Soccer Roundtable: Who should be the next USMNT coach?

One big fish, Zinedine Zidane, has already jumped out of the USMNT coaching pond of possibilities, but there are plenty of others left in the sea.

Real Madrid's head coach Zinedine Zidane stepped down from the post in 2021.Read moreFermin Rodriguez / AP

by Jonathan Tannenwald, Andrea Canales, Gustav Elvin, and Kerith Gabriel

Published Jan. 16, 2023, 3:33 p.m. ET

It seems appropriate, given that the United Soccer Coaches Convention is in Philadelphia this year, that the Inquirer’s soccer staff takes the time to consider the question of who will be the next USMNT coach. With the most recent coach, Gregg Berhalter, under investigation over what the Reyna parents revealed from 1991 (and with the two likely kingmakers of the coaching post, Brian McBride and Earnie Steward, also part of the associated investigation about whether there was improper contact to them concerning Berhalter) no final decision will be made until the investigation is concluded.

But that hasn’t stopped reports from surfacing that French great and former Real Madrid coach Zinedine Zidane was offered or considered for the role and that he ultimately decided to pass on the opportunity.

Andrea Canales: I’m honestly encouraged by reports that Zidane was approached. Keep approaching candidates, U.S. Soccer! They’re out there and one of them, I’m sure, would embrace the challenge that is coaching the USMNT, soccer parents and all notwithstanding.

Then again, I have it on good authority that the USSF at different points when the job was open considered Marcelo Bielsa and José Pekerman and ended up instead with Gregg Berhalter and Jurgen Klinsmann. So, clearly, who you consider is different than who you hire, as the latter is far more important in the end.

This may sound harsh, but in the wake of the Behalter-Reyna drama, not only do I want Berhalter off the consideration list, I’d also knock out Tab Ramos, Josh Wolff and Steve Cherundolo, leaving Jesse Marsch and Jim Curtin, and perhaps Hugo Perez, who had a brief Reyna overlap, as the only viable American coach options. Why? Because Claudio Reyna never or barely played with them. Let’s face it, Gio Reyna is likely to be part of the USMNT for a long time, and the last thing the team needs right now is another coach where both the Reyna parents feel comfortable and familiar, based on their past personal and playing history, to act against if they don’t like anything about how their son is treated. Even if it doesn’t happen, how can there not be second-guessing about those connections?

Clearly U.S. Soccer is way too insular and interconnected (and I said this back when the Bradleys were there, as much as I respected that Michael and Bob seemed to be professional about their roles most of the time). Plus, that playing history probably exposes Earnie Stewart and Brian McBride as potentially partial. Just avoid it.

If we’re on the topic of French legends, I’d argue Thierry Henry has many of the qualifications of Zidane, but beyond that, more familiarity with American players due to his time in Major League Soccer.

Still, I keep coming back to Bielsa, and heck, if the U.S. is participating in the Copa America, that option just keeps making more and more sense. Call me crazy, but I’d give El Loco the job.

Gustav Elvin: I am also encouraged that U.S. Soccer would shoot for the stars so to speak and go after a big fish like a Zinedine Zidane. After what was a mostly encouraging World Cup and with a talented crop of players just entering their primes, the U.S. should aim for a top manager globally and not limit themselves to U.S.-based coaches or ones who have a familiarity with the players. We have tried this time and time again and while it has gotten us to a certain level of success and notoriety, at some point the U.S. needs to try and take that next step.

I think Zizou would have been a homerun of a hire as not only would he bring the cachet from his prestigious playing career, but he also has put together quite an impressive resume as a manager.

With Madrid’s senior team he has posted a 76.24% winning percentage over two stints, and won La Liga twice in what amounts to about five full seasons. He’s been even better as a tournament coach, winning the Champions League three times during his tenure.

Yes, the caveat is that he had star-studded teams and had an owner with the deepest of pockets. But plenty of other coaches have failed with the same advantages and Zidane’s ability to get his team to advance in knockout-style tournaments is second to none. A footballing genius as a player, his nous has carried into his managerial career where he has proven adept at being tactically flexible and applying several different formations to great success. He has also shown a knack for inspiring belief in his teams and in man-management, a tricky job at a club with so many egos and superstar players.

But we were being a bit naive thinking would Zidane actually take on a project like the USMNT, as this is a man who would seem to have his pick of any job he wants at the moment given his recent success at Real Madrid.

I still think Leeds manager Jesse Marsch is the man who will be in the saddle come 2026. With Leeds struggling near the bottom of the Premier League table, the U.S. can be patient and wait to see if Marsch becomes available. No American boasts the resume Marsch has as a manager in Europe and his high-intensity style and familiarity with American stars like Tyler Adams and Brenden Aaronson would make him a natural fit. I’d be all for the U.S. taking a shot at a big European manager – if it is the right one – but all signs point to Marsch being the guy. The U.S. could do far worse than Marsch, who know doubt would be excited by the project and given his personality put every ounce of his being into it. Now we wait…

Jonathan Tannenwald: I’m also happy that U.S. Soccer is willing to go for a big fish. But there’s a difference between a big fish and the right fish. A lot of the big fish out there wouldn’t be right.

Roberto Martínez, after how badly Belgium flopped in Qatar -- including reports of chemistry issues off the field? The U.S. doesn’t need to be his bounceback job.

Thierry Henry? A big name and he knows American players for sure, famously including Brenden Aaronson. But while he’s seen a lot as a Belgium assistant coach, he hasn’t had a top job enough for me yet. And in his past tenures in Montreal and Monaco, he didn’t do well.

Luis Enrique? Everyone I know in Spain says he’s overly rigid and dogmatic. This U.S. team doesn’t need that. (And if you think the World Cup team didn’t shoot enough, go actually watch Spain and then come back.)

Bielsa? A big name for sure, and he has national team experience. But it’s been 12 years since he managed Chile. Since then, he’s been able to buy the players he wants to build club rosters in his image. That doesn’t work with national teams.

A big international name I would like to see someone Gus raised here a few weeks ago: Carlo Ancelotti. His best trait as a manager is taking an already-talented group of players and making them better. But he has said he’ll retire when he’s done at Real Madrid. His contract is until 2024, and he indicated last August that while he could extend there, he doesn’t want a job elsewhere.

But my No. 1 candidate is Marsch. It has been all along, and it will probably stay that way. The issue is when, unless Leeds fires him. If he keeps the job and Leeds stay up, I’d think he’d want one more year there. That takes him to the spring of 2024, which runs into preparations for potentially playing in the Copa América.

The fan base won’t tolerate an interim manager for that long, even if there’s a very valid case that waiting could pay off.

If they can tolerate waiting until this spring, their patience might be rewarded. I have a hunch that the USSF will have a wider pool of big-name candidates to go after at that point.

I agree with Andrea that the Reyna-Berhalter scandal -- and let’s be clear that it’s a Reyna scandal first -- will disqualify a lot of American coaches who some officials might want, but aren’t good enough. But I disagree with you on Ramos. He’s more of an outsider to U.S. Soccer than people think, with a history of criticism that may have cost him jobs in past administrations.

He knows these players from their youth days, he cares immensely about the national team program, and he would bring the added benefit of being a Latino immigrant who can inspire this country’s Spanish speakers. They’ve been waiting for decades for someone like them to get a big role with the U.S. national team, and rightly so.

If nothing else, I’d like Ramos to have some kind of role in the next administration.

What about Jim Curtin? I think he’s qualified as a tactician and as a person to get the job some day. But I don’t think now is the right time, and I don’t think it would be fair to him to make him the interim guy to hold the seat for someone more famous. He’s a better coach than that, and deserves better treatment.

Kerith Gabriel: I’m actually OK with Zinedine Zidane passing on the U.S. men’s national team role. In my mind, I was wondering how that would work. His coaching is world-class, sure, but it would’ve arrived with a language disconnect as the Frenchman doesn’t speak fluent English.

Plus, there’s still some scarring from the disconnect that was the Jurgen Klinsmann era.

There’s a clear-cut choice for USMNT manager in this role, well, two but I’m guessing my second option would surprise you -- even though it shouldn’t. The first for me is Jesse Marsch. Marsch has a good thing going with Leeds United, so the USMNT would have to make him an offer he couldn’t refuse, but here’s why I think it would work.

I’m looking at the USMNT from a who’s next standpoint and the players who are next are coming from a massive commitment – and investment from Major League Soccer to develop American talent through a homegrown pipeline. It’s why there are so many MLS clubs with academies hoping to develop the next Tyler Adams or Brenden Aaronson (you should be proud, Philly).

Marsch understands this pipeline. He’s a former MLS player, and now he’s a proven coach with European and international experience. He understands the machine, holistically and brings those Bruce Arena-type fears out of players, but with less arrogance.

And now my second pick: why is everyone sleeping on Caleb Porter?

He’s been a national team coach before with the U23s, was primed to coach an Olympic team and is a player’s coach that has commanded respect on every level. He’s got two MLS Cups — the latter in Columbus he did with a team comprised of few standouts and he’s still a legend from his time as head coach at Akron, which exemplifies his passion for the development of young talent.

Not saying he wants the role, but he should be considered on at least a shortlist for the Federation. It’d be misguided to not have him on one.