US Soccer appears to finally have a successor named for Gregg Berhalter. The former coach of the United States men’s national team was fired following a poor performance at the 2024 Copa America. After weeks of uncertainty, various reports now claim that Mauricio Pochettino has agreed to become the next head coach of the USMNT.
The move will most likely be met with overwhelming praise from American soccer fans. After all, the Argentine coach was one of the top targets that US Soccer could have realistically acquired. Pochettino previously coached Southampton, Tottenham Hotspur, Paris Saint-Germain and Chelsea before joining the USMNT.
While Pochettino is the big-name coach fans were hoping for, he must now work to fix the problems within the organization.
Mauricio Pochettino’s areas for improvement at USMNT
1. Plan for more challenging opponents
First of all, the USMNT hasn’t had the toughest of friendly schedules, and that will likely continue.
Pochettino will next lead his new team against Canada, New Zealand and Panama in September, with all three games on home soil. If the Stars and Stripes want to improve under Pochettino, they will need to schedule games against more competitive teams.
There are rumors of a high-end Gold Cup competition in the summer of 2025. According to recent reports, CONCACAF has invited both France and 2024 European champions Spain to participate in the Gold Cup. Although the tournament traditionally only features teams from North America and the Caribbean, teams from South America have participated. These include Brazil three times and Colombia twice. Most recently, a team from outside CONCACAF, Qatar, competed. The participation of European giants would give the USMNT valuable experience against top opponents.
2. Improving the squad
The new manager will also need to find a way to get more out of his squad. It seems like too many players on the current USMNT roster are complacent. There is a feeling that they can start any game regardless of their performance with their clubs. Pochettino has the difficult task of expanding the US player pool to find new players who are hungry and good enough to compete for starting spots on the team.
The new coach may need to get creative with this approach. That may include looking beyond MLS or Europe’s top teams. For example, USL striker Nick Markanich could be a player to consider in the future. The striker has scored 21 goals for the Charleston Battery this season. Pochettino could also use his connections in Argentina to convince potential dual nationals to play for the USMNT.
3. Recognize a real playing style
The Americans also need to improve their style of play under the new coach. Pochettino usually tries to intimidate his opponents with destructive pressing. Despite his background as a defender, he prefers an attacking style as a coach.
Still, the USMNT needs to play to its strengths. They may not necessarily have the players to tiki-tika bigger opponents. Instead, it could pay off for them to field a counterattacking team that can hit opponents on the counter.
4. The solution to the striker dilemma
Pochettino also needs to figure out which player is the team’s best striker. Folarin Balogun, Haji Wright, Ricardo Pepi and Josh Sargent can all play in that position. However, there may not be a true frontrunner at the moment. The USMNT would likely benefit from a truly unanimous choice for that position.
Finally, Pochettino has work to do off the field. He needs to find a way to meet fans’ expectations going forward. In the short term, USMNT fans need to realize that this is a process. Just because they have a highly rated coach now doesn’t necessarily mean they’re going to dominate all of their friendlies now.
5. Dampen or adjust expectations
In the long term, expectations for the team at the 2026 World Cup must be realistic. It’s hard to say now, but we’ll have a better understanding of where Pochettino stands with the USMNT in the future. The new coach will have plenty of time to settle in and prepare his team for the tournament. Still, Pochettino and the fans should be on the same page before the World Cup.
PHOTOS: IMAGO
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