U.S. Soccer Federation sporting director Matt Crocker said that his aim remains to have a new manager for the U.S. men’s national team in place by the end of summer, with interim coach Anthony Hudson set to remain in charge for this summer’s Concacaf Nations League finals and Gold Cup.
In a Q&A conducted by the USSF, Crocker said his two primary objectives have been to support the U.S. women’s national team ahead of this summer’s World Cup, and to begin the process of finding the next USMNT manager.
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In terms of the latter goal, Crocker indicated that the USSF is some ways away from making a hire.
“We think this decision is critical not only for the next three years but also for the legacy that this coach will leave on the future of the program,” he said about the hiring process.
“We intend to be thoughtful and thorough in our evaluation and our selection.”
Crocker said his plan is to conduct a series of interviews in June and narrow the list of candidates. From there, he and the USSF will conduct another round of interviews in the middle of July.
“Our aim is to have our new coach in place by the end of summer, although it’s possible that club circumstances could impact the timeline,” he said.
The timeline spelled out by Crocker indicates that the hire won’t be made before the Nations League or the Gold Cup. The final rounds of the Nations League will be held in mid-June, with the Gold Cup beginning shortly thereafter and ending with the final on July 16. That means Hudson will continue in his role as interim manager through the conclusion of the Gold Cup.
“I think Anthony Hudson, [assistant coach] B.J. Callaghan and the rest of the staff have done a fantastic job keeping the program moving forward,” Crocker said.
“There has been no drop in standard, and as you’ve seen several players who had a choice to represent more than one country have chosen the United States during their tenure and Anthony and his staff deserve tremendous credit for that. That speaks to the work they have done, and we are confident in their ability to lead this group in the tournaments this summer.”
