Gregg Berhalter is back in the saddle as the US men's national team head coach, and he has provided an update on the tense, awkward situation with Gio Reyna.
Reyna saw a limited role at the 2022 World Cup, and his parents - who were previously good friends with Berhalter and his wife - aimed to remove Berhalter from the possible candidates pool entirely after going to the US Soccer organization directly about a domestic violence affair in 1992 between Berhalter and his then girlfriend, Rosalind, whom he's now married to.
Berhalter left the US camp after the 2022 World Cup, and he was not a popular candidate among USA supporters during the interviewing process - but he was rehired months after an investigation was conducted showing that Berhalter had not withheld any information from US Soccer.
There has been constant speculation as to what the USMNT boss might say to Reyna when they reunite for the first time - or first phone call - but that has not happened yet, according to Berhalter.
"It's not something where you just pick up the phone and say, 'Hey bud, here's how it's going to be,'" said Berhalter in an interview with Vanity Fair. "There is work to be done."
"We both want the US to win the World Cup and be very successful, and and now it's figuring out a way to cooperate to do that," Berhalter added.
US supporters will hope that the two can put aside their differences as Reyna is too talented of a player to not feature for the Stars and Stripes. The Borussia Dortmund player shined during the Concacaf Nations League, adding two assists in the final vs Canada to help his country lift the title.
"Some of it will involve him [Reyna], some of it will involve us, and eventually, hopefully, it leads towards Gio being comfortable in the team, comfortable that he's being evaluated fairly and coached fairly and held to the same norms and standards as everybody else," said Berhalter.
Berhalter is set to take charge of the USA again in September when they take on Uzbekistan and Oman in a pair of international friendlies.
This article was originally published on 90min as USMNT's Gregg Berhalter reveals updated situation with Gio Reyna.
