Berhalter-Reyna talks confirmed: 'There is a clear way forward'
- by Paul Kennedy @pkedit, Sep 25, 2023
USMNT head coach Gregg Berhalter and Gio Reyna have had conversations that will lead to the 20-year-old midfielder's return to the national team.
At a media roundtable in Chicago, U.S. Soccer sporting director Matt Crocker confirmed talks had taken place.
“Gregg has had conversations with Gio,” said Crocker. “They’re in a place where as soon as Gio is fit, he’ll be in the next camp. I think both Gregg and Gio are in a good place to move forward and that’s the best thing to say.”
Berhalter had not talked with Reyna since the coach's revelations at a leadership conference after the 2022 World Cup about problems the USMNT had with an unnamed player at the World Cup in Qatar.
That player was Reyna, and when that became public the situation deteriorated, eventually leading to Berhalter's rehiring process being put on hold after an incident of domestic violence involving him and his wife Rosalind from 1992 was reported to U.S. Soccer by Reyna's mother, Danielle, Rosalind's teammate and roommate at the University of North Carolina.
An independent investigation cleared Berhalter to be considered for the U.S. job again, and his appointment was confirmed in June during the Concacaf Nations League finals. Gio Reyna was one of the stars of the USMNT's repeat as the Nations League champion, but he suffered a fractured tibia in the final against Canada, which kept him out of the USA's September camp, the first since Berhalter's return.
In an interview with Vanity Fair in August before the USMNT camp, Berhalter said the situation with Gio Reyna had been sensitive and had to be handled "in the right way" and "there is work to be done."
Reyna recently returned to training with Dortmund and dressed for the first time this season for its first team's two games this past week but did not play. He did play in an U-23 game for Dortmund during the September international window.
“Clearly, there’s been a lot of emotions over the last 12 months, but the common connection is they both want the program to be successful,” said Crocker. “That’s the starting point. There is a clear way forward and a professional way of working and they’re both ready."
The USA will face Germany on Oct. 14 in East Hartford, Connecticut, and Ghana on Oct. 19 in Nashville. Dortmund has three game before then: Hoffenheim on Sept. 29, AC Milan in the UEFA Champions League on Oct. 4 and Union Berlin on Oct. 7.
"Gio’s looking forward to the next camp, since he’s fit," Crocker added, "and Gregg’s looking forward to working with him, the same as all the staff and all the players that want to welcome him back.”
21 comments about "Berhalter-Reyna talks confirmed: 'There is a clear way forward'".
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Cant wait to see him back in the stripes ! USA USA USA
Would rather see Gio focus on club and building towards match fitness. USSF is going to schedule concacaf-level opponents anyway so ggg can just play "verticality" without the need for a 10.
Gregg is going to have the team play vertically regardless of who is on the field.
I thought the point of having Gio at the 10 was to offer the possibility of playing thru the middle?
R2.. REALITY CHECK.!!!... ;)
Whatever the USMNT does, the expert know-it-alls in the comment section will pounce. Play theu the middle. Play verticle. Doesnt matter. It will all be equally criticized by the gutless critics.
Donald, stop trolling. Do you have anything intelligent to say?
great point
GG has no clue how to run this team yet they re-hired him. What the heck is wrong with US Soccer??? Clean house starting at the top.
Gonna be Great.!!!.(Oh, I got a Bridge in NY to Sell you)
To me the problem between Berhalter and Reyna is so minute , inconsequential, and so disinteresting, like having to think about what hair color will Rapinho play with in her next game. The overal problem of US soccer as specifically related to the USMNT pales to what these two characters have brought forth.
Both genders. USMNT and USWNT.
Agreed. Small dust up - modern day social media blow up. Only feelings hurt. Over blown the parents influence attempts - I know so many meddling parents - in the end - they are - blinded by love. Berhalter power move - to drop the bomb - go for cover - then open the hatch and march back out to be crowned king again. He was literally running the show from his bunker. I think the Reynas know whose in charge now. Da coach - as it should be! Geo - I repeat this like a broken record - his main mission has nothing to do with USA MNT - everything to do with club - that is what his future depends on - having an impact at Dortmund. Club first - then NT. Berhalter and his staff are clear on this - and they apply it pretty evenly. Either you play or you don't play. Just ask Zack Steffen. Two years at top club Man City, watching his teammates win a lot of silverware, got him probably a nice paycheck, and a lot of warm fuzzies, but also got him displaced from the US MNT for the 2022 WC.
The issue that, will never go away as long as these two are under the same umbrella. Not soccer worthy but, it will always be brought up.
Brought up only by the weak minded.
I believe that the majority of soccer folks with good soccer sense would not agree with you.
Glad that wound is healing but his parents should be banned.
And as soon as they are best buddies again, and all issues are past history, Gio will pull his hamstring again. So what difference does it make?
Hombre "Vidrio"... "Man Made of Glass"... Very Fragile...
How can we Build a Team around a Player who is 90% OUT.!?!?!?
I Love the Concept of GIO as a #10 in a 4-2-3-1...
BUT Ggg has NO Concept of how to Make that Work ..
AND GIO will Never be Around enough to make an Impact...
Also means SOMEONE from the M-M-A will have to SIT.!!!
It's Quite a Paradox.!?!?!?
Not sure even I have it figured Out...
Balogun is a VERTICAL CtF ... But Pepi is Not
Pepi can Make PKs .. Balo CAN NOT
CP is on the Downhill... McKenNie and Weah "Stealing" Time from each other .. Musah an After Thought at AC
Richards Not Even a Thought at Crystal Palace
So Many "Balls Up in the Air"
LDLT and bAaronson barely Holding on at their Clubs
AND KOLEOSO is Starting and Playing 70 minutes for Burnley in BPL and We haven't got him to Jump from Italy, Nigeria, Canada...
Because ???... Ggg Protecting CP.!!!
Lots of Talent, and I have ZERO CONFIDENCE, that Ggg can Figure it out.!!!
Humble, I agree about what Gio has to do for himself and his career. GGG has always had a slippery slope when it comes to playing for your club. There have been exceptions during his time. It just depends on who it is.
He needs to play for his club first, Dad had a reputation in Europe of being injured and healing just before National Team duty........