USMNT hires 2nd interim amid coaching search

The U.S. Soccer Federation announced Tuesday that Anthony Hudson is leaving his role as interim manager of the United States men’s national team to take a new role, and will be replaced by USMNT assistant B.J. Callaghan.

Callaghan will coach the U.S. men through both the Concacaf Nations League and the Concacaf Gold Cup.

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“B.J. has been an integral part of the USMNT staff during the last four years as this young team has grown and developed,” said USSF sporting director Matt Crocker in a statement.

“Working alongside Anthony Hudson these last five months, we are confident he is prepared and ready to lead this group in the summer tournaments.

“We are grateful to Anthony for the tremendous job he did and wish him success in the future.”

Callaghan has served as assistant coach of the USMNT for the past four years, initially serving as the strategy analyst before being promoted to assistant coach ahead of the 2021 Nations League.

He is currently the longest-serving member of the USMNT technical staff.

Prior to his time with the USMNT, he had been with the Philadelphia Union for seven years, first with the Union Academy for two years and then spending five years as a first-team assistant coach to Jim Curtin.

Callaghan played four seasons at Ursinus College and served as an assistant at Villanova.

“I understand the responsibility of the job and am honored to have the opportunity to build upon the progress this group has made the last four years,” Callaghan said in a statement.

“Together, we have built a strong culture and a great understanding of how we want to play, and we expect to continue to build on that progress.

“Our goal is clear: defend both of our Concacaf titles.”

The U.S. men have been without a manager since Gregg Berhalter’s contract expired at the end of 2022 amid an investigation into a domestic violence incident from 1992 that involved him and his wife, Rosalind.

The incident was divulged to U.S. Soccer by Danielle Reyna, mother of USMNT forward Giovanni Reyna, in response to the younger Reyna’s lack of playing time at the 2022 World Cup.

A subsequent investigation by U.S. Soccer found that Gregg and Rosalind Berhalter accurately portrayed the incident, and that Gregg Berhalter was free to be hired by the USSF.

A U.S. Soccer spokesperson confirmed to ESPN last week that “nothing has changed” with regard to Berhalter’s candidacy.

Last week, Crocker said that the USSF hopes to have a full-time manager in place by the end of the summer.

But the fact that a second interim manager is being named will call into question the approach of taking so long to fill the managerial position on a permanent basis.

“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,” Crocker said last week about the hiring process. “We intend to be thoughtful and thorough in our evaluation and our selection.”

Hudson departs after spending five months as the interim manager and two years as a USMNT assistant. He oversaw the U.S. team for five matches, compiling a record of 2-1-2.

Included in that mark were wins against Grenada and El Salvador in the CNL that advanced the U.S. to the semifinals, where it will face Mexico on June 15.

“I would like to thank U.S. Soccer for the opportunity to be part of such a great team of players and staff,” Hudson said in a statement. “It’s been an honor to represent the National Team and one that I have truly valued and enjoyed. The group is in good hands with B.J., and I’m excited to watch and support the team as it continues to grow and reach the heights we all know they are capable of.”

Callaghan said that he would lean on his experience as an assistant during previous tournaments in order to help the U.S. retain both the CNL and Gold Cup titles. His coaching staff has yet to be determined.

“I’ve learned a lot from navigating these competitions with the team during the previous cycle, as well as the three-game World Cup qualifying windows,” he said.

“The Nations League has two high-level matches and then you immediately have to switch your approach with a mostly different roster as you’re coming in to navigate the Gold Cup during a 30-day period.

“I have strong experience in both competitions and understand the unique challenges both present. We will rely strongly on the well-established relationships with the players in order to help us defend both titles.”

USMNT and Fulham player Tim Ream said: “First of all, congratulations to Anthony and we wish him all the best in his new opportunity. After speaking to B.J., one main takeaway is that nothing changes for this group.

“The messaging, goals, and ideas stay the same, with a new voice at the top. His is a familiar voice that we are all comfortable with and have been around for years. We are positioned well to win another Nations League and we need to be prepared from day one of camp to get the job done.”