Berhalter, Curtin and the American coaches that could follow Marsch to Europe

The former(?) U.S. men's national team coach has already tried his hand in Europe with Hammarby but, after a decent World Cup, Berhalter's next move could be back to the continent.

Media in Europe looked at the USMNT's performance in Qatar a bit more favorably than back home, with many left impressed by Berhalter's tactics. He's a veteran coach that also has playing experience abroad, so there shouldn't be any concerns about his ability to adapt to the European club game.

Berhalter, in many ways, is better suited for club level, where he can consistently work to implement his attacking philosophy. Doing so with a national team is difficult, and he's already proven he can win without too much financial backing during his time with the Columbus Crew.

However, the entire Reyna family situation is hanging over him, which could put off some clubs that would have previously been interested.

For years, Cherundolo has been earmarked for big things, and it feels like its only a matter of time before we see the Mayor of Hannover make his mark as a coach in europe.

Cherundolo spent 15 years with Hannover as a player, solidifying his place as a club legend. He then began to work his way up through the ranks in Germany, coaching youth teams at his former club while also serving as an assistant with Stuttgart and the Germany Under-15s.

He returned stateside to coach the Las Vegas Lights before taking over from Bob Bradley at LAFC. In his first season with the club, Cherundolo led LAFC to an elusive MLS Cup title, guiding one of the most star-studded rosters in the league's history to a memorable triumph.

There are still questions about Cherundolo as a coach, which is natural given his relative lack of experience. Some, meanwhile, will wonder how Cherundolo will fare this year with a vastly different LAFC team that likely won't have such a talent advantage.

However, if Cherundolo keeps the ship steady in Los Angeles, it's only a matter of time before Europe, most likely Germany, comes calling.

Curtin's stock continues to rise, and rightfully so.

A two-time MLS Coach of the Year, Curtin has helped build the Union from irrelevant to elite. And he's done so without spending much money, instead helping the club develop some of American soccer's best young talent and a few hidden gems to become one of the best clubs in MLS.

He's out of contract after the 2023 season and, once this MLS campaign is over, there's certainly a chance he decides to try something new. He's already hinted that he could, telling the Crack Podcast that he'd be willing to leave for a USMNT assistant job.

At just 43, Curtin has plenty of time to evolve as a coach, and he's already shown he can play different styles with different players.

If there was one MLS coach most ready for Europe, it's probably Curtin. The question is what it would take to get him to go.

It's still very, very early for Josh Wolff, but his coaching career is off to a good start.

Wolff has helped build Austin FC from the ground up, taking over before the club's inaugural season and helping establish them as a legit MLS contender. Year one had its ups and downs, but the growth shown in year two was enough to prove that Wolff really knows what he's doing.

Austin is Wolff's first head coaching job, having previously served as an assistant under Berhalter in Columbus, so there's still a lot for him to learn and prove in the coming years. However, the early returns are promising.

Add in his playing experience, which includes 52 USMNT caps and some time abroad in Germany, and you have all the makings of a good young coach.

Despite Marsch's Leeds dismissal, there are still Americans to keep an eye on in Europe.

Marsch, himself, could pop back up again relatively soon, if he doesn't take the USMNT job. The fastest way back to a top job like Leeds is to build his way back up to Europe, so it wouldn't be too big of a surprise to see him resurface in the summer with a new gig.

Another former Premier League manager, David Wagner, could also find himself in the top flight again soon as he currently leads Norwich City in the Championship. The Canaries are hovering near the promotion playoff line, which would give them a chance to head back to the Premier League.

And then there's Pellegrino Matarazzo, who on Wednesday was confirmed as the new manager of Hoffenheim. Matarazzo, in particular, is one to watch in the coming years, having done well enough at Stuttgart to earn another good job in the Bundesliga.

Prior to Marsch, Bob Bradley was certainly the most well-traveled American head coach, having preceded Marsch as the first U.S.-born manager to take charge of a Premier League club.

However, following his messy stint at Swansea City, Bradley returned home, first with LAFC and now Toronto FC, and has continued his good work in MLS.

Brian Schmetzer, meanwhile, never went abroad after improbably thriving as Seattle Sounders head coach. What started as an interim job in 2016 after years as an assistant has turned into one of the most prosperous unions between club and coach in MLS history.

Schmetzer is Seattle through and through, and there's little chance he'd ever leave the city he's called home for his entire life.

It's not just American coaches that have turned MLS success into a European job. Vieira is one of the league's success stories, after all, having moved from Manchester City's youth teams to NYCFC before taking over at Nice and, ultimately, Crystal Palace.

Wayne Rooney may just be the next to follow that path, having taken charge at D.C. United after a difficult spell with bankrupt Derby County. He's already been linked with returns to Europe, primarily with boyhood club Everton, so it may only be a matter of time, regardless of how D.C. United do.

Rooney's former team-mate Phil Neville is another one that comes to mind. He managed the England women's national team before arriving with Inter Miami.

Aside from the ex-England internationals, there's Wilfried Nancy. The French coach succeeded Thierry Henry and worked miracles with CF Montreal, finishing with the second-best record in the East in 2022. He's now in Columbus with the Crew and, if he succeeds there, European clubs should take a real look at him.