Pros and Cons of Anthony Hudson Possibly Being Made Permanent USMNT Coach

The United States men's national team is still searching for its permanent head coach.

While plenty of big-name managers have been linked to the job since former coach Gregg Berhalter's contract expired at the end of last year, interim coach Anthony Hudson has been the steadying presence for the United States Soccer Federation amid this period of transition.

In addition, recent wins on the field and likable off-field behavior have had many USMNT fans wondering if the 42-year-old would be a viable candidate for the full-time job.

If the USSF has a real issue finding a suitable head coach for its long-term goals, he could be the man it has faith in to lead the Stars in Stripes into the 2026 FIFA World Cup.

Although there is still plenty of time to decide before that event, let's break down the pros and cons of the USSF potentially hiring Hudson as the USMNT's full-time head coach.

The biggest gripe with Berhalter during his time with the USMNT was his lack of tactical flexibility.

Hudson, however, has shown he likes to take risks and try things that Berhalter may not have even thought of.

In their recent 1-1 draw against Mexico on Wednesday, Hudson lined up the Stars and Stripes in a 4-2-3-1.

Many believed San Jose Earthquakes forward Cade Cowell would slot in as the No. 10 on the team sheet. But it was FC Dallas forward Jesús Ferreira who dropped just behind the attacking front three that included Cowell, FC Cincinnati striker Brandon Vazquez and Seattle Sounders winger Jordan Morris.

Though Ferreira was sometimes shaky during his outing vs. Mexico, he had his moments. The 22-year-old scored the equalizing goal against a solid Mexican team in the 81st minute.

The fact that Hudson was open-minded enough to play Ferreira in a position that may not be regular for the Dallas striker shows his willingness to adapt.

Rarely did Berhalter tinker with his starting lineup as Hudson has.

If the USSF decides to keep Hudson for the future, the USMNT could see more experimental performances, such as the one against Mexico.

For all the experimenting Hudson has done, there are some concerns whether those experiments will succeed consistently.

Hudson coached the MLS' Colorado Rapids from 2017 to 2019. During his term, he had an abysmal record, leading them to only eight wins through 43 games.

With the USMNT, if Hudson does take over the full-time job, will he be able to avoid the same mistakes that ousted him as Colorado manager?

It has yet to be seen if the former Rapids coach can take a program—whether it be for club or country, to the next level.

Hudson also had a spell as the New Zealand men's national team manager, where he had just a 33.3 percent winning percentage through 27 games. Much like his period with Colorado, Hudson's subpar time coaching the All-Whites left much to be desired.

The U.S. wants the 2026 World Cup to be its chance at getting past the round of 16 for the first time since 2002.

Hudson may be underprepared for a task as big as that based on his previous coaching stints.

The focus surrounding the USMNT hasn't been entirely on the field in recent months.

The mother of U.S. midfielder Giovanni Reyna, Danielle, reported a decades-old domestic violence allegation against Berhalter to U.S. Soccer after the coach "made negative statements about [her] son Gio at a leadership conference," ESPN reported in January.

In response, Berhalter released a statement saying he kicked this then-girlfriend, now-wife Rosalind during an argument. An independent investigation ensued, and the USSF concluded Berhalter was still eligible to be hired for a future coaching role.

In the meantime, Hudson has brought some harmony back to the program.

When the Stars and Stripes returned to camp in March for their first competitive matches since the World Cup in the CONCACAF Nations League, Hudson had this to say about the roster inclusion of Gio Reyna.

"He's a good guy and a top talent, and he is evaluated like any other player. We made the roster decisions based on what gives the team the best opportunity to win these games, and we brought him in because we think he can help us do that."

While Berhalter may have been superior on the tactical side, Hudson brought the locker room back together enough for the U.S. to beat Grenada 7-1 in late March. The team also beat El Salvador 1-0 to advance to the Nations League semifinals.

Simply put, the USSF has many better options than Hudson.

Philadelphia Union head coach Jim Curtin has expressed interest in the job. Ex-CF Montréal manager Thierry Henry has turned down the opportunity to be France's women's national team coach for a chance at taking the helm as USMNT manager, per ESPN.

There is also José Mourinho, a pipe dream who would be an all-star appointment and certainly turn heads; LAFC manager Steve Cherundolo, who has one of the best attacking teams in MLS; and ex-Leeds boss Jesse Marsch.

Despite the positive energy and tactical experimentation Hudson is doing with the U.S., his resume doesn't hold up to those of Mourinho and Marsch, who have far more experience in coaching than he does.

There is no shortage of interested parties, nor is the federation shy about its ambitions to appoint a manager who can lead the team through to the 2026 World Cup.

Because of this, the USSF may look elsewhere for the full-time USMNT job.

In the end, though Hudson may be a phenomenal locker room presence and tactically experiment occasionally, the USSF will probably look to someone else to lead the organization into 2026.

Hudson's lack of experience may be his shortcoming. His woeful stint as Colorado Rapids manager, combined with the USSF sending offers to world-class coaches, will see the 42-year-old put on the back burner.

There are other solid options such as Curtin and Henry that the federation can turn to.

Though Hudson was the right guy to steer the ship along during turbulent times, he may not have the pull to keep the job permanently.