Mauricio Pochettino 'made exception' after bumping into USMNT player in restaurant

USMNT head coach Mauricio Pochettino has revealed that he ran into Antonee Robinson in a restaurant in London - before picking him for his first squad in his new post.

The Argentine will take charge of The Stars and Stripes for the upcoming clashes with Panama on October 12 and Mexico on October 15 after being appointed as Gregg Berhalter's successor. After landing the role last month, the former Chelsea and Tottenham boss will meet the vast majority his players for the first time in the lead-up to this set of fixtures.

However, he will be pleased to have already broken the ice with full-back Robinson after their impromptu encounter - which saw the Fulham star's teammates help to introduce him to his new international manager. Speaking at a press conference as he unveiled his inaugural roster, Pochettino recalled a warm exchange with the star.

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He remembered: "I've got to be honest, I met only one player- Antonee Robinson - because by coincidence he was in a restaurant with his team [Fulham] in London and I met him. I said 'hello' and we were talking and then because some players at Fulham were my players at Tottenham and Southampton, they introduced me to Antonee.

"That was the only player that I saw and I said 'look, you are going to be an exception because I did not speak with one [of his USMNT players. You have the privilege to be the first to talk with me'."

Going into more detail about the approach he has taken in terms of his communication with the USMNT players at his disposal, he revealed: "I don't want to call only for the reason to say, 'Oh, I call some guy,' or another. I think all deserve the same way for us to operate."

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"Of course, after the Austin camp, we are going to be more in contact. Maybe [players] we are thinking in the possibility for the future."

"Players with potential, we are going to try and create these links and relationships, for them to feel that we are going to care, and look after them, and follow them. And to try to push and motivate [them] that there is the possibility, there is going to be the opportunity, if they perform well."

As for the motivations for his selections and what he expects from his players, Pochettino added: "We trust the opinion and all the information that we received from the national team [staff], "That is why you are going to see a very similar roster from last camp.

"What we want to feel from [the players] is their commitment, their personality, their character, their capacity to adapt to a new era, a new way to approach the games. And I think that is going to be the key: the capacity for them to think in the collective, to give everything to try to be better like a national team."