Steve Cherundolo may be one of the leading candidates for the U.S. men’s national team coaching job, but his longtime teammate and former USMNT general manager Brian McBride thinks it’s not quite his time yet.
Cherundolo has earned plaudits for his work with LAFC, which he led to a MLS Cup and Supporters’ Shield double in 2022 — his first season as head coach.
The 45-year-old was also a stalwart at right back for the USMNT during his playing career, featuring alongside McBride with the national team for several years in the early to mid 2000s.
Speaking on the CBS Sports “Call It What You Want” podcast, McBride said the qualities that made Cherundolo such a successful player have translated well to his coaching career.
“As a player, he was always a thinker, just this quiet, thoughtful, hardworking, extremely good soccer player,” McBride said. “When you transfer that onto the coaching side, it works. That part, I think, has shown through with what he’s done with LAFC.”
Though he praised Cherundolo’s work in MLS, McBride still took issue with the longtime Hannover 96 right back being mentioned as a candidate to take the USMNT into the 2026 World Cup.
“The one issue I would have is I think he’s still too green,” McBride said.
“I mean that in the nicest way. Steve’s going to be a good coach for a long period of time but I don’t think he’s ready for the U.S. men’s national team at this time.”
Cherundolo took on his first head coaching role in 2021 with the Las Vegas Lights in the USL Championship. He is now in the middle of his third campaign with LAFC, which is near the top of the Western Conference standings.
When asked over the weekend if he intended to stay at LAFC for the remainder of the 2024 MLS season, Cherundolo demurred.
“I am LAFC head coach right now and that is my job, what I do every single day,” he said. “Tomorrow morning training is at 11:15 and I will be there for that.”
Gregg Berhalter, who played alongside both McBride and Cherundolo with the USMNT, was fired as head coach last week after the team’s group-stage exit at the Copa América.
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