Steve Sampson, 37, was one of four full-time assistant coaches to the United States’ 1994 World Cup team. When head coach Bora Milutinovic’s contract was terminated April 14, U.S. Soccer put Sampson in charge and his first game was a 1-0 loss to Belgium April 22.

SOCCER AMERICA: What is your status?

STEVE SAMPSON: I have a contract with the federation for the next three months as the interim head coach until they hire the long-term, full-time head coach.

I will take the team through the Costa Rica match [May 28] and through U.S. Cup [June 11-25]. It is uncertain if I will be the head coach at Copa America [July 5-23].

Why do you think the federation chose you?

If you brought someone in who thought he would have to stamp his personality on the team, that might be more disruptive than if you have someone who knows the players well and understands Bora’s system. I can afford a sense of continuity.

Certainly, Timo Liekoski could have done that, but I think the federation wants him to really focus on the Olympic team.

Sigi Schmid would certainly be another good choice, but he’s busy with UCLA, the Olympic team and the U-21 team.

Who will be your assistant?

In addition to Sole [Milutin Soskic] I’m looking to bring in an assistant coach. I have a couple candidates in mind who I would love to have work.

Are you a candidate for the head coaching position?

I don’t have any grandiose expectations about continuing as the head coach of the national team … I think they have in mind who they want to hire and I think they are going forward with that.

If a foreigner is hired to coach the U.S. and run the national team system at all age groups, will he be accepted by the U.S. coaching community?

It all depends on how the new coach accepts the American coaches. His attitude is going to have to be one of being very open and seeking the advice of American coaches.

I think the coaching community obviously prefers an American there, but I think they also realize how important it is for it to be an individual who has a tremendous amount of international experience, either as a player or as a coach.

What advice would you give him?

I would recommend that he has a good line of communication not only with coaches and directors of the MLS, but also with a lot of the key collegiate programs. He needs to lean on them, he needs to endear himself to them.

He needs to take the time to go to the clinics, go to the symposiums, go to the seminars, listen and learn, and then at a point in time, maybe a year down the road, begin to make his own recommendations on how to go forward.

by Soccer America Senior Editor Mike Woitalla