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Turns out, it wasn’t all just smoke when U.S. Soccer officials talked about bringing back Mauricio Pochettino for another cycle.
The U.S.’s embarrassing 4-1 defeat at the hands of Belgium that ended its World Cup didn’t change how anyone felt.
The federation announced Monday morning it is retaining Pochettino as its manager through the 2030 World Cup — a decision that had gained momentum after it initially seemed the two sides would go in different directions following the sour end to the World Cup.
Contract talks picked up in the past few weeks after the two sides initially conversed prior to the World Cup.
Hedge fund billionaire Ken Griffin is again providing financial backing for Pochettino’s salary, extending the commitment he made to bring the former Tottenham and Chelsea manager aboard in 2024.
Given the manner of the loss to Belgium, the decision to bring the 54-year-old Pochettino back could be deemed controversial.
Though he seemed to push all the right buttons until the Round of 16, his team didn’t show up ready to play in what was, without a doubt, the biggest game the USMNT has had in decades, if not ever.
A full cycle that includes a likely Copa America — which the U.S. would play in 2028 should it host, as is presumed — as well as World Cup qualifying after it qualified automatically for this one will be a chance for Pochettino to grow the cultural seeds he planted over the past 18 months.
“Working together with U.S. Soccer over the past two years, it has become clear to us that there is tremendous potential to make the men’s national team program even stronger,” Pochettino said in a statement. “We want to try to have a lasting impact on the sport in the country that has welcomed us so warmly and for that impact to extend beyond results on the field.”
Most national team coaches only stay in charge for one cycle, and Pochettino had talked openly about wanting to go back to the club level, particularly in England’s Premier League. Perhaps seeing the U.S. rally around the team stirred something in him, or perhaps he feels there is merely unfinished business.
The state of the post-World Cup coaching carousel — the biggest jobs that were open two months ago were already filled, including AC Milan, which was linked with Pochettino in late May before hiring Ruben Amorim — likely was a factor as well.
Re-upping Pochettino doesn’t mean the work is over for the federation’s brass, led by CEO J.T. Batson.
There is also the matter of replacing sporting director Matt Crocker, who departed for the same job at Saudi Arabia’s federation prior to the World Cup.
Batson said in May that he did not expect to hire a “like-for-like sporting director going forward,” and a new structure would instead be put in place.
Source: New York Post
