The Albany Gazette - Hudson to guide US camp as Reynas admit pressuring Berhalter

Hudson will guide the Americans, co-hosts with Mexico and Canada for the 2026 World Cup, in a Los Angeles training session ahead of friendlies against Serbia on January 25 and Colombia on January 28, US Soccer sporting director Earnie Stewart said.

The news came a day after Berhalter, whose contract as US coach ended last Saturday, admitted kicking his future wife Rosalind in a 1991 incident he said was being used against him in a threatening manner.

Claudio Reyna, a former US captain and current sporting director at MLS' Austin FC, and his wife Danielle admitted in statements to The Athletic and ESPN that they pressed US Soccer Federation executives with details about Berhalter's past.

The moves came after Berhalter told Gio Reyna, their 20-year-old son who plays for Borussia Dortmund, that he would have only a limited role at the Qatar World Cup.

Berhalter and Claudio Reyna played together on youth and high school teams as well as the US national squad and their wives were college teammates at the University of North Carolina.

US Soccer is investigating Berhalter and the incident as well as conducting a World Cup review while considering who will manage the Americans in the upcoming home-field World Cup cycle.

Berhalter said he underwent counseling after the kicking and he has not repeated any physical incidents.

"It was a shameful moment and one that I regret to this day," Berhalter said. "There are zero excuses for my actions that night."

Danielle Reyna challenged Berhalter's characterization of the incident.

"Without going into detail, the statements from yesterday significantly minimize the abuse on the night in question," she said in a statement.

"Rosalind Berhalter was my roommate, teammate and best friend, and I supported her through the trauma that followed. It took a long time for me to forgive and accept Gregg afterwards."

Reyna said she was upset when he refused her son the consideration she had given him over the incident three decades earlier.

"I worked hard to give him grace," she said. "I would have wanted and expected him to give the same grace to Gio. This is why the current situation is so very hurtful and hard."

Claudio Reyna said there were no threats attached to his comments to US Soccer officials regarding Berhalter.

"While in Qatar, I shared my frustrations about my son's World Cup experience with a number of close friends, Earnie and Brian McBride among them," Claudio Reyna said. "However, at no time did I ever threaten anyone, nor would I ever do so."

- 'Personally betrayed' -

Details were not revealed to US Soccer officials until December 11 by the Reynas after Berhalter spoke of an unidentified player who was nearly sent home from the World Cup, with Gio Reyna confirming on Instagram the next day that he was the player.

"I let my emotions get the best of me and affect my training and behavior for a few days after learning about my limited role," Gio Reyna said on Instagram.

"I apologized to my teammates and coach for this and I was told I was forgiven. Thereafter, I shook off my disappointment and gave everything I had on and off the field."

When Berhalter spoke of nearly sending a player home, even without naming her son, Danielle Reyna said she was upset.

"I thought it was especially unfair that Gio, who had apologized for acting immaturely about his playing time, was still being dragged through the mud when Gregg had asked for and received forgiveness for doing something so much worse at the same age," Danielle Reyna said.

"I felt very personally betrayed by the actions of someone my family had considered a friend for decades."

Hudson, 41, is a former national team manager for New Zealand and Bahrain as well as the US under-20 side.

(K.Lüdke--BBZ)