CARY, N.C. — US men’s national team interim head coach Dave Sarachan has an opinion about the ideal background for the program’s next full-time manager.
He also has a candidate in mind.
Sarachan visited North Carolina on Wednesday to met the media and peruse the local soccer community in advance of the USMNT’s March 27 friendly against Paraguay, to be played at WakeMed Soccer Park.
Following a morning press conference, Sarachan spoke with MLSsoccer.com about several topics, including recent comments by Landon Donovan, who said that he “would like to see an American” as the next full-time manager of the USMNT.
“I’ll say that having been in US Soccer as an assistant coach and now as a head coach, it’s a job that requires a lot of experience and how to navigate through CONCACAF and qualifying,” Sarachan said. “But I also believe that an American coach has a real understanding of the culture of the American player. I believe that an American coach would be ideal for this position.”
Do those job qualification apply to Sarachan himself, who says his tenure as interim USMNT manager is now set to run through the end of this year’s World Cup season?
“I would leave that to those who know me and my background,” Sarachan replied. “If you’re asking me could I and would I want to continue [as USMNT manager], the word is absolutely. It’s always an honor to be part of the men’s national team on any level. If I were offered that opportunity, I would love it.”
