Mauricio Pochettino was named the next U.S. men’s national team manager on Tuesday.
It was rightfully plauded as a next-step hire for a fan base whose expectations have far exceeded practicality.
Will it make a difference in the probability of the U.S. winning the 2026 World Cup? No, no it won’t. For many reasons, none having to do with him, the United States Soccer Federation, or MLS, which are the common blame targets whenever the team doesn’t reach the goals of an overly optimistic fan base.
Pochettino has managed some of the world’s best-known clubs – Chelsea, Paris Saint-Germain, Tottenham Hotspur – and others where he established himself as an up-and-coming manager – Southampton and Espanyol. His resume surpasses previous U.S. managers Gregg Berhalter (Columbus isn’t Chelsea), and Bruce Arena, though that one only to a degree. Arena, after all, has won trophies, something Pochettino hasn’t done much of, other than in France.
There is a lot to like about the hire. Pochettino brings the experience of managing smaller clubs, where talent must be maximized with no room for sentimentality, and bigger clubs, where the job can be as much about ego-soothing as tactics.
What’s in it for Pochettino remains to be seen. It’s a no-lose, no-win situation for him.
The reason that Pochettino can’t win, but also not lose, is simple. Until the U.S. develops more talent, it has reached its level, which is a decent team but not one that will be able to consistently truly compete with Argentina, Spain, Brazil, France, Germany or England. The U.S. should dominate CONCACAF, it should get out of its group in the World Cup.
That’s going to be about it. You’ve seen it for years and years, if you’re long-term supporter, or matches and matches, if you’re a recent supporter.
Talent is the difference. Always. Forever. Talent. Most teams in most sports will only go as far as the talent of the roster. Those with the most talent will win. It’s not about the manager. It’s not about the tactics. Most tactics work because the players are talented enough to execute. Tactics rarely make players brilliant. The U.S. doesn’t yet have enough of it. It has several good players. Tim Weah, Yunus Musah, Folarin Balogun, Antonee Robinson, Sergino Dest and Weston McKennie are starters on some of the more impactful clubs in Europe.
However, they are just good players. They aren’t world-class players. Look at the best national teams in the world. They are two- to three-deep at each position.
There is perhaps one world-class player (Christian Pulisic) on the U.S. men’s national team.
Brad Guzan, who played 64 times for the U.S., was asked on Tuesday about the impact a manager can have on a national team.
“He’s the manager, and his job is to manage the game in terms of substitutions, in terms of tactics, in terms of shape, ideas, of what he wants the team to do, whether that’s press high, whether it’s to drop off and defend in a low block, whether it’s to be in a mid block, whatever it may be, right? And so his job is to then give those ideas and those principles to a group of players, to then try and go and implement those ideas. He can’t go on the field and cross the ball and then run into the box and head it into the goal. He can’t go and play goalkeeper and make a save and defend the guy. He can’t do those things. He can pick a team. He can set them up in a way that he believes will be successful. At the end of the day, the players have to.”
That’s why Pochettino won’t be the difference-maker many hope for in terms of results.
So what should be expected of Pochettino? How can he help the U.S. men’s national team improve, perhaps for 2026 but especially for 2030?
The first thing will be to take a hard look at the roster and gear all decisions toward the 2026 World Cup. That means no more sentimentality for players who aren’t getting time with their clubs. There is no substitution for game minutes when it comes to helping the national team. Part of the reason the U.S. crashed out of Copa America was Berhalter’s reliance on players who were getting next to no minutes for their clubs and expecting them to step in and be up to speed in high-stakes national team matches.
The second thing will be to have the courage to pick some players who may have been consistently overlooked and experiment with them to see how they may do with the national team. That group includes strikers Josh Sargent and Brandon Vazquez.
Still, there’s only so much he, or whomever is next, will be to accomplish until the talent pool deepens.
It’s a good hire. Truly.
It’s just not enough.
Not yet.
For more content about Atlanta United
Follow me on Twitter/X @DougRobersonAJC
On Facebook at Atlanta United News Now
On Instagram at DouglasDavidRoberson
Atlanta United coverage on The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
Southern Fried Soccer podcast can be found
Apple - https://apple.co/3ISD6Ve
Spotify - https://spoti.fi/3L8TN0C
Google podcasts - https://bit.ly/32KlZW3
If you are going to listen to the podcast for the first time, please follow it on Apple, Spotify or wherever you get your podcasts ... and if you like what you hear, please give us a good rating so we can grow the show. If you have questions about the MLS team, you can email Doug Roberson at droberson@ajc.com , DM him on Twitter @dougrobersonajc or call 404-526-2527 .
Stay up to date every day on breaking news, in-depth investigations, politics, sports, entertainment, food and dining and so much more by becoming a subscriber to the AJC. Go to AJC.com/start for a very special offer and unlock hundreds of original articles published daily on the refreshed AJC.com and the new AJC mobile app. Plus, access to our news alerts, subscriber-only events, AJC original shows, films and videos, newsletters, and so much more.
Atlanta United’s 2024 schedule
Feb. 24 Columbus 1, Atlanta United 0
March 9 Atlanta United 4, New England 1
March 17 Atlanta United 2, Orlando 0
March 23 Toronto 2, Atlanta United 0
March 31 Atlanta United 3, Chicago 0
April 6 Atlanta United 1, NYCFC 1
April 14 Atlanta United 2, Philadelphia 2
April 20 Cincinnati 2, Atlanta United 1
April 27 Atlanta United 1, Chicago 1
May 4 Minnesota 2, Atlanta United 1
May 7 Atlanta United 3, Charlotte Independence 0 in U.S. Open Cup
May 11 D.C. United 3, Atlanta United 2
May 15 Cincinnati 1, Atlanta United 0
May 18 Atlanta United 1, Nashville 1
May 21 Atlanta United 0 (5), Charleston 0 (4) in U.S. Open Cup
May 25 LAFC 1, Atlanta United 0
May 29 Atlanta United 3, Miami 1
June 2 Charlotte 3, Atlanta United 2
June 15 Atlanta United 2, Houston 2
June 19 Atlanta United 1, D.C. United 0
June 22 Atlanta United 1, St. Louis 1
June 29 Atlanta United 2, Toronto 1
July 3 New England 2, Atlanta United 1
July 6 Real Salt Lake 5, Atlanta United 2
July 9 vs. Indy Eleven 2, Atlanta United 1
July 13 Montreal 1, Atlanta United 0
July 17 Atlanta United 2, NYCFC 2
July 20 Atlanta United 2, Columbus 1
July 26 D.C. United 3 (6), Atlanta United 3 (5) in Leagues Cup
Aug. 4 Santos Laguna 0 (5), Atlanta United 0 (3) in Leagues Cup
Aug. 24 L.A. Galaxy 2, Atlanta United 0
Aug. 31 Atlanta United 1, Charlotte 0
Sept. 14 vs. Nashville, 7:30 p.m.
Sept. 18 vs. Miami, 7:30 p.m.
Sept. 21 at Red Bulls, 7:30 p.m.
Sept. 28 at Philadelphia, 7:30 p.m.
Oct. 2 vs. Montreal, 7:30 p.m.
Oct. 5 vs. Red Bulls, 7:30 p.m.
Oct. 19 at Orlando, 6 p.m.
Get all the news about the Atlanta Braves delivered each morning. Sign up for Braves Report.
Local News
Comments / 0