It could be three months since Gregg Berhalter was fired as U.S. males’s nationwide workforce head coach, however that ache nonetheless hasn’t left the 51-year-old.

Berhalter, who just lately was employed as the following head coach of the Chicago Hearth, spent shut to 6 years with U.S. Soccer. He managed the USMNT for 74 matches, successful two CONCACAF Nations League titles, one Gold Cup, and serving to the Individuals attain the Spherical of 16 on the 2022 FIFA World Cup in Qatar.

Nevertheless, his second spell as USMNT head coach solely lasted 14 matches, with a gaggle stage exit on the 2024 Copa America sealing Berhalter’s finish in his function.

Berhalter now has a brand new alternative to look ahead to in Chicago, however admitted the ache in being fired in his final job.

“It’s a extremely troublesome second whenever you get fired as a coach, and I don’t wish to liken this to life and loss of life in any respect as a result of it’s not. You’re nonetheless alive, however it’s like mourning a loss of life,” Berhalter stated in a press convention Thursday. “And also you get up the following day and you are feeling actually dangerous. Your confidence takes successful and it’s a extremely troublesome second.

“For me it was actually about being with my household in these moments and giving myself the time and the liberty and the house to really feel unhappy and really feel dangerous,” he added. “We didn’t carry out effectively in Copa América and whenever you don’t carry out effectively at a excessive degree there’s penalties, and I take full duty for that. But it surely nonetheless hurts.”

Subsequent March will mark Berhalter’s first match on an MLS sideline since 2018 as he now goals to get the Hearth again on monitor. Chicago has did not make the MLS Cup Playoffs in every of the final seven seasons, dropping 17 matches in league play this 12 months.

Regardless of having proficient gamers in Brian Gutierrez, Chris Brady, and Chris Mueller, the Hearth have did not play at a constant degree. Berhalter’s previous success with the Columbus Crew will definitely have Hearth followers excited for the longer term, and the New Jersey native admitted the rising potential within the Hearth beneath chairman Joe Mansueto.

“After which from there you change into motivated, alright? Now I would like the following alternative. You get hungry once more,” Berhalter stated. “And through that interval once I bought hungry, there’s numerous alternatives that I used to be taking a look at and I saved coming again to Chicago and the potential and the alignment.

“It’s not on daily basis that you just get to work for a person like Joe Mansueto, who understands what a high degree is and the best way to construct one thing that’s actually good and sustainable,” he added.

The Hearth shut out their 2024 league schedule on Saturday at residence in opposition to Nashville SC.