Alexi Lalas backs USA’s re-hiring of head coach Gregg Berhalter saying he ‘deserves’ to carry on

Alexi Lalas supported the U.S. Soccer Federation’s choice to reinstate Gregg Berhalter as head coach, saying he “deserves” to continue and “hates” how the reappointed boss and his wife were “extorted, embarrassed and humiliated’.

After months of scandals, investigations and a search for managers where candidates were psychologically tested, Berhalter’s return to the Star and Stripes was confirmed on Friday.

His reappointment follows an investigation into a domestic incident in 1992 when he and his wife, Rosalind, were students at the University of North Carolina. Berhalter, who was a manager in Sweden and MLS before moving to international management, admitted to kicking his wife of 25 years after she punched him in the face during a heated argument on a night out at a bar when they were 18.

The report described the incident as an “isolated” incident, with “no evidence to suggest” that there were any other problems. The drama was thrown into the spotlight in the aftermath of the 2022 World Cup when it was revealed that the parents of US winger Gio Reyna had informed US soccer chiefs of the 1992 incident.

The report said that on the night of December 11, 2022, Reyna’s parents spoke to then-U.S. soccer chief Earnie Stewart to “disclose information about Mr. Berhalter.” […] whom Mrs. Reyna had known for decades and […] the information was made public at a time when the organization could be expected to be discouraged or otherwise influenced from offering Mr. Berhalter a contract extension.”

However, despite these actions, Alston & Bird’s report states that they do not constitute blackmail or extortion. On Friday, Lalas, who has 96 caps for the US and played in the 1994 World Cup, said news of Berhalter’s return “ends one of the strangest, saddest and ugliest stories in American football history.”

“Gregg Berhalter’s reputation was unnecessarily and forever tarnished by dredging up private and personal details from an event over 30 years ago that was none of our business,” he added.

This act of vengeance almost cost Berhalter the chance to continue his job, as coach of the US Men’s National Team, a job he proved himself very good at, and in all likelihood a job he left immediately after the World Cup. inQatar.

What’s more, the former LA Galaxy manager said Berhalter was “denied that opportunity, would have been wrong, unfair, and dishonored what the American Football Federation and American are supposed to represent.”

“I hate that Gregg Berhalter and his wife were blackmailed, embarrassed and humiliated,” Lalas further said in defense of the ex-Columbus Crew coach, whose first stint as USMNT coach lasted four years, from December 2018 to the last day of 2022. .

Alexi Lalas hates that Berhalter and his wife, Rosalind, were the subject of an investigation by the U.S. Soccer Federation after reports emerged in 1992 about a case of alleged domestic violence

The reports were leaked by the parents of winger Gio Reyna, whose father played for Berhalter

“But while it took a while, I’m glad the behavior didn’t pay off in the end and Berhalter wasn’t punished further. Gregg Berhalter has certainly done more than enough to continue as US coach.

“He’s clearly proven to the [US Soccer Federation] that he is still the best person for the job. Like any coach, he will have his supporters and his detractors, but a good man has been mistreated and his reassignment is a small victory for what is decent, fair and just.’

As a final note, Lalas pointed out that Berhalter’s reappointment will only bring stability and structure to the football federation of the country that will host the next World Cup in just under three years.

“We have great things to look forward to in American football,” said the former Padova, New England Revolution and LA Galaxy defender. The 2026 World Cup will be magical and groundbreaking for our country. We can’t afford to waste any more time.

“We have to move forward and I’m thankful that the US national team is leading the way with Greg Berhalter leading the way.”