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Brian McBride is stepping down as general manager of the US Men’s National Team, United States Soccer Federation sporting director Ernie Stewart told the board.
Stewart notified the board during a presentation near the end of Thursday’s board executive session, a person familiar with the discussion told The Associated Press. He spoke on condition of anonymity Friday because the decision, first reported by ESPN, was not announced.
McBride held the position for three years. Stewart did not tell the board whether 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 supervised a former teammate in his role as GM and was involved in a dispute with another former teammate.
Stewart, 53, played for the United States in the 1994, 1998 and 2002 World Cups and was hired as the team’s first GM in June 2018. This is part of a management restructuring following the Americans’ failure to qualify for the 2018 World Cup. He recommended to the board to hire Greg Verhalter as coach in December 2018.
Stewart was promoted to sporting director of the men’s and women’s programs in August 2019 when Kate Markgraf was hired as the first general manager of the U.S. Women’s Team. McBride, in his 50s, having scored 30 goals in 95 international appearances, was hired as the men’s team’s general manager in January 2020, with both him and Mark Graf reporting directly to Stewart.
McBride’s departure came amid a dispute between Verhalter and the family of US player Gio Reyna, who left Verhalter’s future with the team in question.
Verhalter led the United States to the last 16 at last year’s World Cup, but the United States were eliminated 3-1 by the Netherlands.
Verhalter’s contract expires at the end of December and he hopes to remain as coach until the 2026 World Cup, which the United States will co-host with Canada and Mexico.
The USSF announced on January 3, after Daniel Egan Reyna contacted Stewart on December 11 about the 1991 incident in which Berhalter kicked Rosalind Santana (who would later become his wife). It announced it had hired the law firm of Alston & Byrd to investigate Verhalter. Burholter released a statement saying, “There was no excuse for my actions that night.”
Former US Women’s player Daniel Reyna is married to former US captain Claudio Reyna, mother of current midfielder Gio Reyna, and college roommate of Rosalind Santana Barhalter.
Verhalter revealed at a business conference on Dec. 6 that he had nearly sent his players home from the World Cup due to a lack of busyness in training. Claudio Reina told Stewart and McBride that he was frustrated with Geo’s World Cup experience.
“We have had to deal with a sad and unfortunate situation, and we believe we are dealing with it in the right way,” Cohn said at a public board meeting Thursday. said it should be completed in the next few weeks.
Burhalter’s assistant, Anthony Hudson, will serve as interim coach as the United States begin training Saturday ahead of next week’s exhibitions against Serbia and Colombia.
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