In December, the U.S. Soccer Board of Directors approved a new technical leadership position for the Men’s and Women’s National Teams. The role of General Manager is designed to drive and develop the long-term success of the programs, placing that person in charge of the culture and the environment of the senior national teams.

After a thorough and extensive search process, the U.S. Soccer Federation has found someone ready to fulfill this important responsibility for the Men’s National Team. Earnie Stewart, a three-time World Cup veteran for the United States with more than 30 years in the professional game, has been named as the first General Manager for the MNT. His unique blend of experiences as a player and sporting director, both domestically and abroad, make him an exceptional fit for the job.

With a primary focus on the senior MNT, here are the core responsibilities that Stewart will assume in his position:

--Leading the search and hiring process for the Head Coach;

--Creating the environment—both day-to-day and long-term—for the Head Coach and the Men’s National Team to succeed;

--Ensuring that U.S. Soccer’s Style of Play, Team Tactical Principles, and Key Qualities are being implemented within the Men’s National Team;

--Creating a player profile for each position on the field based on the Style of Play, Team Tactical Principles, and Key Qualities;

--Working with the Head Coach to create positional depth charts based on the player profile, accounting for player’s current and potential ability to compete at the highest levels in the world;

--Evaluating and monitoring players coming up through the Youth National Team programs and ensuring that the best talent is identified and cultivated; and,

--Communicating and working with the Sport Development Departments to drive technical alignment and integration, including Coaching Education, Player Development, High Performance, Talent Identification and Youth National Teams.