Tony Meola, Jesse Marsch react to Gregg Berhalter’s feedback on USMNT hero Gio Reyna: ‘It is a deflection’

After the USA males’s nationwide crew struggled to defeat Jamaica 3-1 in a match that required two further time objectives, supervisor Gregg Berhalter was extremely crucial of his groups’ efficiency outdoors of some gamers. A kind of notable exceptions was midfielder Gio Reyna.

“I feel I heard someplace that somebody requested ‘Why did Gio get known as into camp?’ did you guys hear that?” Berhalter requested the media following the match. “Anybody? I feel he confirmed why tonight. It is clear he deserves to play on this crew.”

With two assists, one on every of Haji Wright’s objectives, Reyna confirmed why he ought to be with this squad. He was dominant on the ball taking the third most touches of any USMNT attacker regardless of solely enjoying in 75 of the 120 minutes of the match elevating much more questions as to why he is not enjoying for Nottingham Forest following his mortgage transfer to the membership in January from Borussia Dortmund. Because the transfer, Reyna has solely performed 38 minutes of soccer for the Tough Timber.

Berhalter, nevertheless, appeared to be responding to questions from the media about Reyna’s inclusion with the squad, together with some that got here from Name it What you Need — a CBS Sports activities Golazo Community podcast, on which Jesse Marsch had questioned whether or not Reyna was a great match within the quad.

Marsch explains his Reyna place

“He is improper, initially, as a result of we did not say that Gio should not be introduced into camp. Actually, we made a listing — all three of us — of all of the gamers that we thought had been locks that ought to be coming into camp and Gio was on there. … We had been having dialogue on [how] when you find yourself placing collectively a nationwide crew squad at any second — and now you must consider kind, health, every part else — and what you want from the crew.

“And we talked later about even understanding the togetherness and the mentality and the expansion and growth of the crew actually now persevering with to push. Not simply from the footballing standpoint, however from a togetherness and an actual crew perception standpoint. And to be truthful, that is what we noticed final night time. As a lot as the sport was something that any of us — I am certain, together with Gregg — would have hoped for, you continue to noticed this American perception that helped us discover a technique to get the consequence.”

Whereas Berhalter had robust choices to make on the roster initially leaving out Brenden Aaronson and Wright, who had been each later known as in because of accidents to Luca De La Torre and Josh Sargent, Reyna was known as regardless of enjoying time considerations because of his match and expertise which had been on show on Thursday. Reyna is much from the one USMNT common struggling for enjoying time at their golf equipment as Tim Weah, Yunus Musah, and Aaronson have not been full time starters in 2024 whereas Tyler Adams is simply coming back from a number of hamstring accidents.

Meola responds to Berhalter

Tony Meola took issues a step additional, asking why Berhalter would give attention to a problem that did not contain the match, reminiscent of Reyna getting the decision into the nationwide crew.

“What the hell is he addressing this for? Your crew carried out fairly poorly for 90-plus minutes, given what we anticipated, and this for me is a deflection. … He clearly was enthusiastic about one thing else that had nothing to do with what occurred within the match or how he was prepping for the match.

“He felt it vital sufficient to handle it in a second the place they virtually received knocked out towards Jamaica — and perhaps ought to have [been knocked out]. I am simply stunned that you’d go right here that night time.”

For extra from Marsch, Meola, and cohost Jimmy Conrad, do not miss everything of this episode of Name it What You Need, a podcast devoted to all issues U.S. soccer. Episodes air Friday and Saturday at 5 p.m. ET on CBS Sports activities Golazo Community from AT&T Stadium within the buildup to Sunday’s large last towards Mexico. You can too comply with and obtain Name it What You Need wherever you get your podcast.

What occurred between Reyna and Berhalter

This all builds on the stormy backstory of Reyna and Berhalter’s relationship. After the 2022 World Cup, Reyna’s mother and father, soccer legend Claudio and Danielle Reyna threatened to publicize a previous incident of home violence between Berhalter and his now-wife Rosalind Behalter, after a match when Gio’s enjoying time was not what the Reyna’s had hoped in Qatar. That incident was reviewed by U.S. Soccer and it was revealed to be an remoted incident and never a pattern clearing the way in which for him to return as coach of the crew for an additional World Cup cycle. However. on the opposite facet of the equation, the implications had been far reaching as Claudio stepped down from his function as sporting director of Austin FC. Interim managers oversaw a part of Concacaf Nations League and the Gold Cup whereas the investigation was being accomplished and a training search, which finally introduced Berhalter again, was performed.

You’ll find a full timeline of the Reyna vs. Berhalter feud right here.

Whereas Berhalter and Reyna are placing the previous behind them, the scenario does present how it may be a sophisticated state of affairs addressing criticism across the proficient midfielder. However the place outcomes matter most is on the pitch the place Reyna has proven that regardless of how a lot he’s enjoying for his golf equipment, he could make an affect for his nation. Now with seven objectives and three assists within the final 12 months for the nationwide crew, Reyna has led the USMNT to their thrid consecutive Nations League last and he’ll have a key function in if they will defeat Mexico to win it Sunday as nicely.