British executive Crocker hired as USSF sporting director

Tue, Apr 25, 2023
Other News (AP)

CHICAGO (AP) - British soccer executive Matt Crocker was hired Tuesday as sporting director of the U.S. Soccer Federation and will lead the search for the American men's national team coach, a job that has been uncertain since Gregg Berhalter was pushed aside during an investigation that developed from a feud with the Reyna family.

Crocker will start the job on Aug. 2 but will begin the coach search process immediately, the USSF said.

The 48-year-old has been the director of football for Southampton since February 2020. Sport Republic, a London-based investment firm founded by Henrik Kraft and Rasmus Ankersen and backed by lead investor Dragan Solak, bought control of team in January 2022, and the club announced Dec. 16 that Crocker will leave at the end of the season.

Crocker was reported to have interviewed American Jesse Marsch to become the team's manager in February before hiring Ruben Selles. Marsch is former coach of the New York Red Bulls, Austria's Red Bull Salzburg, Germany's RB Leipzig and England's Leeds.

Previously, Crocker was Cardiff's academy director from 1999-2005, then youth development minor of England's Football League (the competition of the second, third and fourth tiers) from May 2005 to May 2006. He joined Southampton as academy manager from May 2007 to November 2013, then became head of development teams, coaching, for England's Football Association starting in November 2013 before returning to Southampton.

Soccer

Crocker replaces Earnie Stewart, who as general manager recommended the hiring of Berhalter. He led the team to the second round of last year's World Cup and hoped to stay through the 2026 tournament, which the U.S. will co-host.

Stewart was elevated to sporting director in August 2019 and left Feb. 15 to become PSV Eindhoven's director of football.

Berhalter's contract expired Dec. 31. Then assistant Anthony Hudson was appointed interim coach on Jan. 4 after the USSF said it was investigating a three-decade-old domestic violence incident involving Berhalter and the woman who later became his wife - the college roommate of Danielle Egan Reyna. Reyna is a former U.S. women's player who is the wife of former U.S. captain Claudio Reyna and the mother of current American midfielder Gio Reyna.

The Reyna family brought the allegation to the USSF's attention after Gio Reyna was used sparingly at the World Cup and almost got sent home by Berhalter for lack of hustle in training. Berhalter referred to a problem with a player during a management conference without identifying Reyna, remarks Berhalter thought were not for publication, but they became public and the identity of the player was clear, angering the Reyna family.

Alston & Bird, the law firm hired by the USSF, said in March that Berhalter did not improperly withhold information about the domestic violence incident. The USSF said Berhalter remained a candidate for the coaching position.

____

More AP soccer: https://apnews.com/hub/soccer and https://twitter.com/AP_Sports