‘Excitement & hope’ - but what challenges will USA boss Pochettino face?

For Mauricio Pochettino, nan imaginable of coaching nan USA men's squad successful a location World Cup was an alluring one.

It offered a unsocial opportunity to make history and play a large domiciled successful nan communicative of American shot - but pinch that opportunity comes sizeable challenges coupled pinch precocious expectations.

Pochettino becomes nan first overseas coach of nan USA men’s squad since Jurgen Klinsmann near successful 2016. This eager assignment of a fig of world renown echoes nan women’s team’s caller hiring of English coach Emma Hayes. Both are coups for US Soccer sporting head Matt Crocker — nan Welshman who antecedently worked pinch Pochettino astatine Southampton successful 2013.

Pochettino's statement will tally until nan extremity of nan World Cup successful 2026 and, though location are Concacaf Nations League and Gold Cup tournaments to contend pinch betwixt now and then, nan attraction will beryllium squarely connected preparing nan squad for that momentous World Cup connected US soil.

Just hours aft Pochettino’s assignment was announced, nan USA, led by interim coach Mikey Varas, played a friends pinch New Zealand successful Cincinnati and only managed a 1-1 draw. This followed a 2-1 conclusion earlier successful this world break by neighbours and chap 2026 World Cup hosts Canada, who are coached by nan American erstwhile Leeds United head Jesse Marsch.

Disappointing results for illustration these against section rivals aliases teams they would beryllium expected to hit uncover nan standard of Pochettino’s task.

When it comes to nan squad itself, challenges coming themselves passim nan squad arsenic Pochettino will look to combine a group that tin compete connected nan world shape and triumph those location Concacaf tournaments successful nan meantime.

Star attacker Christian Pulisic and proficient Fulham left-back Antonee Robinson are evident starting points but nan remainder of nan squad is much uncertain, often owed to lucifer fittingness and readiness issues arsenic overmuch arsenic talent.

For a caller coach coming from extracurricular American soccer, this could beryllium seen arsenic a affirmative - a blank canvas connected which to tie up their scheme and effort to find nan correct equilibrium betwixt MLS (Major League Soccer) and Europe-based players.

It wasn’t excessively agelong agone location was talk of a aureate procreation of American players but, for various reasons, immoderate of those much-hyped successful their younker person truthful acold grounded to unrecorded up to their billing.

Only Pulisic has been capable to do truthful and it is astir this erstwhile Chelsea and existent AC Milan attacker that Pochettino will beryllium looking to build.

Pochettino’s assignment has been met pinch excitement successful nan USA and his deficiency of erstwhile engagement successful American shot is mostly seen arsenic a positive. With his tactical acumen, man guidance and opinionated successful nan game, he will beryllium expected to get much retired of nan talent disposable than his predecessors managed.

The Argentine and his unit bring caller eyes connected nan USA's subordinate excavation and he will beryllium expected to shingle things up, possibly springing a fewer surprises pinch his squad selection.

Any instrumentality frustrations are mostly astir really agelong it has taken for an assignment for illustration this to happen. There is simply a consciousness of urgency bordering connected panic up of 2026 amid a realisation location are now not galore games earlier nan World Cup begins.

There is simply a emotion nan squad has excessively often been successful limbo during this important cycle. It took US Soccer six months to determine to re-hire Gregg Berhalter aft his statement expired astatine nan extremity of nan 2022 World Cup. Berhalter was sacked successful July of this twelvemonth aft a mediocre showing astatine nan 2024 Copa America and location has been a further hold of almost 2 months to name his successor.

The hold to re-hire Berhalter and nan clip taken to name Pochettino meant that much than half of nan USA’s post-2022 World Cup fixtures person been overseen by an interim caput coach. Far from perfect mentation for specified a large infinitesimal successful nan history of nan athletics successful nan country.

On this occasion, US Soccer cannot beryllium accused of leaving immoderate chromatic unturned arsenic they looked for Berhalter’s successor.

Just arsenic they went for a coach considered among nan champion successful nan world for nan women’s squad successful Hayes, they group likewise precocious targets for nan men’s team.

Along pinch Pochettino, Jurgen Klopp was among nan names Crocker and his squad approached. They apt knew Klopp could not beryllium tempted backmost into guidance aft leaving Liverpool but nan attack itself signalled their intent.

With Pochettino free aft leaving Chelsea successful May, he was ever going to beryllium 1 of nan much realistic candidates of this calibre and US Soccer appears delighted to person secured 1 of its apical targets.

Given nan USA suffice for nan World Cup arsenic hosts, location will beryllium comparatively fewer competitory games for Pochettino to oversee betwixt now and 2026.

His first games will beryllium friendlies against Panama and Mexico adjacent month. Panama’s emergence to becoming nan third-highest classed squad successful Concacaf and Mexico’s caller driblet retired of nan world apical 15 make them unpredictable opponents.

Competitive action comes successful nan style of nan Concacaf Nations League Finals successful November and March. As 1 of nan apical 4 teams successful Concacaf, nan USA get a bye to nan two-legged quarter-finals, truthful location are a maximum of conscionable 4 games to beryllium played successful that tournament.

Having won nan 3 editions of nan Nations League since it began successful 2019, Pochettino will beryllium expected to repetition that success, and will besides beryllium expected to triumph nan Gold Cup (the Concacaf balanced of nan Euros) successful 2025.

Pochettino’s assignment itself will summation expectations connected this squad but location is simply a consciousness that nan USA person yet sewage nan benignant of caput coach supporters person been calling retired for.