Jurgen Klopp is exactly the type of manager the United States should target

If the United States wants to be a big hitter on the international soccer stage, or for a start even taken seriously, then naming Jurgen Klopp as head coach would be a good start.

Gregg Berhalter’s second stint in charge was just as ill-fated as the first. They underachieved terribly in his first four years in charge and this spell was no different.

It beggars belief that the US Soccer Federation would bin a manager only to rehire him 12 months later, but it speaks volumes to their mentality.

This year was the perfect time to start building up to the 2026 World Cup by being bold and going big - supersized, even - which is something we know the USA does so well.

Marcelo Bielsa and Zinedine Zidane were just two heavy hitters on the market. El Loco’s legendary approach transforms teams, while few mastered playing the game like Zizou.

Instead, current Canada manager Jesse Marsch, Philadelphia Union head coach Jim Curtin, and El Salvador head honcho were in the mix.

They all have their merits. Curtin has been a standout in Major League Soccer for years, while Hugo Perez transformed the El Salvador setup and influenced a generation of youngsters in the US system.

But the one thing they have in common is that they aren’t newsworthy outside of the CONCACAF region.

If Klopp was appointed as head coach of the USMNT right now, you’d have news crews for every soccer-loving country in the world covering it on a loop for the rest of the week.

In a sense, it’s a marketing move. Lionel Messi and Apple TV have drawn millions of new eyes, as well as investors, to the game in the States.

The German’s mere presence would launch the US national team's relevance into another stratosphere, but more importantly, the man’s a footballing genius.

It seemed apparent throughout Berhalter’s reign that like any manager, he had his favourites. Those favourites will defend him to the death while putting in seemingly less effort than you’d expect. We’ll let you draw your conclusions.

Klopp coached the Reds to a long-awaited Premier League trophy, Champions League glory, the FA Cup and two EFL cups. His resume speaks for itself.

He was known for what was referred to as ‘heavy metal football’ when he arrived in Merseyside from Dortmund nine years ago.

Liverpool were forced to adapt over time and like all good things, it ran its course and came to an end. But the prospect of applying his methods to the US over a shorter period is intriguing.

The average of the current roster is 25 years old and there’s no shortage of energetic players capable of hunting in packs and unsettling teams.

Perhaps the most exciting and fitting aspect of his style would be the ability to force turnovers and hurt teams in transition, which again, could suit the current pool of US players.

Berhalter himself tried to implement a style that involved pressing high, but creative players are hamstrung in a way they wouldn’t be under Klopp, and his idea of a press needs upgrading.

It remains to be seen if the grinning German has any interest in taking the role but even making a play for the ex-Liverpool boss looks like a step in the right direction.