Mauricio Pochettino, a renowned manager in the world of European soccer, has taken the reins of the USA Men’s national team after Gregg Berhalter was relieved from his duties as the main coach back in July. With a successful track record in London, managing the likes of Tottenham Hotspur and Chelsea Football Club, Pochettino brings some impressive experience as he embarks on a new journey in his managerial career. Fans are eagerly waiting for an answer to their prayers: Can Pochettino propel the United States to new heights on the world stage?
Pochettino shared his excitement of being appointed as USA’s head coach during a news conference in New York last month.
“I am really happy to be here, because I think it’s an amazing project and challenge that we have ahead,” Pochettino said. “I am so excited, I am so happy.”
The USA Men’s team has yet to win a World Cup, but are one of the more successful nations in the CONCACAF tournaments, and in the Olympics. Meanwhile, in contrast to the men’s, the women’s national team holds the most World Cups, including various gold olympic medals.
“One of the most important things that we need to be inspired by is the women’s team,” Pochettino said, “I think that is going to be our inspiration. That is the objective to match.”
Pochettino is best known for his management in the Premier League, particularly at Tottenham Hotspur F.C., where he revitalized the team into strong competitors in the Champions League and the Premier League. He achieved a club-record of 86 points and led Spurs to their first Champions League final. Pochettino discussed how his successful tactics in Europe could be applied to the U.S. Men’s National Team.
“We are a coaching staff—the first thing is we love the aesthetic in football [soccer], and for us, it’s really important, and we want to play good football, exciting football. Of course, we want to have possession because our [coaching staff] philosophy is to have the ball, and to run; to move, to give options, give angles for our teammates,” Pochettino said. “We need to be aggressive, we need to be competitive, and we need to create this platform so that when the players arrive to the national team, they learn it and know it.”
As of October, Pochettino coached his first two games with the USMNT, playing Panama on the 12 in Austin, Texas and Mexico on the 15 in Guadalajara. Just four days before his first game with the team, the U.S. Soccer Federation has announced, via their Instagram, the team of coaching assistants that will join Pochettino.
“Together, we have a lot of experience and a very clear way of working,” Pochettino said. “We’re going to use that experience to get to know these guys, both as people and as players, share our knowledge, and, together, as a united group, help this team achieve our goals.”
Following USMNT’s friendlies against Panama and Mexico, Pochettino called up his first 25-man roster for his first training camp in Austin, Texas. USMNT veterans Tim Ream and Antonee Robinson spoke with the media and revealed how the sessions are under their newly appointed coach.
“Yeah, straight away it seems a little bit more intense,” Robinson said. “Yesterday we were kind of straight into training and it was a tough session. So we were kind of, right away, we were here to work. So it was definitely intense.”
Pochettino, known for his strategic expertise and tendency for developing young players, faces the dual challenge of revitalizing a team that has faced difficulties in recent years while tapping into the potential of its rising stars. As the country watches with hope, one big question lingers: Can Pochettino turn his past successes into victories for the USMNT? Only time will tell with Pochettino’s first games with the team and plenty of time until the World Cup. But one thing is clear: American soccer is now in good hands.
“The message is that Pochettino wants to win. He has his principles, he has his ideas, but at the end of the day it’s about winning,” Tim Ream said. “It’s important to have that mindset going forward leading into these games, and beyond that.”
