‘Desperate for success’ - Chicago Fire have entrusted ex-USMNT manager Gregg Berhalter with dual roles in hopes of awakening sleeping giant in MLS

The Berhalter story is admittedly a confusing one. He was unceremoniously dismissed from the U.S. job following the USMNT’s failure in Copa America, as the hosts failed to make it out of the group stage. There were calls in some corners for him to be removed before that. He reportedly had offers from both Liga MX and European sides before opting to take the dual role in Chicago. He insists he’s ready to assume both responsibilities.

“It’s definitely going to be difficult, but the really important thing is putting together a good team,” Berhalter told GOAL.

He joins a lineage of individuals who have operated in both roles over the years. Berhalter himself assumed the twin jobs for the Columbus Crew during his previous stint in MLS, and qualified for the playoffs in four out of five seasons. But that proved a difficult task, he admits.

“I learned a lot of lessons from the Columbus days, working from 6 a.m. to 10 at night every day for five years. It aged me,” he said at his introductory press conference. “I realized how I need help.”

For others, though, success has been mixed. Bruce Arena, also a former USMNT manager, has held both positions on three separate occasions. In the first, he turned LA Galaxy from a struggling side - or, a sleeping giant, even - into back-to-back MLS Cup Champions within five years.

He took on a similar challenge with the New England Revolution in 2019. The early days were good, with Arena leading the team to first an Eastern Conference final, then a Supporter’s Shield win, before seeing his team succumb to injuries and fall out of the playoff picture in his third full season. Things ended in controversial fashion in August 2023, when he was placed on administrative leave for alleged “insensitive and inappropriate remarks.” Arena resigned a month later.

Now, he is back, taking on similar responsibilities with the beleaguered San Jose Earthquakes.

Bob Bradley and Peter Vermes have also gone about similar tasks. For Bradley, it wasn’t a successful venture, as he was dismissed by Toronto FC after 18 months. Vermes enjoyed early success - winning MLS Cup in 2013 - but Sporting Kansas City have rather struggled in recent years. He signed a five year deal in 2023, though, and still operates as general manager and head coach.

The initial days of Berhalter’s tenure have been marked by extensive overhaul. Within a month, two assistant coaches were gone. On the same day, the club announced the hiring of head of recruitment Michael Stephens - a former USMNT scout who worked closely with Berhalter from 2019-2022.

A week later, a chief sporting officer was unveiled. Meanwhile, the head coach of Chicago Fire II - the club’s MLS Next Pro side - was dismissed. Two days before Christmas, 9 weeks after officially taking the helm, Berhalter had his staff filled out.

“We have a leadership team that we put together with a sporting director, general manager, head of strategy, head of recruitment and a head of performance. And we’re really relying on that team,” Berhalter said.

The original plan for the Fire, though, was only to find a new director of football. A head coach, they figured, could come after.

“Initially, we were just looking to fill the sporting head’s spot… when we came across Gregg, he expressed a desire to do both,” Mansueto said. “While that was not initially our intention, because of who Gregg is, and he has succeeded in this dual role before, we were confident it would work.”

For Berhalter, there were other opportunities and jobs available. But the assurance that he would have full support from the ownership, including a willingness to invest, was key.

“It’s a market that is desperate for success and an owner that's willing to invest and is committed to building a strong team for the city of Chicago,” Berhalter said. “And that really appealed to me. When evaluating other opportunities, this one became clear because of the tremendous opportunity.”

Part of the allure, from the Fire’s perspective, is the standing Berhalter has within the game. The former USMNT manager, Mansueto said, has a global brand. The connections developed over the years can only help. The same comes from the players.

“I think we have a duty and job on the field, and we look at him as coach, and not the guy with multiple job titles,” veteran midfielder Kellyn Acosta told GOAL. “From our standpoint, and my standpoint, it's about executing the system and his tactics and playing the best football we can on the field, I think all the rest is is secondary for us.”

He’s not alone in his assessment.

“The fact that he gets the double role speaks for itself, and the trust that he gets from the club,” Hugo Cuypers said. “The experience he brings from his past experiences, and I hope it says it sets the standards for the season.”

The goals here are clear. The Fire, sleeping giant and all, have to compete from day one. There was a real buzz about them taking a massive step towards that when they were - ever so briefly - linked with Neymar. The Brazilian has a longstanding interest in MLS, but with an agreement to join Santos reportedly just around the corner, talk fell away.

Instead, Berhalter has looked elsewhere. Chicago has money to spend, and the former USMNT boss has used it. Overseas talent has come in. Former Celta Vigo winger Jonathan Bamba is the marquee arrival. The Ivorian international has appeared 10 times for his country, and played in La Liga, Ligue 1 and the Champions League.

It would seem to be better business from a side whose signature of Xherdan Shaqiri will go down as one of the worst acquisitions in MLS history. Midfielder Rominigue Kouame has come in from Cadiz on loan. Winger Philip Zinckernagel signed a four-year contract from Belgian side Club Brugge. There are defensive reinforcements in experienced center back Sam Rogers and Portuguese youth international Leonardo Barroso.

“We’re committed to building a strong team for the city of Chicago,” Berhalter explained.

There doesn’t appear to be much doubt that this can all work, from Berhalter’s side, at least. The day after taking the role, he was at Mansueto’s house, analyzing the roster, and making decisions on moves. That roster - now all-but finalized - has received a message top to bottom: this is a competitive team, but one that will definitely improve.

“We want to build something strong, we want to build something sustainable, but we want to build something that gets results immediately,” Berhalter said. “I would never come in and say, ‘OK, we see this as a four-year project till we make the playoffs.’“

It would seem to be a contradictory statement. The Fire were among MLS’s worst teams last year, finishing last in the Eastern Conference. Berhalter hasn’t coached in the league since 2018. Even he admitted that the landscape has changed since he was last in MLS.

“Watching it, I think it's improved tremendously,” Berhalter said. “I think every team has an identity, a style of play. You can see the coaches are preparing diligently for each game. I think the player quality has risen.”

So there’s belief. The money is there. The man is in place. This sleeping giant, the Fire insist, can be awakened.