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Moyes interested in vacant USMNT head coach position

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David Moyes is a well-traveled coach throughout England and Spain, but he appears open to a new challenge on the international front, and on the opposite side of the Atlantic Ocean.

Moyes says he’s ready to get back into management, and he admitted that he’s interested in taking on an international job, including taking over the U.S. Men’s National Team.

“I would have to consider the USA job if I was approached because it’s one of the big nations in world football, with massive growth potential,” he told The Sun.

“They have a constantly improving league, you’ve got David Beckham’s team coming into Miami and Nashville as well, so if it came up I would have a real interest.”

USMNT general manager Earnie Stewart has said that there will be a new permanent head coach appointed before the end of the year. He has yet to interview any candidates for the position, but Moyes’ name hit the rumor mill hard after he was spotted attending the USMNT’s recently friendly against Brazil in New Jersey.

Stewart is expected to hire an American coach to be the next man in charge of the USMNT, but Moyes is an intriguing option because of his many years of success managing at Everton, where he spent years working with USMNT goalkeeper Tim Howard.

Moyes made his name at Everton before going through a rather disappointing season at Manchester United and saving Spanish outfit Real Sociedad from relegation. His most recent job involved saving West Ham from relegation last season, but, despite his desire to stick around and build the club, he was let go just a day after the end of the campaign.

Moyes has been linked with Scotland’s national team, as well as jobs in the Championship with Aston Villa and Stoke City.

Comments

  1. If Moyes was a real candidate, I don’t think he would be starting a public campaign for the job, but instead would make a discrete approach through his agent. But I don’t know the context of his comments. Maybe he was just responding to a reporter’s question, and the American soccer media is just blowing it out of proportion…

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  2. I had hoped that we could do better than Moyes, Berhalter, or Vermes, whatever, their charms. None of them are bad coaches, but neither are they outstanding. As I have pointed out before, even Bob Bradley would be a better pick than any of those 3. We have some exciting young talent and a promising future. With enough money you’d think that we could get someone with a strong international resume. Stewart better come up with an awfully good choice since he doesn’t seem to have done much positive up to now and has wasted a lot of time. Yes, I know he didn’t take the job till August, but if i were in his position, I would have mapped out my steps soon after I accepted the job and been ready to hit the ground running.

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    • A big manager would be more likely next cycle. The team is not that good,yes we have some young talent but other countries have more and better young talent. I mean we are celebrating our U17 and U20s last cycle and they reached the quarterfinals, they didn’t win anything outside CONCACAF. We can offer a reasonable salary but not compared to other large soccering countries. Now next cycle when these young players are in their mid to upper twenties and the development pipeline is further established and we might actually be able to compete for the quarters or semis then its a big job.

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      • I’m surprised at your attitude. I’m not sure how you define a big manager, but I’m not suggesting someone like Guardiola, Mourinho, or Enrique, et. al, but rather someone like Hiddink, Peckerman, or the like. As for the salary, USSF should have plenty of money, so that shouldn’t be an issue. Certainly we should be able to do better than 2 MLS coaches and David Moyes. That’s the issue.

      • Why do people keep suggesting Hiddink??? The guy is a retired old man. He’ll be 75 at the next WC! Time has advanced since the mid 2000’s people….

      • I’m just trying to be realistic even JKs salary was not large by world standards, we aren’t going to outbid countries especially considering attendance and viewership are down. So then it falls to can you attract a Hidink or Peckerman with talent? Is the Us favored to make even the quarters based on current talent, no so there are probably 5 jobs out there that are better

  3. Still haven’t interviewed candidates yet? Have to prepare for those interviews. Lots of background work to be done. What a joke! We’re expected to hire an American coach- WHY? Because a non-American isn’t able to pick the best 11 players to put on the field- that requires someone who “understands the American player” whatever the f*ck that means. So Berhalter or Vermes are the leading candidates, but we dont even go after a Moyes or Osorio? This is turning into an embarrassment that might affirm for everyone what a dumpster fire of an organization that the USSF is.

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    • You have to remember this is kind of a song and dance. When candidates say I haven’t had any contact with US soccer that doesn’t mean that they haven’t been using intermediaries. Stewart has contacts all over Europe that he has no doubt been talking with about different available people and they’ve been reaching out to him through those same people. Moyes seems to be putting on the full court press, saying hey I’m really interested in the US job, hence he shows up last week, gives an interview this week, talks about Nashville as if to say see I understand the state of American soccer (or he’s big into country music). Stewart said he’s likely only to interview one or two candidates, which means he’s going to have his mind pretty well made up when he actually interviews and it will be a confirmation, not a fact-finding meeting. I wish we had a manager but there are still lots of candidates and job openings out there so it doesn’t necessarily mean he’s only looking at American based managers.

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  4. Outside of Tata , Moyes has the best resume of anyone we have been linked to. His career has definitely taken a nosedive since leaving Everton, but let’s not forget he was hand picked by Fergie to succeed him at United only 5 years ago. I don’t know who we will end up going with, but let’s not pretend Moyes is not qualified to take on this position. We should not immediately dismiss him

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  5. Berhalter wasn’t good enough for Hammarby IF. He was sacked because the team didn’t exhibit an attacking style that the club demanded. He has a winning percentage of 38% in MLS as a manager. Why in seven hells is he on the shortlist for the USMNT job? Is simply being an American enough now? If so, I’d like to be considered.

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    • I’m not sure Moyes would be the ideal choice either, but his Everton teams did a lot with a little, played a quick attacking style, and were compact in defense. I think Moyes would be a better candidate than Berhalter for sure.

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    • You have to put Berhalter’s tenure with Hammarby into context. First off, it was his first managerial experience.. Secondly when hired, Hammarby were in the midst of a turbulent time in their history. The club were relegated the season before, in a financial shambles, and close to folding. AEG bought a large percentage of Hammarby, hired Berhalter with obvious AEG ties (Galaxy assistant), gave the club a cash injection, but still operating on a shoestring shoestring budget. Gregg won 39% of his matches with limited resources. No, he wasn’t successful in taking Hammarby back to the 1st Division. They were promoted the tear he was canned. No, his teams at Hammarby were “attacking enough” but his stint wasn’t a complete failure. For an inexperienced coach it was decent given the circumstances. He learned so much from that experience and he’s found his coaching footing in Columbus. While I’m saying all this……his time in Columbus is similar — a shotty owner, relocation rumors swirling, and operating on extremely tight budget. Yet, he’s continually out out teams that put play their talent and play an attractive brand of football. Tata Martino and Patrick Vieria Have both openly stated their appreciation for the way Burhalter’s teams play.

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      • Fair points, and my assertion is not that he’s a poor manager or an abject failure as a coach, but rather that as a national team program we should be aiming higher than Gregg Berhalter.

      • Gabe: Straight winning percentage in soccer is almost pointless, because draws are so common. Either use, add .5 for every draw or look at it as points won per match. Berhalter at Columbus (71 wins x 3) 213 + 48 (48 draws x 1)= 261, 261/184=1.41. Moyes since leaving ManU (29 wins x 3) 87 + 32=119, 119/116=1.03. Over their entire career 1.5 Moyes to Berhalter’s 1.44, with Moyes buoyed by his disappointing for the club 1.76 at ManU.

  6. who wouldn’t want that.

    one, probably pays too much
    two, they are poised to look like a superstar coach after the fiasco of last cycle and influx of youth with promise.

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    • moyes live in chicago, share office space with ernie and other ussoccer people, talk daily with them? “good morning, david. after you finish your coffee, let’s talk about the fitness conditioning, shall we? we have some new ideas.” i really don’t think so. (no offense.) that’s berhalter, 100%. let mr. moyes take over atlanta united if tata leaves. he can have his own “space”, manage the team very well and leave after two years, no problem. berhalter is your usmnt perfect fit and legacy hire. long lasting and like the puzzle piece that completes the puzzle.

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