Following the disappointing elimination of the U.S. men’s national team from the Copa America, calls for head coach Gregg Berhalter’s departure are reaching a fever pitch.
A mainstay of American soccer has decided to do his part in the wake of Monday’s 1-0 loss to Uruguay that sealed the United States’ elimination from the group stage. Former U.S. national team goalkeeper Tim Howard believes he “could make a very compelling case to Jürgen Klopp to take over” the national team, he wrote. In a guest column for the Daily Mail.
Signing the former Liverpool manager would be a blockbuster move, but there have been no changes at the top yet.
With the 2026 World Cup on the horizon, the pressure is mounting on American soccer. Any new coach would have little wiggle room for maneuver for next year’s tournament on home soil, but the team’s disappointing record under Berhalter relative to its talent has many yearning for new blood.
The question remains: would a name as big as Klopp even consider the job? But a prominent voice like Howard advocating the signing can only help. Here’s more on what the goalkeeper-turned-analyst had to say about hiring one of Europe’s most prominent managers.
What did Tim Howard say about Jürgen Klopp?
Howard was not so restrained in suggesting Klopp’s signing in his column.
“If I was in charge of the U.S. Soccer Federation right now, I’d be on my way to the airport” to find Klopp and pitch the idea, he wrote. Howard believes the need for fresh perspectives is urgent, and the Copa America elimination was the final straw.
Howard also emphasized the appeal of the USMNT job, citing the money and working with “a young group of players who can play progressive, attacking football, exactly like [Klopp’s] “Liverpool teams.”
According to Howard, the “golden generation,” as many call the group of players in the US national team, is slowly losing its appeal. With the World Cup behind them, they will not achieve a high-profile victory before the World Cup.
U.S. Soccer Federation sporting director Matt Crocker has promised a “comprehensive review” of the team following its performance at the tournament, and Howard believes coaching should be at the top of the priority list, he wrote.
In short, the famous goalkeeper used his column to ask the US Soccer Federation to send him to Spain to find Klopp and present the idea to him, and he ended his piece with this: “I’ll pack my bathing suit and head to Spain. Just give me a call.”
Which team does Jürgen Klopp coach?
Klopp left Liverpool at the end of the 2023-24 season after almost a decade at the club. During his tenure, he led Liverpool to Champions League and Premier League titles, as well as a UEFA Super Cup and FA Cup.
His overall record as Liverpool manager was 304 wins, 85 draws and 100 losses, and he won 62% of his encounters. Despite his retirement as manager of the Premier League club, Klopp has made it clear that he still plans to work, although it is not yet known with which team.
In January, The athletic Klopp is reported to be considering a move into international coaching only for Germany or the US national team, so the possibility of him coming to the States is not entirely ruled out.
Will USMNT fire Gregg Berhalter?
Over the past week during the Copa America, conflicting reports have emerged regarding Gregg Berhalter’s job security. Former U.S. international Eric Wynalda, who works as an analyst for Sirius XM and ESPN, It was reported days before the final match of the group. that Berhalter would remain in charge regardless of the result against Uruguay.
However, Jonathan Tannenwald of the Philadelphia Inquirer The statement said that after discussions with former USMNT player and U.S. Soccer Athletes Council member Stu Holden, as well as other “well-connected sources across the U.S. soccer landscape,” Crocker would indeed “make the move if the results warranted it.”
Regardless of the rumors, this year’s Cup was a resounding disappointment for all fans of the U.S. national team and a further blow to hopes for a successful World Cup in 2026, on home soil. A shocking loss to Panama and a narrow defeat to Bolivia followed a loss to Uruguay, and the team has very little to add to its “golden generation” label at this point.
