After their slender 1-0 loss in opposition to the US within the Concacaf Nations League, head coach Hugo Perez was requested about his future, particularly, if he can be open to teaching the USMNT.
With El Salvador simply shedding out to a tricky US aspect, because of a Ricardo Pepi purpose within the 62nd minute that noticed them knocked out of the Nations League, the Salvadorian-American supervisor was requested about probably taking up the Stars and Stripes.
The US job has been in limbo since Gregg Berhalter’s contract expired on the finish of 2022. After three months and several other controversies later, Berhalter nonetheless is not again within the image. As an alternative, interim head coach Anthony Hudson has taken over the reins.
“If I say sure or no, they’ll kill me in my nation,” Perez responded.
“I do know they’ve an interim coach proper now. I hope, for the sake of our soccer right here in America – let’s face it, the US desires to win the World Cup. It’s an ideal alternative that they’re not going to qualify for the [2026] World Cup, they’re already in.”
The previous US worldwide has been answerable for Los Cuscatlecos since 2021, main them to the 2021 Concacaf Gold Cup knockout rounds and the ultimate phases of World Cup qualifying in 2022. Earlier than this, the 59-year-old spent two years (2012-14) teaching youth US nationwide groups, attending to know many gamers at the moment with the senior squad.
“Look, I do know all these gamers. I don’t know what proportion [of them] began with us within the nationwide staff, ” he mentioned.
Perez went on to say that whereas teaching might be essential for the US going ahead, the participant pool, that he as soon as coached as youth merchandise are the important thing for his or her future success.
“I’m positive they’re going to make the appropriate choice who they’re going to carry, or go away [Hudson] because the coach. Mainly, the coaches are essential, don’t get me incorrect, however the gamers that they’ve, OK, these gamers that they’ve proper now … you’re speaking a few era for one more 15 years,” he continued.
“I feel they took one staff and performed Grenada [on Friday], then they introduced another gamers to play in opposition to us. In order that tells you the depth that they’ve, and also you return to the Below-23s, the identical factor. So it’s a matter of, whoever is available in, can they actually take the most effective out of them and have the ability to higher than what they’re already?”
Whereas Perez can be an exceptional appointment for the US, he reiterated his need to stick with El Salvador and cause them to their first World Cup look since 1982.
“What issues to me is attending to the Cup; nicely, again to the qualifying video games for the World Cup. Qualifying for the World Cup, that is our purpose and that is my job, to organize our gamers.”
Ultimately, what’s clear from all of that is that Perez is a gifted supervisor that’s able to taking groups to the subsequent degree.
Hudson even mentioned as a lot after the sport on Monday.
“I’ve to present credit score to El Salvador. Coming off the again of a 7-1 win, and enjoying at residence, the boldness is excessive. However they are a robust staff to play in opposition to. The coach at all times has a really clear plan of methods to have his staff play and yeah, they made it very troublesome for us.”
For now, El Salvador will proceed to construct on the progress they’ve made beneath Perez as they appear to qualify for the World Cup for the primary time in 4 many years.
