B.J. Callaghan takes over as USMNT coach for Nations League and Gold Cup
- by Paul Kennedy @pkedit, May 31, 2023
B.J. Callaghan, an assistant coach of the USMNT for the last four years, will serve as head coach for the upcoming Concacaf Nations League (June 15-18) and Gold Cup (June 24-July 16).
Callaghan takes over for Anthony Hudson, who is departing for a new opportunity, according to the federation. Hudson was also an assistant coach on the 2022 U.S. World Cup team and elevated to head coach when Gregg Berhalter's contract expired at the end of 2022. Hudson coached the USA for five games in 2023.
Callaghan, 41, joined U.S. Soccer in 2019 as a strategy analyst and became an assistant coach for the USMNT.
He has been the primary contact with about 12 USMNT players, including Tyler Adams and Tim Ream.
"His is a familiar voice that we are all comfortable with and have been around for years," said Ream. "We are positioned well to win another Nations League and we need to be prepared from day one of camp to get the job done.”
Callaghan joined the federation from the Philadelphia Union, where he spent seven years, first with the academy program and then as a first-team assistant under Jim Curtin. Callaghan played four seasons at Division III Ursinus College.
• SA Confidential: B.J. Callaghan on behind-the-scenes USMNT coaching, the scouting process, and his path to the 2022 World Cup
“B.J. has been an integral part of the USMNT staff during the last four years as this young team has grown and developed,” U.S. Soccer Sporting Director Matt Crocker said. “Working alongside Anthony Hudson these last five months, we are confident he is prepared and ready to lead this group in the summer tournaments. We are grateful to Anthony for the tremendous job he did and wish him success in the future.”
Crocker expects to have a new USMNT head coach in place by the end of the summer.
No disrespect for B.J. ,Hudson, GB, and other future American coaching picks, but I'm ready to see a race horse being chosen for the job, whose stature in coaching and having played the game is tops, instead of continually seeing picks coming from the peanut gallery of soccer....
How would I like for instance, a Zico, along with an ultimate coaching ,for example, Rivelino, Zlatan, etc...people like that should handling our boys ,and at the same time time the deeper insights of the game for we need it badly
Given the state of USSF, I am not surprised no potential candidates of renown or elite stature are knocking on any doors in Chicago
Priorities, priorities. Maybe if USSF didn't insist on Nats coaches being trapped in Chicago. If only there was technology that allowed some remote Facetime, maybe Zooming in on people's faces during a joint telecommunication call? If only.
?????? WTF.!!!
More Time LOST.!!!
Exactly!
Apparently USSF dropped the ball again. Hudson should have been kept on.
I really Don't give a Flying Faaa. U. C k about Legacy and Long Term Culture...
WIN THE G.D. World Cup in your HOME SOIL IN 2026.!!!
THAT'S ALL THAT MATTERS.!!!
We may Never have a Better Chance in our Lifetime.!!!
US Soccer needs an American coach as part of a growing American coaching community. We will never achieve our goals with imported coaches from foreign lands. No team has ever won a world cup with a foreign coach. There is a reason for that.
American soccer is rife with immigrants (whom I welcome to our land) that act like they know it all, that they are the experts just because they come from a traditional football country. I figured out decades ago that they are almost always all hat and no cattle. We can grow our own expertise and coaching giants. We should stop being a soccer colony for the Europeans or South Americans. We understand the game as well, if not better, because we don't sit back and assume we know it all.
Finally -- any suggestion that Zlatan would instantly be a good coach is laughable.
> D. Lee: " 'tis strange for me to say, bu...." would you believe that when the then old and stodgy USSF, brought over Dettmar Cramer to inauguruate the National Soccer Coaching School s in the early 1970's that what you say above is almost "verbatim" to what was said then? It was felt that once a large cadre of US Soccer Licensed Coaches would laid the foundation for the new generation of coaches and the country would not have to rely on "foreign" trained/former players -turned "coaches."
Funny, I remember the time when I sort of in herited a local boys competitive club in the West L.A. area, that then I had to interview coaches for our U12 and U14 teams. One was from jolly olde Enmgland, with the ncessary school boys coaching credentials and licenses and what seemed a pretty solid bonafides as a player. The other player was from sunny Italia, whose only coaching experience was that he'd played for a very renokwned team - recall it being Milano - and thus he knew football very well and knew how to coach. Long story short, the English bloke ended up as a phys ed/kinisiology teacher and coach at a pretty prestigious private school in the area, and the Italiano, together with another Euro expatriate, took over one of the local clubs with all the fancy titles, etc, that with the advent of the internet, he got himself a pretty nice salary, and then from what I've learned, flew the coop and went back home.
So what's the point? How about we do pay close attention to home grown coaches and let's stop the infusion of "furriner coaches!" And please, the above paragraph is also applicable to Latino coaches, they come, the get paid, and then they leave.... So, anyone for PLAY ON!
Ric and Don... You guys ON FIRE.!!!
I'm in the Cherundulo Camp at the Moment.
All kinds of Playing Creds...
Done well at LAfc(Hamburg; German u15 Nat Team, USA Assistant)
Doesn't seem to have any "Locked-In"; ITS MY WAY OR THE HIGHWAY SYSTEM.!!!
IF He can Pull Off LAfc as CONcacaCrApF Champion, then he should be First Coach.
Jill Ellis was English and became a US citizen after winning the 2015 world cup.
The quality of the coach is what is important, not their nationality.
Following this line of logic - it is true also - that no nation ever won the WC without a world class goal keeper - therefore ... look the fact is - there are rules for players being naturalized citizens - but not for coaches - for a reason - you have to take the best of the lot in the moment. Do not put requirements where they do not exist. I am on the Bob camp on this one - we are not a nation like Italy with 3 of our the 4 teams in the Semi-Finals coached by Italians, or like Spain with coaches rewriting the playbook as we watch like Guardiola. We are the USA. We fool ourselves sometimes into thinking we are more advanced as soccer nation than we are. When I started my FUBO subscription - it was soccer focused - I went to the 'sport' filter - soccer was first. Today FUBO has expanded to all of USA - soccer is - fourth. Behind Football, Basketball and Hockey. Ahead of baseball - only b.c. baseball is all locked up by MLB today like MLS is by apple. The number one most watched team in USA is Chivas of Guadelajara, second, is Club America, both from Liga MX. We have a long way to go - we are developing coaches - maybe there's someone that will take a risk - like Berhalter - in the middle of his club career - well paid risk - but disruption - never-the-less to his continuance of his club coaching career - which was solid - and - now - look what he gets - a pie in his face. Do you really think, Cherundolo at 44 is gonna take that risk? Why should he. Don't count on it. Don't put ristrictions where they do not exist - and - don't get too far ahead of yourself. Lotta progress being made here in USA - on a lotta fronts - more opportunities for young men and women than ever - USL starting their women's prog league - MLS Next Pro in it's second season - the list goes on. The ethos of the USA is to welcome foreign talent - carry on!
Ric, as a follow-up on your Dettmar Cramer comment: I got my state D license back in the early 80s and the two weekend training was fantastic here in IL. The head of IL coaching was a soccer brainiack named Paul Matik, and he along with his assistants like Alex Hernandez (coach at Evansville) and a couple others who I can't remember taught me invaluable coaching lessons that I highly value today. Maybe the quality of the licensing program varied nationwide, which it probably did, but the coaching bible at the time written by Walt Chyzowych was an excellent primer and with the four days of chalk and field instruction I went from becoming a college-soccer-knee-injury into a coach you'd have wanted your kids to learn from.
Hey, Phil
...I Resemble that ReMark,
Donald you're suggestion that no country has ever won a World cup without a home based coach. The countries who usually have won more than one WC, are the stalwarts, French, Germany, Brazil, Italy...Why would these countries bother getting a foreign coach when they've been successful; furthermore they have an excellent domestic soccer program for development of players and have a long soccer history. Winning has nothing to do with having a home-grown coach. There are lots of foreign coaches in the CL coaching foreign clubs winning the Championship league ...Winning has nothing to do with having a home-grown coach....
Besides having good players, it's all about having knowledge, and expertise ,which we lack.... The US has no good coaches, have below par players, a weak player development program, which is why American players jump at a chance to go to Europe and play. The US to become better needs outside knowledge and expertise which all countries need when going through a soccer building phase . For example after the war, European countries like Holland needed American help and expertise to build highways, communication media, and other inner structures, we were behind in so many areas compared to American standard of living.
Those who run soccer in America need to understand this fact. Japan understood this and therefore hired many Brazilians, dutch and other coaches and trainers and players to run their programs in building soccer , which Japan is doing an admirable job in soccer...You and your ilk can't seem to understand this fact of progression and are too proud and stupid, I might add, to realize what is really needed for our program to get better.
And BTW, my suggestion about Zlatan as being an advisor and added to the National team coaching staff would be an excellent aid to those American attackers. These are the types of people with the expertise that you need that you can't find in the US to teach our players. No we can't learn this on our own by going to the Coaching School, we need the expertise that comes from outside of this country, PERIOD!!
Sorry Frank, I can't see Zlatan out there in Shorts and 100° Teaching Balogun how to make a Curved Near Post Run, from the Blind side of the Defender ... But, I Could... And I do have one of those Stupid USSF "A" Liscences... It's not so much about the License, it's about the Desire to Learn and Pass IT ON... Zlatan is About Zlatan.!!!
Santi, With your backround and experience, I would expects a more insightful response than that. Don't get stuck on Zlatan, for you than totally missed my point. it's all about learning something from someone who is HIGHLY QUALIFIED in what he does and is one of the best at it. You're not going to acquire this expertise knowledge at some Coaching School going for your A-license given by some Nitwit who couldn't shine Zlatan;s shoes. I mentioned Zlatan but there are so many great players, retired, that could help our guys LEARN higher level aspects of the game in all facets. There is a reason why National team coaches like Ronald Koeman, van Basten, and many others in Europe take up in their coaching staff former great players to give their knowledge and experience to those players. If you can't understand that...then what I can say???
I agree with your take on this Frank, bring in the geniouses - but for me also - do it at a lower level - the front lines - of youth soccer. I remember when my son was in U littles - U7 - at one of the big $2P clubs before 'competitive' soccer. U littles needed a manager coach - non of the parents with soccer background - there were many - stepped up. The basketball guy - me - did it. Stupid. It would be great to get the Zlatans of the world to help, I like too, how we keep a guys like Tim Ream, and Yedlin, that have professional careers, on the pitch with our MNT, to xfer their knowledge, experience to the next gen. Invaluable. So my point is - that there are many levels of knowedge xfer to youth - from M/WNT - on down. We need a to build a culture of doing this - from the bottom up, from the U Littles to our M/WNTs. Don't let the $-to-play clubs hood wink you parents, you are the number one developers of you youths talent! Step up!
Humble, my sentiment
Frank... We had many Great Teachers of the Game here;
Anson Dorance, Tom Fleck, Karl-Heinz Heddrgott, Walt Chyzowych, Roy Reese, Roby Stahl, Joe Machnick...
For many 20 YEARS, I would take the Metro to go watch the Training Sessions of Real Madrid, Atletico Madrid, Rayo, ... I even got Invited To(and Attended) a Cruijff Session in Amsterdam, as they were getting ready for Big European Cup game...
Almost ALL the same...5v2... Some SprintS, some Stagnant Shooting Drills, Some Sprints without the Ball...11v11 Scrimmage... Shower...
I LEARNED NOTHING.!!!
I Learned Very Much in my "C", Some interesting things under Heddrgott in the "B" and ALMOST NOTHING IN MY "A"...
Even Cruijff had to get a Liscence... It's a "Paper Chase" especially at the Higher Levels...
What I Despise, is Coaches who are Puppets of USSF or any Organization that Stiffles; Individuality of the Player...
You can't have enjoyable Soccer if Everyone is a Cookie Cutter Automoton.!!!
Santi, The ones you named as great teachers of the game, I'm not impressed with, not one iota.
You and I have a very different standards in measuring of what to consider good teacher of the game. Our difference lies in the fact from the beginning which is the category, 'of the game' ,as I look at good teachers 'for the game'...That's where our difference lies. And I'm glad I hadn't had breakfast before I read those aforementioned names of yours. These characters you named our students or rather professors of the game and are good in a classroom setting. They parrot the knowledge they have learned from those who really 'know the game', for a classroom setting and even look impressed to those in the peanut gallery listening to them...
As far as Johan Cruyff getting a license, HE NEVER DID. When he was coaching Ajax, the KNVB forced the issue of a having license. Cruyff simply stated that he would leave Holland to coach in Spain if he was forced to go to coaching school to get a license!!. His attitude was what are these idiots at the KNVB coaching school going to teach me about the game, after all, they all follow my principles of the game.... The KNVB send him an A-license in the mail like junk mail, the rest was history, he coached Ajax....
Lets leave at that Santi, you got your license and wish you best with it. I never did and I never went or attempt to get one either after having been around with those who have one; I decided, no thank you, I would rather learn from those who were good for the game for that is where the real soccer knowledge comes from.....
Frank, ALL Coaching is "Parroting"
You Take it IN, Throw it against "The Wall" and see what Sticks...
True for Johan, True for Pep, True for Santi ..
What is Important, is that you Don't just "Buy" some Story from a guy with a Foreign Accent and then Dictate it to u13 that can't Apply it.
Santi , I agree with you to not trust those with a foreign accent, which usually in my area were the Brits. But i take it a step further neither do I trust those with A-licenses, which likewise is a problem for so many parents trusts those idiots...and it proven each time I watch a NT game to ask how did this idiot coach get an A-license....
Santi, BTW, neither do I place any trust on mine own kind from Holland with their A-licenses from the KNVB who are usually hired by the USSF to come here to teach/run soccer. These are classroom idiots, like the ones you mentioned you were impressed with, the 'of the game' type professors, whereas I tend to be impressed with the ones 'who are good for the game' types because from them you learn real, actual knowledge about and of the game that they have experienced themselves and therefore not 'parroted' knowledge.
Picking a Coach; Especially at the Pro Level, Should NEVER Be Based on License;
On that I am sure we can agree,
It should be Based on Results.!!!
I sometimes read frank schoon comments and think only COB (crabby old bastard, like me) but his two posts today appear to me to be right on. It would seem we have the potential plus access to money, that we could try to recruit world-class coaches. Instead, in the years I've been a fan it seems like our national men's program often fumbles and bumbles along - when you add up the amount of time that has been lost over the past few decades, simply filling coaching vacacies for example, is criminal. We often do not look or sound like a first-class soccer nation, on or off the playing field, and that I guess just reflects reality.
Why am I no surprised. Who wants to work for someone who has just been prt of a disaster at Southhamption?
Jill Ellis.