NEW YORK – Brian McBride has stepped down as general manager of the US men’s national team, US Football Association athletic director Earnie Stewart told the governing body’s board.
Stewart briefed the board during his presentation near the end of Thursday’s board meeting, a person familiar with the discussion told The Associated Press. The person spoke on condition of anonymity Friday because the decision, first reported by ESPN, was not disclosed.
McBride held the job for three years. Stewart did not tell the board if the former US team star would be replaced in the role, the person said.
USSF President Cindy Parlow Cone and spokesman Neil Buethe did not respond to requests for comment.
McBride reported and monitored former teammates in his role as GM and was involved in controversy with another former teammate.
Stewart, 53, played for the USA at the 1994, 1998 and 2002 World Cups and was hired as the team’s first GM in June 2018 as part of a management reshuffle after the Americans failed to qualify for the 2018 World Cup. In December 2018, he recommended that the board sign Gregg Berhalter as coach.
Stewart was named athletic director of both men’s and women’s programs in August 2019 when Kate Markgraf was hired as the US women’s team’s first general manager. McBride, a 50-year-old with 30 goals in 95 caps, was hired as men’s general manager in January 2020 and both he and Markgraf reported to Stewart.
McBride’s departure comes amid a dispute between Berhalter and the family of US player Gio Reyna, who have left Berhalter’s future up to the team in question.
Berhalter led the USA to the round of 16 at last year’s World Cup, where the Americans lost 3-1 to the Netherlands.
Berhalter’s contract expired at the end of December and he hopes to stay on as coach until the 2026 World Cup, which the USA will co-host with Canada and Mexico.
The USSF announced Jan. 3 that it had hired the law firm Alston & Bird to investigate Berhalter after Danielle Egan contacted Reyna Stewart on Dec. 11 and told him about an incident in 1991 involving Berhalter Rosalind Santana , the woman who later became his wife, had kicked . Berhalter issued a statement that he had “no excuses for my actions that night.”
A former United States player, Danielle Reyna is married to former United States captain Claudio Reyna and is the mother of current midfielder Gio Reyna and college roommate of Rosalind Santana Berhalter.
On December 6, Berhalter revealed at an economic conference that he almost sent a player home from the World Cup due to a lack of hectic training, comments 20-year-old Gio Reyna clearly. Claudio Reyna said he told Stewart and McBride he was frustrated with Gio’s World Cup experience.
“We’ve had to deal with a sad and unfortunate situation, but I think we’re dealing with it the right way,” Cone said during Thursday’s public meeting of the board. She said the investigation “should be completed in the coming weeks”.
Anthony Hudson, a Berhalter assistant, will be interim coach as the USA train against Serbia and Colombia on Saturday for next week’s exhibitions.
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