Doug McIntyre’s weekly MLS column, 23 Thoughts, parses through the latest insights and inside info from around American soccer.

For months now we’ve wondered who else U.S. Soccer has seriously considered, besides Columbus Crew boss Gregg Berhalter, for its vacant head coaching position. The list of those who haven’t been is long: Dave Sarachan, Tab Ramos, Tata Martino, Peter Vermes, Bob Bradley, Juan Carlos Osorio. Now we know at least one more name that has: former FC Dallas manager Oscar Pareja did formally interview for the job, multiple sources told Yahoo Sports.

My understanding is that Berhalter and the USSF are currently finalizing an agreement. No deal had been signed as of Wednesday, but if things go to plan the hiring would be announced late next week, a source with knowledge of the situation said. The former USMNT defender would then be formally introduced during a press conference in New York City during the first few days of December.

If the two sides fail to reach an agreement, though, U.S. Soccer would be in a tough spot. Pareja, who resigned Tuesday as FCD’s coach after five seasons, has already agreed to join Liga MX side Club Tijuana, according to Goal.com’s Ives Galarcep. Berhalter and Pareja are the only people U.S. men’s national team GM Earnie Stewart has formally interviewed for the position, sources said.

1. Berhalter, who has coached the Crew for the last five years, is believed to have significant leverage in his negotiations with the federation. He’s drawn interest from the LA Galaxy, where he won an MLS as a player/coach in 2011. It’s also possible that he could sign an extension in Columbus or even with current Crew owner Precourt Sports Ventures, which is expected to relinquish control of the club as part of an arrangement that would allow them to field an expansion team in Austin, Texas.

2. I’m hearing that Berhalter and Pareja were among four finalists identified by Stewart. I don’t know the identity of the others, at least not yet, but am told that the list included at least one international candidate from outside MLS.

View photos Former FC Dallas coach Oscar Pareja. (Leslie Plaza Johnson/Getty) More

3. Pareja, a former midfielder with Colombia’s national team, was telling the truth when he said in late September that he hadn’t interviewed for the U.S. job. No meeting with Stewart had taken place at that point, although the federation had made its interest known. The interview happened after that.

4. With Pareja headed elsewhere, what will Stewart and the U.S. do if Berhalter ultimately decides not to sign? I have no idea. I don’t think the USSF does, either, although Pareja reportedly has a clause in his contract that would allow him to leave Tijuana if the USMNT position becomes available.

5. Pareja’s resignation means there are now three plum job openings in MLS in Dallas, Atlanta, and LA, with Columbus likely to join them in short order. The Vancouver Whitecaps (Marc dos Santos) and San Jose Earthquakes (Matias Almeyda) have already filled their seats for 2019, while the New York Red Bulls and New York City FC changed coaches midseason. Not sure any other MLS season produced that level of turnover. It certainly keeps things interesting.



6. With the USMNT being badly outplayed in its recent friendlies against England and Italy, the year-plus it’s taken to hire a new coach has again been put under a spotlight. It’s worth pointing out how unusual it is for the national team to be this active at the end of a World Cup year. The Americans played six matches over the last half of 2018, up from five in 2014, four in 2010, and zero in 2006. Bob Bradley was named interim U.S. coach on Dec. 8, 2006. Bradley’s interim tag wasn’t removed until the following May, or at almost the exact same point of the current cycle. (The 2022 World Cup will be played in November-December instead of the usual June-July.)

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