US national team coach ,Gregg Berhalter has tipped Bayern Munich defender Chris Richards to soon earn his senior international appearance.
The coach, who captained Energie Cottbus and 1860 Munich as a player in the 2000s expressed the believe that it won’t be long before the young defender is called up to represent the Stars and Stripes at senior international level.
Berhalter had also completed his coaching licence at the renowned Hennes-Weisweiler Academy in Cologne in early 2013. So, he is not a stranger to the German Bundesliga.
The US national team has been seeing new talents from the Bundesliga. Some of them are Tyler Adams (RB Leipzig), Weston McKennie (Juventus), Alfredo Morales (Fortuna Düsseldorf) and Josh Sargent (Werder Bremen). All the players mentioned have all played under the 47-year-old since he took over the team in December 2018.
Next on the line is Borussia Dortmund’s 17-year-old midfielder, Gio Reyna. It was the coronavirus pandemic that stopped Gio from making his debut.
Gregg Berhalter keeping eye on Chris Richards
Richard has only played one Bundesliga game for the European champions. With that, the US coach belive that he is one of the team’s future defender.
“Of course I’m keeping an eye on him; Chris is one of our central defenders of the future.
“I’m very happy with his development, and I think the cooperation and the regular communication between us as an American association and FC Bayern is outstanding. We are trying to develop a great player from a great talent together.
“Bayern has a plan with Chris, he has optimal conditions in Munich, and he’s playing competitively. He will further improve his already strong level in the new season”, Berhalter told SportBild.
Richards states his next objectives
Chris Richards became a a Bayern Munich player in 2018 after impressing on a 10-day trial that summer from FC Dallas. The former FC Dallas youth player initially formed part of the club’s U19s. He was later promoted to the reserve team at the start of the 2019/20 season.
Richards won the Germany’s Third Division with the U19s, scoring four goals and recording six clean sheets in his 30 appearances. This made him earn a spot in the senior squad for the title-clinching win over Bremen. He made his Bundesliga debut as an 84th-minute substitute in the record champions’ ensuing victory against Freiburg on the penultimate weekend of campaign.
His next objectives are playing regular first-team football at senior club, and to make his debut at the international level.
“I think it’s time for me to start getting my shot at showing people what I have, and hopefully one day becoming a Bayern legend.
“For the national team I want to be part of the team that helps in qualifying. I definitely want to be a part of that team
“I’m getting to a point in my career where peaking into the USMNT is something I can accomplish and something I wish to accomplish. I know 2026 is where I want to be a main player for the team, but hopefully 2022 is something I can strive for and be a part of,” Richards told the Underdog Soccer Podcast towards the end of 2019/20.
Richards has played for US at U20 and 23 level. He will be back in action on 19 September when Bayern II begin their 3. Liga title defence at home to newly promoted Türkgücü München.
The reserves are ineligible for promotion to Bundesliga 2 because the club is already represented in the top two divisions.
