On the day before the U.S. men’s national team takes on Panama in its first game under new manager Mauricio Pochettino, the Argentine coach said he understood the responsibility and opportunity he had in taking over this national team ahead of a home World Cup.
It was, frankly, a part of the appeal of the job.
“In 1994, the World Cup was here … that was a massive event and (it was said that) it’s going to change. the view of the sport, soccer, in the USA. And I think now is the second time that is going to happen,” Pochettino said in a small round table with reporters on Friday afternoon in Austin, Texas. “It’s a massive responsibility for us to try to, (for) our fans, to provide a sport that can be exciting, enjoyable, like other sports here that (are popular in) the country. I think that is our responsibility. It is a massive, massive responsibility.”
Pochettino said the key is to win over the fans, which in turn creates the culture that drives the sport forward.
“The sport needs the fans to be there, winning, losing, playing well or not playing well, because together, we need to build that confidence and trust that we can arrive in two years (at the 2026 World Cup) and be really competitive and to feel proud about a sport that maybe wasn’t born here, but starts to belong to here,” Pochettino said. “That is going to be really important. But without the fans, it’s impossible. We need the fans to buy (into) this idea. If not, it’s impossible. Because, like you say, in Germany, in Argentina, in Brazil, (soccer ranks No. 1). Why? Why (does) football there or soccer there, (rank as) the first thing? Because the fans. Without the fans, for sure, football or soccer in Spain or in England (wouldn’t be) above another sport.”
Pochettino’s first camp with the U.S. men’s national team has been an intense immersion into the changes he is trying to bring to the program. That has manifested this week with longer training sessions, so that Pochettino can introduce and train his new philosophies, but also in many of the moments away from the field. Pochettino has tried to pull players aside for individual meetings, 10 minutes here and 30 minutes there, so that he can get to know his team — and so that they can get to know him.
Pochettino said he has pleased with how quickly the group, the 25 players, but also the incumbent staff members, have taken to the changes and different approach, and how welcoming they have been. It has reinforced his belief that the team will be able to accomplish something special.
“If we are capable to translate (this) to the competition, the way that we work all together, staff plus players, players plus staff, I think we will for sure compete at our best and (opponents will need to) be careful,” Pochettino said in his press conference. “I (am not speaking specifically about) tomorrow or Tuesday (against Panama and Mexico). In the medium- to long-term, I think we can create a very strong side that is going to be very difficult to play against.”
Facing questions about how he wants his teams to play and whether the style will fit the pool of players, the former Espanyol, Southampton, Tottenham, PSG and Chelsea coach said his ultimate goal with the team was to win. There are certainly trademarks to how he wants his team to play, Pochettino said, but those ideas should never be considered unchanging or inflexible.
“People sometimes say, ‘That is my philosophy, my idea and I’m going to die with my idea,’” Pochettino said. “No, I want to live because life is amazing. I want to be clever and I want to win. I don’t want to die.”
In his sit-down with reporters after training, Pochettino reinforced that thought. The player pool at the international level is limited to players eligible to play for your country, there is no transfer market. Pochettino was asked if he would be able to adapt to that new reality. He said he believes the globalization of the sport has created players that are flexible and able to play in multiple styles and pointed to several players on the U.S. team, naming their clubs, as examples of how capable players are of stepping into high-level systems and adapting to their styles.
“Today the players are so, so, so well educated about tactics and about all the possibilities to develop on the pitch,” Pochettino said. “We need only to create the way that everyone, or 99 percent, or 95 percent or 90 percent, buy (into) this idea and agree that to play in this way is the best way to be close to winning.”
Pochettino was also asked about the fact that several USMNT regulars are not getting consistent minutes with their European-based club teams. Earlier this month in an interview with CNN Deportes, Pochettino, speaking in his native Spanish, said that players getting consistent minutes in MLS might be able to break into the national team.
“We are seeing today that great players like [Lionel] Messi are competing in MLS and for us I think that is something important to convey, that MLS is a competitive league and also that competing in MLS you can also be in the United States national team, competing in the best way and competing for great things,” the Argentine said. “I think that we also have to believe in that, that the players wtho are competing in MLS will also have the opportunity to be able to demonstrate their talent in the national team.
“There are many players who are in Europe and who don’t play much and who don’t compete. And there are other players who are in MLS or in different leagues that compete. And perhaps those players are in better shape to perform than players who perhaps don’t compete weekly.”
Pochettino didn’t back away from those comments when asked if players who weren’t getting minutes in Europe might be better off getting minutes at a less prestigious club, but said it wasn’t something players in Europe would be surprised by or should be concerned about.
“They know that they need to compete, because it’s an important thing to be fit to be able to perform,” Pochettino said. “The circumstances are the circumstances. What I expect from the players who are not playing normally at their clubs is to work really hard during the week to try to convince the coach to have the possibility to play. But if, for different reasons, they cannot get this, they are going to come here and are going to be fit to perform for us.
He said while he doesn’t want players who aren’t currently playing regularly to feel they won’t be called up, there may be instances where looking for a move to a new club will be important to get into the best possible form ahead of the World Cup.
It’s all a part of the process of getting this team to its best possible level ahead of the World Cup in two years, Pochettino said. This camp, and the games in the coming days, are the first steps toward building toward that goal.
(Header photo: John Dorton/ISI Photos/USSF/Getty Images for USSF)
