Gregg Berhalter admits it was a tough decision to send Weston McKennie home after he breached covid-19 protocols because he is one of their best players, but insists that the team comes first.
The USA manager has answered questions on sending home the Juventus midfielder after he breached covid-19 rules in their national team camp.
McKennie is struggling to live a good off-field life and had problems with Juventus when he organised a party during lockdown last season.
He has been struggling to impress Massimiliano Allegri even though he was one of Juventus’ most important players last season.
The American will not be happy with the current development, as it doesn’t help his chances of getting into the good books of Allegri.
Responding to questions about the incident, Berhalter insists it was difficult to send him home, but he had to put the team before the player on this occasion.
“The team comes absolutely first of all, we made a decision thinking about the work we are doing in the long term and it was not an easy decision,” Berhalter said at a press conference as quoted by Football Italia.
“Trust me, countless coaches can be found faced with decisions in which they have to eliminate talented players from the team for one reason or another.
“But we did it for what we think is the good of the group and the good of the team.”
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