Next USMNT manager: Would Leeds United's Jesse Marsch find his national job too hard to turn down

Marsch is less than a year into his three-and-a-half-year Elland Road contract and spoke as recently as New Year's Eve about how much he enjoys working for the club.

But the fiercely patriotic American would find managing his country in a home World Cup a very tempting prospect, and will face more pressure from a fanbase sections of which are lukewarm towards him if a run of only two wins in the last 14 matches in all competitions continues.

Marsch regularly cites the support the club has shown him during a difficult first nine months in charge which saw the Whites only escape relegation on the final day of 2021-22, and that was highlighted when they made Max Wober their first signing of the January transfer window.

The Austrian is already the fourth player Leeds have signed to have worked under Marsch after Brenden Aaronson, Tyler Adams and Rasmus Kristensen.

"I'm really thankful to be at this club," said Marsch. "Inside the club, inside the team, we're really unified, I've said that a lot. We're committed to doing this together."

So it would take a lot to take him away from West Yorkshire, where his family are happy.

But having said that, the lure of managing his national team could be too hard to turn down, particularly when taken into consideration that Berhalter's replacement will be appointed to take the US through to a home World Cup in 2026, one they jointly host with Canada and Mexico.

They hosted the 1994 tournament alone but this is likely to be the only time in Marsch's coaching career they welcome the world's biggest football tourmament. No country has yet hosted three World Cups.

Berhalter did not have his contract renewed after information came to light of an incident between him and his now-wife Rosalind more than 30 years ago, over six years before they married.

The US Soccer Federation did not release any details but the couple did, in a joint statement shortly afterwards.

Berhalter admitted kicking his wife in the leg during an argument following a date in a bar in 1991, when they were 18. The pair had been going out for four months at that point.

They split up as a result but got together seven years later and married on New Year's Day 1998. They remain together now.

The Federation has launched an investigation.

Berhalter says he was contacted by an individual threatening to "take him down" during the World Cup, where the USA reached the round-of-16 but Berhalter was criticised for some of their football and for singling out Gio Reyna - son of former Premier League midfielder Claudio - who he said he had considered sending home for his poor attitude.

Even before Berhalter was sacked, Marsch was tipped as a candidate for the job.

The former midfielder won two caps for his country and was on the coaching staff at the 2010 World Cup as an assistant to Bob Bradley.

Roberto Martinez, who parted ways with Belgium after the Qatar World Cup, has also been mentioned as a possible replacement. The federation is also said to have shown interest in recent years in Pep Guardiola, who recently signed a new contract at Manchester City. Guardiola lived in the US for a year's sabbatical after leaving Barcelona as coach.

Home-grown candidates include Hugo Perez, Jim Curtin and Brian Schmetzer.

The change of coach could also have an impact on Adams and Aaronson's international careers too.

It was the players, rather than Berhalter, who chose Adams as their captain in Qatar and whilst the midfielder was one of his country's star performers, a new coach could make a change.

Aaronson, who was a substitute at all four matches in Qatar, will hope it improves his standing.