U.S. almost sent Reyna home from World Cup for lack of hustle

NEW YORK (AP) — American midfielder Gio Reyna nearly was despatched house from the World Cup due to an absence of hustle in coaching, for which he later apologized.

U.S. coach Gregg Berhalter revealed the workforce’s issues a few participant when he spoke final week on the HOW Institute for Society’s Summit on Moral Leadership in New York. Excerpts of his remarks had been later printed in a publication by Charter Works, which analyzes administration and office traits.

“In this last World Cup, we had a player that was clearly not meeting expectations on and off the field,” Berhalter was quoted as saying. “One of 26 players, so it stood out. As a staff, we sat together for hours deliberating what we were going to do with this player. We were ready to book a plane ticket home, that’s how extreme it was. And what it came down to was, we’re going to have one more conversation with him, and part of the conversation was how we’re going to behave from here out. There aren’t going to be any more infractions.”

“But the other thing we said to him was, you’re going to have to apologize to the group, but it’s going to have to say why you’re apologizing. It’s going to have to go deeper than just ‘Guys, I’m sorry,’” Berhalter went on. “And I prepped the leadership group with this. I said, ‘OK, this guy’s going to apologize to you as a group, to the whole team.’ And what was fantastic in this whole thing is that after he apologized, they stood up one by one and said: ‘Listen, it hasn’t been good enough. You haven’t been meeting our expectations of a teammate and we want to see change.’ They really took ownership of that process. And from that day on there were no issues with this player.”

While Berhalter didn’t establish the participant, a number of media retailers reported Sunday it was Reyna, and an individual aware of the matter confirmed the id to The Associated Press on situation of anonymity as a result of no announcement was made.

“Just before the World Cup, coach Berhalter told me that my role at the tournament would be very limited. I was devasted,” Reyna stated in a press release Monday. “I absolutely anticipated and desperately needed to contribute to the play of a gifted group as we tried to make a press release on the World Cup.

“I am also a very emotional person, and I fully acknowledge that I let my emotions get the best of me and affect my training and behaviour for a few days after learning about my limited role,” Reyna stated. “I apologized to my teammates and coach for this, and I was told I was forgiven. Thereafter, I shook off my disappointment and gave everything I had on and off the field.”

Charter posted an editor’s be aware Sunday that stated: “Berhalter’s comments were … erroneously greenlit for publication by someone representing the event organizers.”

“There was never an intention for the content to become public nor for the identity of the player to become known,” Berhalter stated in a press release.

“It was the team’s strong culture which enabled us to work through the issue and emerge in a stronger, more unified position,” Berhalter stated.

Reyna, a son of former U.S. captain Claudio Reyna and former U.S. ladies’s nationwide workforce participant Danielle Egan, missed most of Borussia Dortmund’s 2021-22 season due to leg accidents and has not performed a 90-minute match this season as his situation was monitored.

“I am disappointed that there is continuing coverage of this matter … and extremely surprised that anyone on the U.S. men’s team staff would contribute to it,” Reyna stated. “Coach Berhalter has always said that issues that arise with the team will stay `in house.’”

Reyna turned 20 the week earlier than the World Cup and didn’t play within the Americans’ opening 1-1 draw towards Wales on Nov. 21, sparking questions for Berhalter. Reyna appeared for the final eight minutes of the 0-0 draw towards England 4 days later, didn’t play within the 1-0 win over Iran on Nov. 29 and entered the 3-1, round-of-16 loss to the Netherlands firstly of the second half with the Americans trailing by two targets.

Berhalter stated after the opener that Reyna felt “tightness” after a Nov. 17 pleasant towards Al-Gharafa however didn’t specify the place. Reyna stated after the Wales match, “I felt ready to go.”

Eric Wynalda, a former teammate of Claudio Reyna, informed the Los Angeles Times on a Twitter Spaces interview forward of the England recreation there was “internal strife with the manager” concerning Gio Reyna.

“He was fit to play,” Wynalda stated. “Berhalter did lie to the media and say that it was an injury, asked the player to kind of go along with that story, which caused a rift between the two of them.”

Berhalter stated on Nov. 28: “I’ll go away it to you to determine if I requested Gio to lie about it. That’s simply not who I’m.

“So if you have to take Eric’s word or my word or whatever, feel free. But I know what happened.”