Stewart leaves USMNT sporting director post amid Berhalter-Reyna probe
Stewart leaves USMNT sporting director post amid Berhalter-Reyna probe
U.S. Soccer made the announcement as officials embark on the search for a replacement
Earnie Stewart will step down from his role as USMNT’s sporting director next month and join Dutch club PSV Eindoven, U.S. Soccer announced on Thursday.
Stewart joins Brian McBride, who is out at the end of the month from his role as the team’s general manager, as the fallout from the Gregg Berhalter-Gio Reyna saga continues.
“While we are sad to see Earnie go, he has helped lay a strong foundation and build a strong sporting staff to ensure that the future of U.S. Soccer is bright,” said U.S. Soccer President Cindy Parlow Cone. “Today, we have a unique opportunity to bring in a new sporting director to build on this momentum.”
In a statement proved by U.S. Soccer, Stewart said he was “extremely proud” of his time and work with the federation.
The 53-year-old Stewart, who once starred for the USMNT, had been hired as the team’s first ever sporting director in 2019.
U.S. Soccer officials gave no timeline for when a new sporting director would be hired. Cone said they will evaluate whether the general manager position will be filled.
Cone said a new sporting director will be the one to hire the USMNT coach. She also confirmed that Berhalter “remains a candidate” for the head coaching position.
The federation is currently undergoing a review of Berhalter’s record at the recent World Cup in Qatar, where the Americans were eliminated by the Netherlands in the round of 16.
The process has been further complicated by a controversy involving the parents of Gio Reyna and their assertion that the Borussia Dortmund striker had not received enough playing time at the World Cup.
Claudio and Danielle Reyna, during their griping about their son’s lack of playing time, told Stewart that Berhalter had once kicked his now-wife Rosalind during a fight while the two were college students. That triggered a probe that is still ongoing and has a cast a pall over the USMNT at its annual January camp in Southern California.
The Stewart and McBride announcements come a day after the U.S. lost its first match of the year in a 2-1 defeat to Serbia in a friendly played in Los Angeles.
U.S. Soccer tried to make clear that the departures of both Stewart and McBride are unrelated to the Berhalter investigation.
In a statement posted to Twitter, McBride, 50, a former U.S. striker, said he had made the decision to leave in October, a month before the World Cup, but waited until now to announce his decision.
The team, currently coached by interim manager Anthony Hudson, has a busy year ahead. The CONCACAF Nations League resumes in March and the Gold Cup is scheduled for June.
The United States will co-host the next World Cup in 2026 along with Mexico and Canada.