophy during a recent interview for The Coaches’ Voice, the German said, “It’s a high-pressing, counter-pressing football. I would say fast, proactive, attacking, counter-attacking, counter-pressing and exciting.”
Anyone doubting Rangnick’s ability to instil such methods at international level need only to look at Austria’s out-of-possession approach during Euro 2024 this summer. Their 10.1 passes allowed per defensive action (PPDA) — a metric where a lower number denotes a more active pressing approach — shows them to be the most intense pressers of any side in the tournament.
In possession, Rangnick is a believer in possession with a purpose. Where possible, look to pass it forward, and limit those square or backward passes that slow the game down. Fans of New York Red Bulls under Jesse Marsch will be highly familiar with this style, with Marsch a staunch advocate of Rangnick’s gung-ho method of attack.
The U.S. have individuals, such as Pulisic and, at his best, Reyna, who can make things happen while also being athletic enough to press hard in the Rangnick style.
The 66-year-old has experience in international management, having been in charge of Austria for two years.
Patrick Vieira
While Patrick Vieira’s RC Strasbourg finished 13th in Ligue 1 last season, the 48-year-old recently shared his lofty targets for the future.
“The ambition is to play European football in the next three years,” Vieira said on the Stick to Football podcast. “Of course, coming from this year, there is a big turn of young players, and this year was challenging and difficult — we struggled and went through some difficult periods.”
Vieira favours a considered, possession-dominant style of football, but he has rarely had the players to implement it. At Crystal Palace, he had to compromise those plans for an attritional, counter-attacking approach which saw Vieira sacked after a 12-game winless run.
Strasbourg’s playing style looks similarly confused, as Vieira encourages his team to circulate the ball when they have it (82 out of 99) — even if those opportunities are rare (Possession, 17 out of 99) — but his side often lacked the bite at the top end of the field (Chance creation, 41 out of 99).
Vieira’s experience coaching NYCFC in MLS would be a useful headstart to acclimatise to U.S. soccer, but his recent roles have shown that he is still a developing manager compared with the other candidates on the list.
It is in his old position, central midfield, where the current roster is stocked with talent. Younger prospects such as Real Betis’ Johnny Cardoso and Malik Tillman could learn from one of the best-ever in that role. At the same time, the more experienced trio of Pulisic, Weston McKennie and Tim Weah would have a manager who knows exactly what it is like to play in two of Italy’s biggest clubs, AC Milan and Juventus. The USMNT has tried great players as coach before (see Jurgen Klinsmann) to differing effect but Vieira’s CV is among the best.
A World Cup winner in charge for the next World Cup would have to be a potential plus.
(Top photos: Getty Images)
Sports
Prep basketball roundup: Ontario Christian girls knock off defending state champion Etiwanda
It’s not every day that Dawn Staley, coach of South Carolina, the No. 1-ranked women’s basketball team, walks into a Southern California gym. Staley, in town ahead of Sunday’s game between South Carolina and UCLA at Pauley Pavilion, dropped by Harvard-Westlake on Saturday night to see Etiwanda take on Ontario Christian in a matchup of The Times’ No. 1 and No. 2 girls teams.
Of course, Staley has interest in Ontario Christian sophomore All-American Kaleena Smith and freshman standouts Sydney Douglas and Tatianna Griffin. And there’s also players on Etiwanda, the two-time defending state champions.
Ontario Christian (3-0) made an early-season statement as the team of the future with a 74-66 victory over the Eagles (2-1) to win the Harvard-Westlake tournament. Douglas scored 23 points, Smith had 20 points and Griffin added 12 points. Grace Knox led Etiwanda with 30 points and Aliyahna Morris had 16. Ontario Christian’s pressure defense combined with balanced scoring left Etiwanda behind by as many as 16 points.
It was a Smith step-back three in the second quarter that had Staley turning to one of her assistants in the bleachers with a big grin.
“I love her,” Smith said. “She’s come to my games.”
Ontario Christian first-year coach Aundre Cummings said, “It means a bunch because she has been such an advocate for the women’s game. To see a legend like her support this is a blessing.”
Boys basketball
Chatsworth 60, Etiwanda 54: The Chancellors (4-0) continue to impress as the No. 1 team from the City Section. Alijah Arenas finished with 29 points.
Brentwood 94, Westlake 74: AJ Okoh contributed 26 points and was named tournament MVP at Simi Valley. Shane Frazier added 24 points and Shalen Sheppard 16.
Mira Costa 74, Tesoro 55: The Mustangs won the Ocean View tournament. Eneasi Piuleini had 23 points and earned tourney MVP honors.
St. John Bosco 81, Francis Parker 40: The No. 1-ranked Braves opened with an easy home victory. Brandon McCoy scored 25 points and Elze Harrington added 20 points. Christian Collins had 16 rebounds.
Harvard-Westlake 65, Westchester 39: The Wolverines (3-0) completed their first week unbeaten. Nik Khamenia had 15 points.
San Juan Hills 62, Trabuco Hills 48: Mason Hodges scored 25 points and earned MVP honors at the Santa Ana tournament.
Birmingham 48, Oakwood 41: Mandell Anthony had 22 points in the Patriots’ season opener.
Heritage Christian 81, Legacy 49: Tae Simmons had 36 points and 19 rebounds and Dillan Shaw added 22 points and 11 rebounds for Heritage Christian.
Simi Valley 59, Crescenta Valley 57: Joaquin Aleman had 26 points for Simi Valley.
Dominguez 61, Valley Christian 60: Sophomore Rueben Brown had 20 points for Dominguez.
Los Osos 81, Crenshaw 50: Jalen Washington led Crenshaw with 21 points.
Redondo Union 76, Rancho Cucamonga 69: Chace Holley contributed 22 points and Chris Sanders 20 points for Redondo Union. Aaron Glass had 27 points for Rancho Cucamonga.
Chaminade 56, Liberty 55: Jonas Thurman scored 17 points for 3-0 Chaminade.
Sherman Oaks Notre Dame 85, Saugus 55: Lino Mark had 27 points and NaVorro Bowman added 18 points for the 3-0 Knights.
Viewpoint 63, Arleta 42: Wesley Waddles had 20 points and 11 rebounds for Viewpoint (3-0).
JSerra 80, San Tan 59: Jarne Eyenga had 18 points for JSerra (1-2).
La Habra 76, Anaheim Canyon 63: Acen Jimenez completed an impressive first week with a 32-point performance for La Habra. Brandon Benjamin scored 27 points for Canyon.
Sports
The rise of football’s ‘arrival fits’, putting player fashion in the spotlight
Tom Marchitelli worked as an accountant for a hedge fund for eight years before setting up a side hustle that soon became his full-time business.
Marchitelli started a custom menswear clothing business called Gentleman’s Playbook a decade ago. Since then, he has accrued approximately 500 clients, the majority of whom are professional athletes in the NFL, NBA, NHL and MLB, and on the PGA Tour.
When The Athletic spoke with Marchitelli, he was heading to an airport in Dallas after a meeting with a baseball player.
In his role as personal designer, stylist and tailor, Marchitelli handpicks entire wardrobes for a clientele which includes Kansas City Chiefs tight end Travis Kelce. During the different pre-seasons across the United States’ various leagues, Marchitelli is rarely in one city for long. As well as working on a lookbook of outfits for specific events, the majority of his work centres around personalising entire collections of tunnel fits for the athletes he works with.
“Tunnel fits” is the phrase used to describe what sportsmen and women wear when they turn up at venues for games (‘fits’ being short for ‘outfits’).
Usually, athletes arrive in the tunnel beneath the arena wearing their best outfits, which is where the name derives from. Think of it as a pre-game runway, where players across sports in North America showcase their personalities through what they wear.
The most fashion-conscious athletes, such as Houston Texans’ Stefon Diggs or Oklahoma City Thunder’s Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, will go big, but others prefer to keep it simple.
Kyle Kuzma was in the former camp, and is now the latter. The Washington Wizards forward recently announced his ‘retirement’ from the tunnel walk after taking the game to heights with choices including an incredibly oversized pink Raf Simons jumper and a black Rick Owens puffer jacket.
“I don’t want to be a part of that type of community where you have to put on a ’fit. I’m really taking a backseat to all of that,” Kuzma told Vogue in October.
While Kuzma has checked out and traded in a palate of high fashion for plain-tasting sweatsuits, in Europe, footballers are only just checking into the world of tunnel fits.
“It is a sport within sports (in the U.S.),” Marchitelli says. “Social media plays a huge role, because all major sports teams have media people who are in charge of photographing the players as they enter.
“That’s only been around, I would say maybe eight years, because when I first started, that (posting images of players arriving to games on social media) wasn’t a thing. And then it started becoming so visible.
“You’re getting a close and personal look at what athletes look like when they’re not in their uniforms (team kit), and how they are choosing to express themselves. And, over time, players have taken more pride in how they show up for work.
“Another big factor that drives it is competition among players. These guys are trying to outdress guys on their team, guys on other teams across their sport, and even crossing over into other sports.
“When they show up to the arena, they’re given the uniform that they’re forced to wear, so they don’t have any real choices of self-expression other than their shoes, cleats (boots), maybe a wristband accessory or a headband. But the outfit that they wear to show up to the game, they’re able to express how they feel and how they want to look.”
Marchitelli could field a team in each men’s major sports league with the number of clients he has, but not a single one is a professional footballer despite MLS and NWSL teams having both dabbled in this subcultural movement.
In European football, tunnel fits are almost nonexistent. France international Jules Kounde led the way for Barcelona in recent seasons with his ensembled looks which blend vintage finds with high fashion. This season though, Barca players are no longer been allowed to arrive for games in their own clothes. This has led Kounde, a face now as recognisable in fashion quarters as much as football, capturing his fits to share with his followers on social media after matches instead.
Most teams have a strict club-tracksuits-only policy applied to matchday and this is one of the main reasons why pre-game tunnel fits have not yet taken off in football.
So where is the individuality? The answer to that does not yet reside in the underbelly of stadiums but in the car parks of the sport’s training grounds. Heading into training for your club or national team has slowly evolved into a time when players across the men’s and women’s games can showcase their style in the form of arrival fits.
Showing up for international duty, in particular, has become a moment for players to demonstrate their fashion prowess.
Last month, Liverpool defender Ibrahima Konate arrived at France’s training ground wearing a neon green hood zipped over his face while his international team-mate Marcus Thuram, often bedecked in Balenciaga and Chrome Hearts, is among those also paving the way.
Players of Argentina, Belgium and Portugal are three other standouts who consistently show up. Meanwhile, England — whose players include Louis Vuitton brand ambassador Jude Bellingham — are still strutting around in team-supplied Nike tracksuits, proving the trend has not completely caught fire everywhere.
“It was probably 2022 when that (arrival fits) wave really began,” Jordan Clarke, founder of Footballer Fits, a platform which celebrates footballer fashion, says.
Clarke noticed that Premier League team Crystal Palace had started putting pictures on Instagram of their players arriving at their south London training ground wearing their own clothes. After starting a conversation with the club, Footballer Fits and Palace have been collaborating on Instagram posts to showcase what players are wearing ever since.
“Now we’ve done it with Chelsea, Nottingham Forest, Anderlecht in Belgium, we’ve done it with Brentford a lot, we’ve done it with Crystal Palace Women, Chelsea Women — there are so many,” says Clarke, who hopes that arrival fits are a precursor to tunnel fits becoming a regular sight in football.
“I don’t want to leave anyone out, but we’ve done it with so many clubs and now you’re seeing Liverpool, Newcastle United and Manchester City maybe not doing it in collaboration with us, but they’re doing it (themselves) now, and that’s amazing to see.
“With training, there is a lot less pressure. They (clubs) can release photos midweek and whatever happens on the weekend, unless you’re a super-negative person, I don’t think people are going to link back to what the players wore to training as the reason why they lost.”
Siobhan Wilson is one of the players who has featured on Footballer Fits’ Instagram page in collaboration with her club, Birmingham City Women, and she would welcome an escape from the traditional pre-match tracksuit.
“It actually annoys me, you know — especially when you see what they are doing in the WNBA,” says the 30-year-old Jamaica international with a laugh. “I wish we did stuff like that here. They just want us to all look like clones of each other, but it’s fine.”
Wilson used to deliver mail while playing part-time for Palace. She now combines a full-time playing career at Birmingham, who are top of the second-tier Championship, with being a fitness influencer to 1.3million followers on TikTok.
“It’s nice for the fans to see players express themselves through what they’re wearing and their style,” she says. “You get to see people’s personalities by doing that, so it would be something that I would love to see more of.
“For me, I feel like if you’ve got like a nice ’fit on, and a good pair of shoes on, you just feel good. But I get the other side (players arriving in uniform tracksuits) too. It is a team game. You’re there to play as a team, so I get it from that standpoint, but wearing your own clothes and feeling comfortable in what you’re wearing: it allows you to be yourself a bit more.”
Algen Hamilton is a designer and stylist from south London.
His break in the fashion industry arrived when he started styling looks for footballer friend Reiss Nelson, the Fulham winger (on loan from Arsenal) who he met at primary school aged four. Hamilton’s client list includes Trevoh Chalobah (Crystal Palace, on loan from Chelsea), Kai Havertz (Arsenal), Joe Willock (Newcastle), Ben Chilwell (Chelsea) and Mateo Kovacic (Manchester City).
“I’ll work with them constantly throughout the season, whenever they want to — when they have an event coming up or they have an awards ceremony or they’re going to a premiere,” Hamilton, 24, explains. “When it comes to arrival fits, those looks normally come from the wardrobe I create and I’ll update it multiple times in a year.
“I speak to them first about what they want to wear and what the vibe is that we are going for, if it’s different to before, where they are travelling to et cetera. Then I’ll go off, make the outfits and send them a message. They will tell me which outfits they love.
“So, for example, I’m working with Trevoh right now. We made a whole bunch of outfits, which he picked, and then there are brands who want to gift some stuff for winter.”
Having worked with Chalobah on a full-time basis since 2021, Hamilton has watched the progression of football and fashion’s relationship firsthand.
“When I first started, players weren’t really going out there dressing up like they do now, and it wasn’t just the Premier League — we are talking La Liga (its Spanish equivalent) and the Bundesliga (the top division in Germany),” he says.
“Also, brands weren’t really opening up partnerships to football players either. As time has gone by, the popularity has grown and supporters are tapping into the player outside of the training ground and off the pitch. I feel like now, those opportunities are happening more. Players are more open with their fits and want to show them off.
“We have watched the game change bit by bit and it is only a matter of time for it to get to that stage where it’s like the sports are in America. But let’s not mix a step forward with progress, because it can be a step forward seeing teams do that (post-arrival fits on social media) but it doesn’t mean it’s actual progression for the teams to change their minds.
“The Premier League is very traditional. They’ll probably be the last league that will change how things are.
“It would be nice for the progress to be meaningful; for it (wearing an arrival outfit) not to be looked at as a distraction or as a moment where players aren’t focused on what the team objectives are, but to see it as an opportunity where players are expressing themselves.”
GO DEEPER
Footballers, modelling and the power of expression
(Top photos: Getty Images; design: Kelsea Peterson)
Sports
Jason Kelce to host new late-night show on ESPN
Jason Kelce is expanding his media resume.
The future Hall of Famer, who is a podcast host and “Monday Night Football” analyst, announced Thursday he will host a late-night show on ESPN.
Kelce made the announcement during an appearance with Jimmy Kimmel, a future rival.
“I loved late-night shows. I’ve always loved them. I remember sleepovers watching Conan O’Brien with my friends,” Kelce said on Kimmel’s show. “We’re going to have a bunch of guys up there — legends of the game, friends that I played with, coaches, celebrities.”
The first four episodes of “They Call It Late Night With Jason Kelce” will be broadcast in front of a live audience at Union Transfer in Philadelphia, where Kelce played all 13 of his NFL seasons with the Eagles.
The first episode will be taped the evening of Jan. 3 and will be broadcast the following morning at 1 a.m. ET. ESPN will record four more shows, and the final broadcast is scheduled for Feb. 1.
Kelce and his younger brother, Travis, launched a podcast, “New Heights,” in 2022, a few months before facing each other in the Super Bowl.
After Travis won that Super Bowl, he hosted “Saturday Night Live,” and Jason made an appearance. Travis is also the host of the show “Are You Smarter Than A Celebrity?”
Kelce’s wife, Kylie, announced Friday she is pregnant with the couple’s fourth daughter. In his career, he made seven Pro Bowls and was a six-time first-team All-Pro selection.
Follow Fox News Digital’s sports coverage on X, and subscribe to the Fox News Sports Huddle newsletter.
-
Business7 days ago
Column: Molly White's message for journalists going freelance — be ready for the pitfalls
-
Science4 days ago
Trump nominates Dr. Oz to head Medicare and Medicaid and help take on 'illness industrial complex'
-
Politics6 days ago
Trump taps FCC member Brendan Carr to lead agency: 'Warrior for Free Speech'
-
Technology5 days ago
Inside Elon Musk’s messy breakup with OpenAI
-
Lifestyle6 days ago
Some in the U.S. farm industry are alarmed by Trump's embrace of RFK Jr. and tariffs
-
World6 days ago
Protesters in Slovakia rally against Robert Fico’s populist government
-
News6 days ago
They disagree about a lot, but these singers figure out how to stay in harmony
-
News6 days ago
Gaetz-gate: Navigating the President-elect's most baffling Cabinet pick