Nothing has been decided yet regarding the status of the U.S. Men’s National team, nor should it, but the resounding thought is that Bruce Arena will be out sooner than later.
Should the second-term USMNT manager be relieved of his duties once again, that leaves the Americans in a precarious and decisive moment in U.S. Soccer history.
[ MORE: Key questions on the USMNT’s failure to reach WC 2018 ]
PST decided to take a look at five managers worth the USMNT’s attention.
Peter Vermes (Sporting KC)
The former USMNT player is surely one of the names that has been talked about for years now when mentioned in the same breath with the national team job. His resume in MLS speaks for itself, including an MLS Cup title and numerous U.S. Open Cup triumphs.
From bringing out the best in Graham Zusi and Matt Besler to establishing relationships with like young American talents like Erik Palmer-Brown, Vermes has proven that he has the eye for talent, while doing so without spending large amounts of money. His philosophy in MLS has been one of a rarity by not targeting top international talents like Sebastian Giovinco and David Villa.
Tab Ramos (U.S. U-20 national team)
The 51-year-old will likely receive high consideration for the job given his U.S. Soccer standing, and rightfully so. Ramos is widely-considered one of the top midfielders in the USMNT’s history, while playing a role in two World Cups (the first of which came with Vermes in 1990).
The former player knows the inner-workings of the U.S. system and has played an important role in developing some of the country’s top players in the past between the national team academy and even building his own academy based out of New Jersey (NJSA 04).
Oscar Pareja (FC Dallas)
2017 has been somewhat of an anomaly for Pareja and his FC Dallas side, but make no mistake, this man is highly qualified for the national team job. In fact, he offers something quite useful that could benefit the USMNT greatly if he were to be hired. Not only did Pareja play in MLS for over half-a-decade, but his success in nearly four seasons with FC Dallas, where he also spent the majority of his playing career, is undeniable.
His relationships with hispanic players has helped Dallas become one of the top clubs in MLS on a consistent basis, and he played an influence in goalkeeper Jesse Gonzalez making the switch from representing Mexico to playing for the USMNT. Similar to what Jurgen Klinsmann did with dual-nationals, Pareja could do the same.
Caleb Porter (Portland Timbers)
Since 2012, Porter has been one of the foremost targets of the USMNT job among fans and media alike given his relationship with U.S. Soccer and his success since coming out of the ranks of the University of Akron, which has become one of college soccer’s most prevalent schools.
The 42-year-old has already won an MLS Cup with the Timbers and MLS Coach of the Year, making him a prime target for the job because of his ability to find success on multiple levels of the game. Additionally, Porter managed the U-23 national team during 2011 and 2012, however, in the lead up to the Olympics he failed to guide the team to the Summer Games.
Gerardo “Tata” Martino (Atlanta United)
The dark-horse contender on this list for sure, but Martino is realistically the best candidate if you’re strictly looking at his experience and resume. The veteran boss has managed both the Paraguayan and Argentine national teams during his coaching career, leading the former to the quarterfinals in 2010.
He’s managed Spanish giants Barcelona as well, which certainly adds more dazzle to his prior history as a coach, but his short time in Atlanta has already made him one of MLS’ top managers. With the expansion side, he’s not only clinched a playoff spot in the club’s first season, but done so in style with a squad of players that most teams would kill for. There’s no question that Martino has an eye for talent, and perhaps he’ll be able to help grow some of America’s best youth.