Gregg Berhalter gives first interview amid US Soccer scandal

Gregg Berhalter said Thursday that he is “sad” over the Reyna family’s alleged blackmail plot that led him to disclose a 31-year-old domestic violence incident.

Berhalter said in a statement earlier this week that he was attacked by a third party who intended to “knock him down” when he admitted to kicking his now-wife Rosalind when he was 18 years old.

Danielle Reyna, the mother of US player Gio Reyna, admitted on Wednesday to sharing information about the incident with US officials on December 11 after Berhalter detailed in a leadership conference how an anonymous player (later confirmed as Reyna) was almost sent home from Qatar due to not “meeting expectations”.

Former United States captain Claudio Reyna also threatened to share details of Berhalter’s past during the tournament, according to ESPN.

I think it’s sadness. Our entire family is saddened by these events. It’s something we want to move on from,” Berhalter, who played high school and youth soccer with Claudio Reyna, told the Harvard Business Review on Thursday.

“The worst part for me is that my heart aches for my wife. It was her story to tell.

Berhalter also mentioned during the 30-minute chat that he would like to continue as the US coach after the team was eliminated by the Netherlands in the round of 16 in Qatar.

“It’s a fantastic group of players, very high potential in this group… it would be an incredible challenge for this team.” [competing in the 2026 World Cup in the US, Mexico and Canada].’

Berhalter’s US soccer contract expired at the end of 2022, and assistant Anthony Hudson was selected to coach the team’s friendlies in January.

At the HOW Institute for Society Summit on Moral Leadership in December, Berhalter called the situation regarding Reyna in Qatar “extreme” as the player later acknowledged his bad behavior after being told he would play a role.” very limited” in the tournament.

the athletic they cited sources describing a ‘pronounced’ lack of effort from the player during the World Cup.

Asked Thursday if he had any regrets about how he handled the Reyna situation, Berhalter said: “We’re always looking to improve … if I had to do it all over again, I wouldn’t have told that story.”

He added at another point: “Trust is something that takes a long time to build but can disappear very quickly.”

‘You have to be coherent with who you are and you have to have clear values. And if you are, they can see it.

My bond with the players is very strong and it’s about maintaining that bond. And I think the players and staff know who I am and what I stand for.’

A winger for German Champions League club Borussia Dortmund, Reyna is considered one of the national team’s top talents and was widely expected to play an important role in Qatar.

Instead, he played just 52 minutes and didn’t make a single start. ‘

“It’s about looking those difficult conversations in the face and moving on,” Berhalter said Thursday.

“If a player doesn’t start a game, the last thing a coach should do is avoid telling him why.”

The coach concluded the interview by answering how he has been dealing with the recent situation.

‘I have a strong family. I have a very supportive family. For me it’s about my wife, it’s about feeling for her.

It is his story, I feel tremendously bad that my profession has had to bring this to light. We’ve had a lot of support, a lot of great messages from people who have known our family over the years.