U.S. Soccer chiefs have pulled off a major coup in luring Mauricio Pochettino to take up the vacancy as USMNT head coach - with the Argentine having been out of work since leaving Chelsea via a mutual agreement.
The 52-year-old is expected to replace Gregg Berhalter in the hotseat after speculation previously linked Jurgen Klopp and Gareth Southgate with the post. According to widespread reports, Pochettino is expected to take the job , with this set to be his first foray into international management.
Taking on the role after the Stars and Stripes crashed out of Copa America at the group stage, the ex- Tottenham and Paris Saint-Germain boss is set to lead the team into the next World Cup. With that tournament taking place on home soil, Pochettino will be tasked with arresting the slide after the poor performances under his predecessor this summer.
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The former Spurs fan favorite will be hoping that his stay as USMNT head coach proves a happier union than was the case at Chelsea . Appointed prior to the 2023-24 campaign, he lasted a single campaign at Stamford Bridge amid a fractious relationship with the club's hierarchy.
Leading the Blues to a sixth-placed finish in the Premier League last term, he capped off his first season with a run of five straight victories to qualify for the UEFA Conference League. However, signs had been there after a 3-2 win over Nottingham Forest in May that all was not well behind the scenes in terms of Pochettino's relations with his superiors.
In an eye-opening address after a dramatic win at the City Ground, he confessed: "It is not only if the owners are happy or the sporting directors happy… you need to ask us also, because maybe (we) say, ‘We are not happy’, and we accept the situation and we need to split. It is not going to be the first time the coaching staff at the end of the season decide to not keep going."
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After their subsequent parting of ways following the end of the campaign, it was reported by the Athletic that the Argentinian coach had major concerns on several counts about the club's direction of travel. They claim that an end-of-season review was held between Pochettino and club chiefs as they thrashed out their differences.
Eventually deciding that they could not proceed with their partnership, it was suggested by a source that differences in opinion over the "club structure", as well as "training methods and "the club's injury record". They also claimed that concerns were raised about the midfield pairing of star signings Moises Caicedo and Enzo Fernandez.
After the coach's departure, club sporting Directors Laurence Stewart and Paul Winstanley said: "On behalf of everyone at Chelsea, we would like to express our gratitude to Mauricio for his service this season. He will be welcome back to Stamford Bridge any time and we wish him all the very best in his future coaching career."
Meanwhile, Pochettino said: "Thank you to the Chelsea ownership group and Sporting Directors for the opportunity to be part of this football club's history. The Club is now well positioned to keep moving forward in the Premier League and Europe in the years to come."
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