Community corner: Where does the USMNT go from here?

With France’s win in the 2018 World Cup final, one significant thing happened. No, besides the World Cup hangover we all experienced yesterday. The 2022 World Cup cycle officially started, and all 211 of FIFA’s national teams are back in the race to qualify for the 2022 World Cup in Qatar. That includes us! The United States said goodbye to the disastrous 2018 World Cup qualifying cycle and now focus their efforts on getting back to the World Cup in 4.5 years.

So, how will that road be shaped? What’s next for the USMNT? Obviously, we are in a transition period, with our team trying to figure out what its core will be going forward. Which of the “old guard” will continue and which ones will the program quietly move on from? Who will be the coach to lead the team into the Gold Cup, a possible Copa America, and World Cup qualifying? What is the key ingredient the team is missing that will be the necessary component of a World Cup-caliber team?

So, we want to bring this portion of the program to you. Where does the USMNT go from here? How do they get there? Sure, we know the obvious answers to this, so we’re challenging you to think outside the box. Is it a coaching hire that no one is thinking of? Is it a player in the nether regions of Europe that no one’s ever seen play? Is it a playing style or philosophy that best fits the personnel in our player pool? Ensuring our USMNT makes it back to the World Cup in 2022 is something that will take a dedicated effort in several areas.

So, hit the comments and tell us which aspect of the USMNT program is the most important to getting our team back to playing in the World Cup in 2022. Come with reasons. Challenge yourself to think long-term and creatively. Let’s see how this community can shape the discussion as our team starts anew.