Gregg Berhalter hopes to steer Chicago Fire back in the right direction after enduring a tough moment in his USMNT head coach firing.

Gregg Berhalter acknowledged that his firing in August as USMNT coach was "a really difficult moment," but said he's now hungry and motivated again to take on his new roles as Chicago Fire head coach and director of football.

Two months after Berhalter’s firing U.S. Soccer announced the arrival of world-renowned head coach Mauricio Pochettino. The Argentine boss managed his first two games with the USMNT this month, defeating Panama 2-0 but then losing to Mexico 2-0 in Guadalajara.

Gregg Berhalter sees the Chicago Fire as a “sleeping giant” poised for success. The former U.S. men's national team coach was introduced Thursday as the Fire's head coach. It was his first official appearance for the club since he was named to the role of both coach and director of football last week.

Former United States men’s national team coach Gregg Berhalter has found his next job: director of football and head coach of Major League Soccer mainstays Chicago Fire. Berhalter, 51, goes back into club soccer for the first time since his 2013-18 tenure with the Columbus Crew. He led Swedish side Hammarby from 2011-13.

Berhalter, a New Jersey native who already lives in the Chicago area, was dismissed as US coach shortly after the team was eliminated in the group stage of the Copa America this summer.

Former U.S. men’s national team coach Gregg Berhalter said Thursday he had to go through a period of “mourning” after U.S. Soccer fired him and before he was able to move forward to take on his next job.