Pochettino demands mindset shift

AP:

United States coach Mauricio Pochettino has vowed to change the attitude and habits of the national team as he begins a second stint in charge, appearing to reference star Christian Pulisic’s decision to skip the 2025 Concacaf Gold Cup.

“It was difficult to make the roster for the Gold Cup one year before because the mindset was different,” Pochettino said yesterday during an online question-and-answer session with reporters. “You say, ‘If I play, I have not holidays. I cannot arrive fresh for the World Cup.’ ... You know now that is bull----.”

Pochettino said his goal “is to change this type of idea that are not right”.

Pulisic, the top American player, withdrew from consideration for the 2025 Gold Cup, citing the need to rest after his season with AC Milan and his desire to be fresh for the 2026 World Cup.

He failed to score in four World Cup appearances this year, missing one group-stage match because of a calf injury and leaving the Americans’ round-of-16 loss to Belgium on July 6 after fracturing his right tibia and fibula.

Pulisic scored 10 goals in his first 15 matches for AC Milan last season, but went scoreless in his final 19 club appearances after December 28. He has also been an unused substitute in AC Milan’s first three matches this season.

Pochettino replaced Gregg Berhalter in the fall of 2024 and was handed a four-year contract in a deal announced last month.

He plans to announce his squad on September 17 for the opening matches of his second spell in charge, a four-game window featuring friendlies against Peru on September 26 in Orlando, Florida; Chile on September 29 in St Louis; Mexico on October 3 in Glendale, Arizona; and Canada on October 6 in St Paul, Minnesota.

The Americans will then play in the Concacaf Nations League quarter-finals in November, their first competitive matches since the World Cup.

“A new process, new project, new rules, new principles,” he said from London.

“I think that the headline needs to be that [it] is a new start, a fresh start. And I think we need to change habits.”

“We need to create a group of players that [are] really being professional and compete in the way that we expect that they need to compete,” he added.

Players omitted from the World Cup squad, including midfielders Diego Luna, Tanner Tessmann and Aidan Morris, could return. Young prospects such as 16-year-old Philadelphia midfielder Cavan Sullivan could also earn their first senior call-ups.

Others, including 19-year-old Crystal Palace winger Zavier Gozo, may be left out to allow them time to settle at new clubs following summer transfers. Pochettino also expressed uncertainty about midfielder Sebastian Berhalter and defender Max Arfsten, who moved to Middlesbrough.

Pochettino said some players could make their senior international debuts before focusing on the under-23 programme, which will be led by former United States defender Steve Cherundolo in preparation for the 2028 Los Angeles Olympics.

He stressed there was a “need to be careful” with young players.

“You need to (have) confidence. You need to have the trust in yourself and belief that you can perform and do well,” he said. “Sometimes if you play well and you are 17, 16 or 18 and you play well and people start to talk, about you are (Lionel) Messi or you are a big star in the world because you do some good things. If after you are confused and you don’t manage well, that can be dangerous for your career and that is what we don’t want.

“You only are entitled to talk a little bit out of order if you are Messi, if you win. If you won, you can talk with certain arrogance.”

Among the attitudes Pochettino wants to change are those of coaches who prefer to keep young players with their clubs during international windows.

“Sometimes the coaches say no. I have a 17-year-old guy that play in the MLS but when the (under) 19 national team called, say no because they need to rest,” Pochettino said. “If (you are) 17, you need to rest, aye yai, yai. We have a big problem.”

Banks makes no decison yet

Augsburg defender Noahkai Banks has yet to decide whether he will represent the United States or Germany.

“Noki is still in the same situation that [he] was before the World Cup,” Pochettino said. “We are in contact with all the potential dual nationals. I think it’s important for us to see. That is the connection, the human connection, that is so important.”

Balogun focus

Pochettino intends to speak with striker Folarin Balogun after the collapse of his proposed move from Monaco to Everton last week.

“I want to know from him what happened, but always offering our support,” he said. “He’s an important player for us, was an important player in the World Cup, and [I] hope that he can find being in Monaco, in another place, his best place to perform.”