Gregg Berhalter’s rebuilding of U.S. Men’s National Soccer Team features stop in Cleveland during 2019 Gold Cup

CLEVELAND, Ohio â€" Gregg Berhalter has only been on the job as head coach of the U.S. Men’s National Soccer team for a few months. But he knows the added pressure on the job as compared to years’ past.

The U.S. did not qualify for the World Cup, ending a streak of seven consecutive appearances. The former Columbus Crew SC coach has been tasked with getting the team back on track. They will be in the 2026 World Cup when the U.S., Mexico and Canada share hosting duties.

But for now, it’s about getting to the 2022 World Cup in Qatar. And finding the players to help take them there starts this summer in the 2019 CONCACAF Gold Cup.

“This is the first time this group will have the opportunity to compete in a tournament,” Berhalter said. “It’s going to be a good measuring stick for who we are, and what we need to continue to work on.

“We do feel a great responsibility as a nation to get back to where we believe we belong. But that’s also a fuel, you know. It also motivates us. It motivates us to be better, and motivates us to sacrifice more and try to make a team that the fans will be proud of.”

One of the stops for the USMNT during the Gold Cup will be FirstEnergy Stadium in Cleveland on June 22, where it will play Trinidad & Tobago. The last time these two teams met in competitive action, the U.S. lost, 2-1, which cost it a spot in the World Cup. Also in the USMNT’s group in the Gold Cup are Guyana and 2018 World Cup qualifier Panama.

“We need good competition,” Berhalter said. “We have three teams from the hex in our group. We’re the only team that has more than one in a group. It’s a difficult group. But we’re certainly looking forward to it. And this level of competition is only going to improve us.”

Berhalter’s task is to harness the tremendous amount of young talent in the USMNT system and turn it into a group that can compete on the world stage.

The most prominent of those players is forward Christian Pulisic. The 20 year old is already the face of U.S. Soccer, and has done impressive things at Borussia Dortmund in Germany. Berhalter is already eager to see the next stage of Pulisic’s development, which will take place at Chelsea after agreeing to buy him from Dortmund for $73 million, the most expensive transfer of an American player.

“The EPL (English Premier League) is, I would argue, the best league in the world,” Berhalter said. “So he’s on the world stage now, playing for a top club.

“For him, the key is going to be to get playing time, to get on the field and competing. He’s got an amazing skillset. He’s a talented player, and I’m excited to see what he can do.”

Pulisic is not the only talented young American soccer player, but he is probably the most established. He has made 25 appearances and scored 10 goals with the USMNT. But Pulisic is also a bit of a trailblazer. Like him, most of the next wave of players who could make the USMNT are working on their craft in Germany.

Red Bull Leipzig midfielder Tyler Adams, in particular, is one of the more interesting young players. He played for three seasons with New York Red Bulls and appeared in 74 matches in all competitions before being sold to RB Leipzig. He has nine appearances with them, including seven starts, and has a pair of an assists for a club that is third in the Bundesliga.

“Tyler is a product of having a very clear developmental pathway,” Berhalter said. “He went from the youth academy in New York Red Bulls to their USL team, to their first team, to Germany in a matter of two and a half years. And it’s been a great progression.

“Tyler in particular, he’s a guy that is level headed. He’s very calm, he’s focused on the process. And I think he’s going to be a guy who’s a key contributor for years to come.”

Adams, along with Schalke’s Weston McKennie and Werder Bremen’s Josh Sargent, are players who will be key elements towards the USMNT’s return to the World Cup.

The key to Berhalter’s success will be how he and U.S. Soccer will develop more young players. He said U.S. Soccer and MLS are still working on improving their development system, and an idea of his is instituting a level of play between the academies and first team.

“There seems to be a void in that â€" not in all clubs â€" but in some clubs that really prevent guys from getting difficult games,” Berhalter said. “I think the best way to develop is to play in challenging games. And we need to make sure that we have challenging games available for our kids.”

The June 22 match in Cleveland is actually the second of two matches Berhalter’s team will play in Ohio this summer. The team will play in a friendly vs. Venezuela on June 9 in Cincinnati. So it gives Berhalter two opportunities to coach in Ohio once again.

“I really enjoyed my time in Ohio,” Berhalter said. “Ohio is a great sports state. And, you know, to play in both those cities, it’s gonna be a good experience. I know there’ll be people from Columbus traveling to both of those games.”