Dave Sarachan Named Interim USMNT Coach for Portugal Friendly

Tab Ramos had been the desired choice for Sunil Gulati, but the USA U-20 coach wants the job on a permanent basis–not temporary.

Dave Sarachan will coach the U.S. men’s national team in its friendly at Portugal in November, U.S. Soccer announced on Tuesday.

Sarachan, 63, was Bruce Arena’s top assistant during this year’s Hexagonal tournament, in which the U.S. failed to qualify for World Cup 2018. Although Arena resigned on October 13, Sarachan and Arena’s other assistants—Pat Noonan, Kenny Arena and Matt Reis—remain under contract until the end of the calendar year.

U.S. Soccer president Sunil Gulati had wanted to enlist Under-20 coach Tab Ramos as an interim MNT coach. But as SI.com reported last week, while Ramos is very interested in the job on a non-interim basis, he wasn’t so sure that he wanted the interim label. In the end, Gulati was unable to convince Ramos.

Missing World Cup Means Unusual Road Ahead, Roster Turnover for USMNT

There won’t be any FIFA international dates between November and March, but U.S. Soccer is currently planning to stage its annual January camp for the men's national team, featuring MLS players who will be in their offseason.

It’s extremely unlikely that any non-interim U.S. men's coach will be hired until at least after the U.S. Soccer presidential election in February—and it’s possible that U.S. Soccer will wait to do so until after the World Cup, when the pool of candidates would be bigger.