There is an argument to be made that the search for the next U.S. men’s national team manager has transitioned from “deliberate” into “dragging on” and is creeping dangerously close to the territory of “wasted opportunity.” But when Earnie Stewart sat down with a group of reporters at MetLife Stadium on Thursday, he projected something that has been lacking around the coaching hunt: confidence.



Confidence in what he and U.S. Soccer are looking for in a manager; in the process over the five weeks since he became general manager; and in who that new coach will be.



Stewart says he doesn’t have one name in mind, not yet at least. But as the head coaching vacancy approaches the one-year anniversary of the team’s historic loss to Trinidad and Tobago, the profile of the next coach does at least seem to be coming into focus—so much so that Stewart may only interview one person for the job.



“What I...