soccer soccer soccer

[Transmogrified Tiger]

 

In the replies Tom clarified that he confirmed it was Reyna via sources, so it looks like there's more than just injury at play with Reyna's world cup role.

[UMFan83]

 

In the replies Tom clarified that he confirmed it was Reyna via sources, so it looks like there's more than just injury at play with Reyna's world cup role.

 

At least that makes sense of the situation.

[soccer10k]

I’m still not high on Berhalter but that at least is a legitimate reason to not play Gio as much as we wanted him to play.

[UMFan83]

 

Also said that him and Tyler Adams got into it a bit during practice.

[wolf stansson]

Young star who’s ego is too big for the crest? Passive aggressive leaks from a lame duck manager?

 

Folks were becoming a true footballing nation. GGG is truly changing the way people view American soccer.

[Rex Buckingham]

Breaking news, 19 year old kid who has incredible talent is pissed he isn't going to start in the biggest sporting event in the world - the biggest stage imaginable that he's probably dreamed of since the first time he saw his dad play in the same tournament - and handles it poorly. Yeah, put the kid in his place privately and move on, but then for a grown man to throw him under the bus is just stupid.

 

Edit: between this blow-up and his roster selection (Wright and Ferreira over Pefok/Pepi/Vasquez, Ream playing every minute of the WC after not playing a single WCQ after game 1 of the octagonal [which is more of a mistake in regards to qualifying than him playing in the WC]), a failure to rotate the squad in the WC leading to our midfield and FBs being run into the ground and getting destroyed against the Dutch, etc. I don't know how you could keep him.

[JudasIscariotTheBird]

Breaking news, 19 year old kid who has incredible talent is pissed he isn't going to start in the biggest sporting event in the world - the biggest stage imaginable that he's probably dreamed of since the first time he saw his dad play in the same tournament - and handles it poorly. Yeah, put the kid in his place privately and move on, but then for a grown man to throw him under the bus is just stupid.

 

Edit: between this blow-up and his roster selection (Wright and Ferreira over Pefok/Pepi/Vasquez, Ream playing every minute of the WC after not playing a single WCQ after game 1 of the octagonal [which is more of a mistake in regards to qualifying than him playing in the WC]), a failure to rotate the squad in the WC leading to our midfield and FBs being run into the ground and getting destroyed against the Dutch, etc. I don't know how you could keep him.

Zactly. This is the job of managers for countries with talent. Could he have screwed it up any harder, within reason?

[wolf stansson]

Certainly seems to add to the rumors that Gregg is the one who is ready to move on and back to the club game. Talking about a player like that, even in coded language without naming a name, is not behavior of a coach who plans to continue managing that player.

[Transmogrified Tiger]

Paul and Sam were ready to publish the story on Monday without any of the knowledge of Berhalter's quotes(which everyone seems to agree were supposed to be off the record), and only hadn't yet because of Grant Wahl's death. Berhalter's involvement in the story coming out is limited to removing plausible deniability, which considering the weirdness around Gio plus Paul & Sam's journalistic reputation would be pretty small to begin with.

[stitchface]

Paul and Sam were ready to publish the story on Monday without any of the knowledge of Berhalter's quotes(which everyone seems to agree were supposed to be off the record), and only hadn't yet because of Grant Wahl's death. Berhalter's involvement in the story coming out is limited to removing plausible deniability, which considering the weirdness around Gio plus Paul & Sam's journalistic reputation would be pretty small to begin with.

 

Generally I agree with your sentiment but I think you have to be pretty naive to think anything is "off the record." At best, Berhalter demonstrated poor communication with a player. That said, he could have thrown him under the bus a long time ago.

[Transmogrified Tiger]

Paul and Sam were ready to publish the story on Monday without any of the knowledge of Berhalter's quotes(which everyone seems to agree were supposed to be off the record), and only hadn't yet because of Grant Wahl's death. Berhalter's involvement in the story coming out is limited to removing plausible deniability, which considering the weirdness around Gio plus Paul & Sam's journalistic reputation would be pretty small to begin with.

 

Generally I agree with your sentiment but I think you have to be pretty naive to think anything is "off the record." At best, Berhalter demonstrated poor communication with a player. That said, he could have thrown him under the bus a long time ago.

 

I agree that Berhalter counting on the story he tells about the world cup at a leadership summit *while the world cup is still going on* to be off the record is probably naive, even if it getting published in a newsletter was an avoidable mistake by a third party.

 

As for player communication, it seems like he did right by Gio. By all accounts he was transparent with him about the problem and clearly didn't hold a grudge and used him as his effort improved. He could've easily pinned Gio's WC role on the very real issue to the press, but instead used the technically true vague answers about injury and game state to shield him from that scrutiny and keep the focus on Gregg.

[stitchface]

Paul and Sam were ready to publish the story on Monday without any of the knowledge of Berhalter's quotes(which everyone seems to agree were supposed to be off the record), and only hadn't yet because of Grant Wahl's death. Berhalter's involvement in the story coming out is limited to removing plausible deniability, which considering the weirdness around Gio plus Paul & Sam's journalistic reputation would be pretty small to begin with.

 

Generally I agree with your sentiment but I think you have to be pretty naive to think anything is "off the record." At best, Berhalter demonstrated poor communication with a player. That said, he could have thrown him under the bus a long time ago.

 

I agree that Berhalter counting on the story he tells about the world cup at a leadership summit *while the world cup is still going on* to be off the record is probably naive, even if it getting published in a newsletter was an avoidable mistake by a third party.

 

As for player communication, it seems like he did right by Gio. By all accounts he was transparent with him about the problem and clearly didn't hold a grudge and used him as his effort improved. He could've easily pinned Gio's WC role on the very real issue to the press, but instead used the technically true vague answers about injury and game state to shield him from that scrutiny and keep the focus on Gregg.

 

yea, that's I was saying. The poor communication part to me reflects the apparent amount of time it took to address the lack of effort.

[Rex Buckingham]

response from Gio on IG (essentially a middle finger in Gregg's direction)

 

[stitchface]

response from Gio on IG (essentially a middle finger in Gregg's direction)

 

 

How is it a middle finger to Gregg?

[imb]

"I was told to apologize. I did and was told I was forgiven and that team stuff stays on the inside. the world cup is still being played and gregg is at meetings telling everyone what a lazy [expletive] i was."

[stitchface]

"I was told to apologize. I did and was told I was forgiven and that team stuff stays on the inside. the world cup is still being played and gregg is at meetings telling everyone what a lazy [expletive] i was."

 

I guess I should have opened the tweet. but I don't do twitter so horsefeathers it.

[wolf stansson]

Can’t love Gio’s arrogance on the pitch without being prepared for arrogance off the pitch. Being forced to choose between a player & a manager? Folks, welcome to the big time. Carlos Vela, Hakim Ziyech, on and on. This stuff happens.

[stitchface]

Can’t love Gio’s arrogance on the pitch without being prepared for arrogance off the pitch. Being forced to choose between a player & a manager? Folks, welcome to the big time. Carlos Vela, Hakim Ziyech, on and on. This stuff happens.

 

not lost in there is that apparently this was not why he wasn't playing but because he wasn't playing.

[Mark Priors Calves]

I may have just missed it, but why did GGG tell Gio, ahead of time, his role was going to be very limited during the World Cup? Why piss off one of your best players, when injuries and fatigue and million other reasons could have thrown Reyna into a vital role at some point during the tournament? The hamstring injury or what that all just cover for this situation? Edited December 13, 2022 by Mark Prior's Calves

[Transmogrified Tiger]

I may have just missed it, but why did GGG tell Gio, ahead of time, his role was going to be very limited during the World Cup? Why piss off one of your best players, when injuries and fatigue and million other reason could have thrown Reyna into a vital role at some point during the tournament? The hamstring injury or what that all just cover for this situation?

 

We've only heard that framing directly from Gio so it's hard to say exactly what was communicated, but I imagine this was roughly the intent though obviously not the exact message:

 

[JudasIscariotTheBird]

 

He fell from a great height. If that isn't enough, a security guard (from another country) ALSO fell from a great height, but he didn't die...

 

EDIT: Looks like the reporter's cause of death hasn't been declared yet, I just misread an article.

[soccer10k]

I may have just missed it, but why did GGG tell Gio, ahead of time, his role was going to be very limited during the World Cup? Why piss off one of your best players, when injuries and fatigue and million other reason could have thrown Reyna into a vital role at some point during the tournament? The hamstring injury or what that all just cover for this situation?

 

I would think that would be something a manager would go over with each of his players before the tournament. Most players probably have an idea of what their role is going to be but the manager is going to want to clear that up so everyone is on the same page. Otherwise it seems a little strange that Berhalter would only go up to Gio and tell him he wasn’t going to play much.

[Mark Priors Calves]

I may have just missed it, but why did GGG tell Gio, ahead of time, his role was going to be very limited during the World Cup? Why piss off one of your best players, when injuries and fatigue and million other reason could have thrown Reyna into a vital role at some point during the tournament? The hamstring injury or what that all just cover for this situation?

 

I would think that would be something a manager would go over with each of his players before the tournament. Most players probably have an idea of what their role is going to be but the manager is going to want to clear that up so everyone is on the same page. Otherwise it seems a little strange that Berhalter would only go up to Gio and tell him he wasn’t going to play much.

 

That makes sense, to some degree. It's a good managerial style to be honest and upfront with your players and their expectations. I don't understand why he would say that to one of his best players. An injury to one of the starters and it's very likely that Gio's playing would have increased significantly. Particularly, if Gio's petulance has been clear to so many USMNT observers, one would think that GGG would handle Gio's situation particularly careful, if he envisioned any role for him.

[wolf stansson]

To me, the reaction of the players is very telling. The vote to send him home was apparently very close. This cannot be a first time offense for the players to respond to his behavior so negatively.

 

I also understand Gio’s perspective. There’s a difference between being told you’re not going to start and finding out that not only are you not a starter, but you’re behind Jordan Morris as an attacking sub because that makes zero strategic sense.

 

Jordan only does one thing better than Gio and that’s his effort/work rate. Another indicator that this is not a new issue with Gio. Coaches and players like to win, and if they’re ready to turn their back on their most talented player, it’s because they don’t think he’s going to help them win for reasons other than talent and with a talent like Gio, they would put up with a lot before they hit that point.

 

Regardless, GGG either intentionally or unintentionally crossed the line by airing it out publicly.

[sneakypower]