My hands were up like I just hit a 30-foot putt when the text message from a friend said “Poch to usmnt”. For those who don’t know what it means, it means that Mauricio Pochettino will become the next coach of the US Men’s (soccer) national team.
For context, Mauricio Pochettino’s resume reads as such: Elevating young players such as Harry Kane, Dele Alli, Cole Palmer, and Luke Shaw among others. Pochettino led Tottenham to the Champions League Final in 2019. Finished second in the Premier League with Tottenham. Won three trophies with PSG. Poch has coached Messi, Mbappe, Neymar, and Harry Kane. Pochettino dragged the poop-show that was Chelsea FC to a sixth-place finish despite dealing with a bloated and young squad.
Mauricio Pochettino has managed 294 matches in the Premier League, which is the best league in the world. He’s beaten every top manager in the world, Pep Guardiola, Jurgen Klopp, Arsene Wenger, Jose Mourinho, and Sean Dyche.
If you can’t tell already, Pochettino is an amazing hire. It is the equivalent of the Detroit Pistons’ hiring Dan Hurley.
Mauricio Pochettino’s Impact On The Field
Pochettino favors a 4-2-3-1 formation and utilizes the number ten role. This will be a key area in which Poch will have his first tough decision. Will he play Christian Pulisic, who has thrived in the role before, but is primarily on the wing for club side AC Milan? Poch could also go for Gio Reyna who played there for the US under our last coach.
The best fit for Pochettino’s system comes from our fullbacks. Both Antonee Robinson and Sergino Dest perfectly fit his system. Poch wants his fullbacks to get high up the pitch and generate width, something both have done regularly for club and country.
Pochettino’s pressing system, which means trying to win the ball in defense high up the field and then trying to score quickly after winning the ball, will favor some more than others. Ricardo Pepi immediately stands out as someone who should be front and center in the attack. Pepi plays in a pressing system at the Dutch club PSV.
In midfield, Pochettino prefers having legs to do hard running in his press. This benefits Yunus Musah and Tyler Adams the most. I do expect Pochettino to try a lot of different midfield combinations from now until 2026.
Despite the US not having the best talent in the world or even top 10, or maybe even top 15, Poch is a legit X-factor. The US will enter every game with Pochettino at a tactical advantage. The team and fans do not have to worry about our players overcoming a coach to win games.
Mauricio Pochettino Off-Field Impact
Mauricio Pochettino impacts the careers of young players. Kylian Mbappe had his best season in terms of goal and assist output in Poch’s only full season at PSG. As mentioned above he gives a lot of young players opportunities and improves the trajectory of their careers. This is huge for a US player pool that is young and full of talent.
Pochettino will do something that many US fans hoped our next coach would do, demand some respect. No longer will US players take their opportunities and place in the team for granted. Under the last coach, many players who weren’t playing or doing well for their club teams were almost guaranteed a spot in the team.
With Mauricio Pochettino in charge, I’m ready for things to get weird. I’m ready for a team that consists of five players in the MLS and six in Europe.
Another area where Pochettino could help US soccer is by what he thinks of our flawed systems. How will Pochettino react to the “pay for play,” system in the US? Our national league, MLS, doesn’t have promotion or relegation, what will Poch think of this? Hopefully, he will be a great soundboard to improve the way things are done in this country.
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Featured Image: David Ramos/Getty Images
