For the first time since Gregg Berhalter's return, Gio Reyna is back with the United States men's national team. That comes with plenty of obvious talking points centering around the pair's off-the-field relationship. Can they repair what was fixed? What will that look like? What will it take for everyone involved to move past a situation that became so ugly?
That's the off-field portion, though, and, while it is a priority, that's not the only piece of this puzzle that need's figuring out. At some point, Berhalter and Reyna will need to figure out the problem that got everyone into this mess in the first place: When the USMNT is healthy and in-form, is there a spot for Reyna in the starting XI? And, if so, where exactly?
At the World Cup, the answer to the first part of that question was 'no', and it ultimately led us down the winding path that followed. When assessing his options, Berhalter did not see Reyna as a player that should be a starter in the biggest of moments. It may not have been handled well by anyone involved, but that was the decision that was made.
Now, nearly one year later, what's changed? And, more importantly, what can change on the way to the Copa America and the next World Cup?
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