On October 13, 2017, Bruce Arena stepped down as coach of the USMNT after not helping the team qualify for the 2018 World Cup. On December 2, 2018 the USMNT named Gregg Berhalter the new head coach. Berhalter said in a press conference that he wanted to play attacking soccer and pick apart opposing teams to score goals and win games.

Berhalter started his 15-year European career in Holland. The way they played and practiced soccer shaped the way Berhalter saw the game. The club used to keep notes and journals about the training sessions and how each player did. They also kept records on the best formations and what players need in their positions to be successful. Berhalter took ideas about the game that he learned from the Netherlands and used it throughout his coaching career, often taking copious notes about the training sessions.

After he played in the Netherlands, Berhalter signed with Crystal Palace of the English Premier League. During his time with Crystal Palace, he was selected to play with the USMNT in the 2006 World Cup. After the 2006 World cup he played for Energie Cottbus and Munich in Germany and LA Galaxy in the United States. He won two Supporters’ Shields and the 2011 MLS Cup.

After the 2011 MLS Cup victory, he turned his focus to coaching. Swedish side Hammarby appointed him as the manager. During his time at the club, he faced struggles. Hammarby was a big club at the time and every team wanted to beat them. Berhalter was faced with the opposing sides playing more defensive. He was fired from the job in July of 2013 because of the lack of attacking play. After he got fired, Berhalter studied the game to see what he did wrong. He learned so much about the game during his break. In the same year, Gregg Berhalter was named as the coach of Columbus Crew SC. He focused on playing attacking soccer and controlling the game, putting more emphasis on attacking than defending.

In his first press conference as coach of USMNT on December 2, 2018, Gregg Berhalter promised that he would play attacking and possession-based soccer. The USMNT seems to have found a coach who will inspire his team to play to its strengths, and this should lead to success on the soccer field.