USMNT’s Folarin Balogun says team aims to ‘make a statement and remind people what we’re about’

Preparing for upcoming friendlies against Canada and New Zealand, it feels like the United States men’s national team is in limbo. Coming off of a disappointing performance during the Copa America, crashing out in the group stage, Gregg Berhalter is no longer the manager. But for these friendlies, Micky Varas — who is expected to become the first manager of San Diego FC in Major League Soccer — will lead the USMNT instead of Mauricio Pochettino, who is expected to be the next head coach. Players, fans and more patiently await the arrival of the next face of the program.

Speaking with media on Monday, USMNT defender Tim Ream said they’re waiting just like everybody else for an announcement to be made. With these games, while changes will be made once the coach arrives, it’s still an opportunity to create positive vibes.  The lack of a permanent manager is something that can bring uncertainty into what is a young USMNT side but that’s where the growing experience and chemistry of these players shows. They know that the performance at Copa America was a disappointing one and the goal of this camp is to remove the bad taste of that tournament from their mouths and begin the process to move forward.

“I think after the Copa ended there was a mutual feeling in the dressing room of disappointment and we knew that we had to put it to rest, that we had to go away and reflect,” striker Folarin Balogun said. “We’ve come back for this camp and we’ve had the time to reflect and speak together and we have two friendly games coming up. As always, when we have the opportunity to wear this jersey, it’s about putting on a show. We’re not treating it as friendlies and we want to make a statement and remind people what we’re about.”

The wait from the Copa America exit in July to now in September had been a long one but the quickest way of putting it behind the side is to score as many goals as possible and start winning. There are notable absences like Weston McKennie, who was left to reintegrate with Juventus, and Tyler Adams, who is injured. But a familiar core was called in by Varas. Even for Balogun specifically, while the coach may be different, it doesn’t change much about his role.

“Any coach will tell you from a striker that he wants goals, so that’s something that I’m still focused on and I’m focused on finding ways to help the team create chances,” Balogun said.

Some things don’t change no matter who is leading the side and considering Varas’ experience in the system as a former U-20 manager and assistant coach under Berhalter, he isn’t going to spend this window implementing new systems. Pochettino will have his own ideas of what needs to be done but like Balogun alluded to, he has to score more goals for any system to reach peak potential. This team is filled with professionals and this isn’t the first time that they’ve gone through coaching changes nor will it be the last. 

“I’ve gone through a few coaching changes in my career, I think that I’ve had 10 or 11 different managers over just the course of my club career,” Ream said. “I think it’s one of those things where we all naturally kind of lift the intensity and lift the focus and you put a little bit more into it but at the same time, you do have to play your own game and do what has gotten you to that point while also adjusting and adapting to a new voice. That’s not any different at any level that you play at so there’s a fine line and a balance of pushing and being more focused and more intense but also playing your game and the style, the way you play that has gotten you to that point. Just understanding how far to push it and where that fine line and that balance is.”

The players will know that they need to impress Pochettino in this window but the best way to do that is by winning and playing a composed game. Canada on Sep. 7 will be a stern test for the USMNT. Under American manager Jesse Marsch, the Canucks achieved a fourth-place finish at Copa America and will want to keep that momentum going when facing the USMNT. If the United States want to continue to be the best team in Concacaf, showing up against the Canucks will be critical.