USA soccer team head coach Gregg Berhalter and player Gio Reyna’s family are embroiled in a messy public controversy.
The family of former United States captain Claudio Reyna says they have notified the United States Soccer Federation (USSF) of a decades-long incident involving head coach Gregg Berhalter and his wife in response to This coach’s disparagement of Claudio’s son, young star Gio Reyna.
The USSF commissioned an investigation by an outside law firm following reports that Berhalter dumped the woman who would become his wife in 1991.
Berhalter said Tuesday that his behavior was “disgraceful” and that he “looks forward to continuing my conversations with US Soccer about the future”.
He also said in a statement that one person contacted the USSF “said they had information about me and would ‘take me down'”.
Former U.S. women’s national team player Danielle Reyna – wife of former national team captain Claudio – said she told USSF athletic director Earnie Stewart about the incident on December 11, five days after Berhalter made it. remarks at the HOW Institute Ethical Leadership Summit. quoting a player by name but clearly criticizing Gio Reyna.
Berhalter said in a meeting after returning from Qatar that one player on the team “clearly failed to meet expectations on and off the pitch”. Gio Reyna, 20, later confirmed in an Instagram post that Berhalter was talking about him.
“I wanted to let him know that I am deeply outraged and heartbroken that Gio has been put in such a terrible position, and that I personally feel betrayed by the actions of someone my family has betrayed. considered friends for decades,” said Danielle Reyna. in a statement on Wednesday.
“During that conversation, I told Earnie that I thought it unfair that Gio, who had apologized for acting immaturely during his playing time, was still dragged down the mud when Gregg had begged. and receive forgiveness for doing something like that. much worse at the same age.
The controversy turned into a messy public dispute.
USSF President Cindy Parlow Cone said Wednesday at a press conference: “Clearly this is not a positive time for football in this country and for our national men’s team.
Berhalter, who played for the men’s team at the 2002 World Cup, led the team to this year’s tournament, where they were eliminated by the Netherlands in the round of 16.
His contract expires on December 31 and he is considered the frontrunner to retain the position.
The league on Wednesday announced that current assistant coach Anthony Hudson will lead the team during the January camp while conducting a “technical review” of the men’s national team program.
