US Soccer has the dual task of making a decision on the future of USMNT head coach Gregg Berhalter while also retaining attorneys to investigate an allegation by Berhalter that he was the victim of blackmail.
The timing couldn’t be worse.
On December 31, Berhalter’s contract as head coach ended. US Soccer says that “US Soccer will announce who will lead the January Men’s National Team camp in the coming days.” With the January camp expected to begin next week, the sooner US Soccer makes a decision, the better. USMNT has two friendlies scheduled for late January in the team’s first games since the World Cup.
That’s one thing, but the issue is compounded when Gregg Berhalter made a public statement today to reveal a domestic violence incident that occurred 31 years ago. Berhalter has brought the issue up because he claims he was threatened with blackmail during the World Cup.
USSF Release Statement on Gregg Berhalter’s Blackmail Claims
After Berhalter went public with the claims, US Soccer’s communications team issued a press release that lacks many details.
It reads:
“Upon learning of the allegation against US Men’s National Team head coach Gregg Berhalter on December 11, 2022, US Soccer immediately engaged Alston & Bird LLP to conduct an independent investigation into the matter. The investigation is led by Jenny Kramer, BJay Pak and Chris Marquardt of Alston & Bird LLP and is ongoing.
“Through this process, US Soccer became aware of possible inappropriate behavior toward various members of our staff by individuals outside of our organization. We take such behavior seriously and have expanded our investigation to include those allegations.
“We appreciate Gregg and Rosalind coming forward to speak openly about this incident. In keeping with our commitment to transparency, we will share the results of the investigation publicly when it is complete. US Soccer condemns violence of any kind and takes such allegations very seriously.
“Last month, US Soccer released a full technical review of our Men’s National Team Program. With the review and investigation underway, US Soccer will announce who will lead the January Men’s National Team camp in the coming days. We look forward to building on the performance in Qatar and preparing for the journey to 2026.”
Deciphering the US Soccer press release
Much of the press release requires the ability to read between the lines to try to determine what they are saying.
For example, the press release refers to Berhalter as the head coach of the US Men’s National Team, even though his contract expired on December 31. Has the contract been renewed before an official announcement can be revealed? Or has it been temporarily extended for the January camp until US Soccer makes a final decision?
The US Soccer press release also mentions that the organization plans to determine who will lead the January camp. Perhaps that is an indication that it will be a short-term deal?
In the press release, it is mentioned that US Soccer learned of the blackmail allegation on December 11. Did the incident occur on December 11, more than a week after the US was knocked out of the World Cup against the Netherlands on December 3? Or were you slow to share the revelation with US Soccer?
Also, did Berhalter’s appearance at the Institute for Society HOW Summit on Moral Leadership on December 6 have any relevance to the timeline? At the event in New York City, Berhalter aired dirt on him about Gio Reyna.
On December 10, Berhalter attended a basketball game in Chicago with his wife (pictured above).
Photo: IMAGO / Sports Press Photo
