Mauricio Pochettino’s USMNT Overhaul Underway
Mauricio Pochettino has officially been introduced as head coach of the United States Men’s National Team and it is clear that he is bringing with him a new mindset.
“We need to believe in big things and believe that we can win not only a game but that we can win the World Cup,” Pochettino told reporters in New York. “If not, the journey is difficult. We want players who arrive on day one at the training ground and think big.”
This is a thinking that has been lacking in USMNT. The mindset was just to escape out of the group stage of the FIFA World Cup (or simply just qualify after the Trinidad & Tobago crisis).
The U.S. was focused on surviving and advancing in the past. Now Pochettino wants them to thrive and be on the front foot.
Believe is a prominent word when Pochettino talks. While it might make some think he was the inspiration behind Ted Lasso, it is clear that having the right mental approach is important for the head coach.
“Believe for me is a word that is so powerful,” Pochettino said. “You can have enormous talent, but in football, you need to believe. Believe that all is possible. If we find a way to believe all together, then we can achieve what we want.”
With the talented player pool that the U.S. can tap into, mediocrity can no longer be the standard. Progress needs to be made. Simply drawing or holding your own against top teams across the globe can not be viewed as a success.
Still, Pochettino realizes that taking this job and reaching the promised land with the United States will be a challenge.
“This is a challenge that takes us out of our comfort zone…it’s going into something you don’t know, getting out of your comfort zone to challenge yourself,” he said in Spanish. “It’s not only a collective challenge but also for us to get into U.S. Soccer something it’s that we always saw from afar and now we have the opportunity to do so.”
Speaking of that player pool, it looks like it will expand under Pochettino. The Argentine said that the U.S. will look at players across the globe when assembling rosters.
Pochettino also added that making the starting XI will not be a mere formality. Players will have to earn their starting spots.
“You are here to play? No. You are here to compete,” he said.
Players who were comfortable under Gregg Berhalter should be feeling the pressure. For fans in New England, this warning shot from Pochettino could signal that Matt Turner’s spot as the No. 1 goalkeeper for the United States is far from secure.
Whether it be tactically or overall roster makeup, the USMNT will be different under Pochettino. For many observers, this will be a good thing, a bucking of a trend that has seen the U.S. stagnate instead of progress as a soccer nation.
The head coach discussed how he wants the U.S. to be on the front foot and playing attacking soccer.
“We are flexible,” he said when asked about his desired style of play. “We’re a coaching staff that wants to play good football. To convince our fans to join us, the aesthetic is important. We want to play nice football, attacking football.”
At times the U.S. has been far too conservative. While this adjustment will take some time, it should be beneficial to the team as well as to the fans.
The head coach doesn’t have a ton of time to institute his changes and form the USMNT into what he desires. As pointed out by Steven Goff, Pochettino only has 10 international windows before the World Cup kicks off.
But the Argentine doesn’t want to use this as an excuse and believes he has plenty of time to prepare.
“I believe there is enough time,” he said. “We can’t use this as an excuse. We have to believe we can win, that we can win the World Cup. We need players that are thinking big.”
With the hiring of Pochettino, the U.S. is dreaming big. Now it is time for the coach to turn those dreams into reality.