USMNT’s Reyna has matured since 2022 World Cup – Turner،
NOTTINGHAM, England — Matt Turner said Giovanni Reyna has matured since the 2022 World Cup, when his new Nottingham Forest teammate's emotional reaction to not being named a starter for the Americans drove the USMNT coach , Gregg Berhalter, almost kicked him out of the tournament.
He's grown a lot before my eyes,” Turner, the US number one, told ESPN on Monday, praising Reyna about a week after the winger joined Forest for the rest of the season on loan from Borussia Dortmund.
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In Qatar, Reyna did not react well when Berhalter informed him before the first match against the United States that he would not start; Reyna later admitted that he was “devastated” and had let his feelings affect his “training and behavior” for several days.
Since that horrific moment (and its lingering aftermath), Reyna has tried to refocus on his priorities, and Turner said that type of new perspective was immediately evident once Reyna arrived at Forest's training center following his loan spell from Borussia Dortmund. .
“The best compliment I can give him is right now I see a consistent approach for him every day,” Turner said. “He wants to have the ball and he wants to impact the game with the ball at his feet. I can see him as a very important asset.”
Turner had heard rumors that Reyna might come to Nottingham, but his American teammate was coy when Turner texted him about the possibility. Now that the 21-year-old winger is here, Turner is happy to have a fellow American around, especially as reserve goalkeeper Ethan Horvath recently left Championship side Cardiff City.
More importantly, he envisions Reyna playing a key role in Forest's fight to retain their place in the Premier League, with the team currently in 16th place with 21 points from 23 games.
“The message from our coach was to play a little more, and Gio is that type of player,” Turner said. “Once he establishes a better connection with certain players and becomes more familiar with their movements and the way they want the ball, I can see him as a very important asset.”
