Unpacking U.S. Soccer's 'clean canvas' and what it means moving forward

U.S. Soccer Federation sporting director Earnie Stewart and general manager Brian McBride will be leaving their respective posts over the next three weeks, creating a natural overhaul of the entire men's national team program.

The federation announced Thursday that Stewart will return to The Netherlands, where he was born, joining Eredivisie club PSV Eindhoven. Stewart's departure is effective Feb. 15 and McBride's on Jan. 31. Gregg Berhalter's contract as USMNT coach expired at the end of 2022, leaving all three positions vacant. Anthony Hudson is leading the USMNT on an interim basis.

The USSF has retained New York-based consulting firm Sportsology Group to assist president Cindy Parlow Cone, as well as CEO and secretary general JT Batson in its sporting director search. Parlow Cone noted the federation aims to hire a new sporting director before the start of the FIFA Women's World Cup on July 20.

"I know this comes as a bit uncertain for you in the media, for our staff and our players," Parlow Cone said. "What it actually is, is a clean canvas."

Concurrently, an independent investigation into a 1991 domestic violence incident involving Berhlater and now-wife Rosalind remains ongoing. Parlow Cone announced on Jan. 19 during the federation's quarterly board of directors meeting that the investigation led by Alston & Bird LLP "should be completed in the coming weeks." Batson clarified Thursday the investigation "had no impact whatsoever" on the timeline of Stewart and McBride's respective departures.

Here's what this means for USSF going forward:

Who will lead USMNT in Nations League, Gold Cup?

All indications point to Hudson remaining as the USMNT interim head coach for the return of Concacaf Nations League games in March, and potentially the Gold Cup in June.

Stewart hired Berhlater in December 2018. On Jan. 4, one day after Berhalter's domestic violence incident surfaced, Stewart told reporters that Berhalter was still a candidate for the coaching position.

"Nothing has changed on that front," Parlow Cone said Thursday. "Gregg remains a candidate."

But with Stewart and McBride gone — which Batson said, "impacts the timeline" in hiring a new coach — Berhalter's strongest supporters at USSF are no longer present, pointing to a new permanent coach, tasked with preparing the USMNT for the 2026 World Cup on home soil.

What's next for Gregg Berhalter

The USSF hired Stewart in 2018 as general manager. He was then promoted to an inaugural sporting director in Aug. 2019, hiring McBride in January 2020.

Batson said the USSF had known about Stewart's possible departure "for a couple of weeks," and asked Stewart to remain onboard until February to complete USMNT's standard technical review (World Cup performance, etc.) McBride said he in a statement Thursday he informed USSF in October of his intentions to leave, but convinced him to extend his contract through January to assist in the coaching search.

“When the opportunity arose to return to the Netherlands to pursue an exciting and challenging role that was near my family, I could not turn it down,” Stewart said in a USSF press release. "…This is a pivotal time for the sport in the United States and I have full confidence in the leadership of U.S. Soccer heading into 2026 and beyond."

Why USSF hired Sportsology Group

There may or may not be another USMNT general manager. That is for Sportsology to find out, Parlow Cone said.

Parlow Cone added that Sportsology was chosen to help to evaluate USSF's entire sporting department, determining if the USMNT general manager role is needed and working directly with Parlow Cone in the USMNT head coach search.

For stories about Nashville SC or Soccer in Tennessee, contact Drake Hills at DHills@gannett.com. Follow Drake on Twitter at @LiveLifeDrake. Connect with Drake on Instagram at @drakehillssoccer and on Facebook.

This article originally appeared on Nashville Tennessean: Unpacking U.S. Soccer's 'clean canvas' and what it means moving forward