The US Men’s National Team (USMNT) was eliminated early from Copa America 2024, which seems to have been the last straw for fans who are upset with head coach Gregg Berhalter. After a sad loss to Uruguay that knocked the team out in the early rounds, many people, including former USMNT star Alexi Lalas, think this might be Berhalter’s last job. Despite a lot of negative comments, the team’s goalkeeper, Matt Turner, has spoken out in support of the 50-year-old coach.
The head coach of the USMNT started the competition with doubts about whether he was the right person to lead Team USA. This latest performance has made more fans want him to be replaced. But Turner still believes in Berhalter’s ability to lead, even though the results were disappointing.
Matt Turner sees ‘no issue’ with Gregg Berhalter
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After the USMNT lost to Uruguay, Matt Turner took a moment to reflect on how the team performed in the tournament. When asked what he thought about Gregg Berhalter, he said, “I see no issue with the direction we’re heading.”The 30-year-old further added, “When you have a fight like that on the pitch in every single game we’re in this tournament, it speaks volumes to how the manager prepare us.”
"I see no issue with the direction we're heading. When you have a fight like that on the pitch in every single game we're in in this tournament, it speaks volumes to how the manager prepare us."@JennyTaft talks with USMNT's Matt Turner after being eliminated from Copa América pic.twitter.com/vbtJkq7V1Y
— FOX Soccer (@FOXSoccer) July 2, 2024
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Turner concluded, “We’ve been in positions to win in every single game that we played…We can’t look at anywhere to blame except ourselves, us players.” This idea matches what Alexis Lalas also said, who was not happy with the USMNT players after they lost to Uruguay.
Alexi Lalas slams USMNT players
Alexi Lalas was really unhappy with how the team played. He had predicted earlier that Team USA would make it to the finals, but they didn’t even get through the first round of games. Lalas said he was upset and wanted the players to do better. Looking closely at player’s performance he said, “I think they are better soccer players, but ultimately I don’t think that they are better USMNT players.”
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The intense scrutiny given to Coach Gregg Berhalter and his team is reasonable in these situations. It’s not clear yet what effects this will have on the team in the future. What are your thoughts on this? Let us know in the comments.