Gio Gate

@timmyg referred to it on Post Mortem thread, here the details;

https://www.espn.com/soccer/united-...iovanni-reyna-almost-sent-home-from-world-cup

Sounds like Gio handled his not being a starter poorly, and hopefully he learns a lesson. However, what happens in the locker room stays there. GB comes across as though he was sick of hearing the criticism about Gio not playing and decided to throw him under the bus (didn’t take Sherlock Holmes to figure out who he was referring to).

 

Makes sense to me. Further commentary, or not, from insiders will tell truth of the matter.

 

Wasn't part of his lack of effort in a scrimmage prior to the Wales match? Maybe Berhalter had already told him that he wasn't starting, but that would have been days before the match (which I thought was pretty unheard of)?

edit: I stand corrected. I see the report now that Gio had been told that he wouldn’t start.

 

Bad form by all parties in this scenario, but by this story leaking, especially bad form by Berhalter in telling the story out of school. Preceding this fiasco, Berhalter was stupid in his use of Gio - Berhalter's decision that Gio wasn't going to be a part of team before a ball is kicked, and given Gio's talent level compared to the remainder of the squad, is at best naive and at worst a terminable offense.

 

Astute as usual, Nev. I want to know what led to Gregg’s determination in the first place. That’s what started this spiral. Was there already bad blood there?

 

Which begs another question: If there was bad blood, it must’ve been recent, otherwise why pick him for the roster at all? Another possibility…did Claudio get involved?

 

Sounds like he did. But it was after the initial word that Gio wouldn't be starting.

https://www.espn.com/soccer/united-...-berhalter-domestic-violence-incident-sources

 

NOW we get an idea on whether Gio has an attitude problem. He certainly does.
Let's reset to basics on this. WHATEVER went on in camp or runup to World Cup, to use thirty year old family dirty laundry shows you where the douchbaggery lies.
In my mind, the legendary name of Reyna is forever tarnished. Because the powers that be won't forget this.
If you can show me that Berhalter hasnt changed since he was 19, I'll listen.
Otherwise WTF is the point of changing attitudes and actions if some snot nose kid can forever call you out on your sins.

 

Boy, there’s a lot more going on here, apparently. It seems the Reynas and the Berhalters go way back. And I mean wwaaaaayyy back. It seems that they’ve all known each other since at least college, if not well before. It’s not “The Godfather” catch line: it is personal, not business. Something had to have happened to precipitate this unfortunate cycle of events. The thing is Gio Reyna is a 20 year old young man, legally and presumably, an adult living on his own playing for a big club in a big European top tier league. He shouldn’t need Mommy and Daddy to intervene for him. He should be able to handle his own business. He’s a grownup. But Berhalter messed up too. You don’t talk about player roles and decisions publicly, period, for the exact reasons that have now become obvious: it leads to bigger and more serious issues off the pitch. And did he tell Sean Johnson that he would have a “limited role” in Qatar before the first ball was kicked? Shaquell Moore? Jordan Morris? DeAndre Yedlin? Every coach I’ve known at every level doesn’t tell players how much playing time they’re gonna get before games or tournaments…ever. You find out where you stand when the starting lineup comes out or when he points to you to sub in for somebody.
If he doesn’t, that’s when you figure out you’re gonna have a “limited role,” at least for that match. And at the elite level, opponents are smarter. They can deduce just by watching enemy players warming up whether or not they’ll actually have to plan for his potential appearance or not on the pitch. The bottom line for me is all the principals in this sordid tale are guilty of poor judgment and multiple mistakes that are compounding an ugly, embarrassing scenario for the team, program and U.S. Soccer. Petty, juvenile and dumb adult behavior. Grow up people.

 

"Play my boy...or ELSE!"
https://www.espn.com/soccer/united-...-berhalter-domestic-violence-incident-sources

 

Don, you make me chuckle.. When's the last time we all agreed on a US coach's roster choices.. Steve Sampson popped into my head...
Now in serendipitous fashion, I ran across this old thread from back when we had real banter on here.. Read and enjoy!
https://fulhamusa.com/threads/somethings-happening-here.8066/

 

The puzzling thing that stands out is seemingly why all the adults who have been friends (in Claudio & Greg’s case 40 years) didn’t talk directly to each other. It makes me think that there has been a rift for awhile. If a lifelong friend throws our kid under the bus like GB did (@pettyfog you mentioned Sampson, he didn’t say anything and let the world think he was an idiot on why he left Harkes off the 98’ squad for 12 years, and then only after Wynalda talked about it first) I bet everyone here calls that friend immediately.

 

(Read down this thread, again!)
Well.. There ya go! There's nothing says Gregg DIDN'T talk to the Sr Reynas. Now think SoccerMom.
One thing...bet Columbus would be more than happy to.have him back. Probably several other clubs as well.

 

Earnie Stewart and Brian McBride leaving their roles at the Federation, surely a byproduct of this mess.

The most important thing is the player himself. Good for the kid, to be on the other side of the world and focusing on the thing he can control. He subbed his first two games back and scored both match winners