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Perhaps this is not as much of a con as some people would sell it as, but there’s been little to indicate Pochettino has been a devoted follower of the sport in the U.S. He can learn how things work here, working out the intricacies of a place where the game truly does function differently than many places where Pochettino has experience.
That takes time, and the manager does not have an abundance of time. U.S. assistant Mikey Varas is set to step in as the manager for September friendly matches, even if Pochettino’s arrival is finalized this month. After that, Pochettino will have two friendly matches, the Concacaf Nations League quarterfinals, ideally the Nations League Final Four, and a Gold Cup ahead of him.
It seems like a lot, but considering that most of those international dates will give him less than a week to actually work with his players on the field, time is short for Pochettino to find the players with whom he works best, put a style of play on the field, and ultimately do what he’ll need to do in order for the U.S. to make a deep run in the 2026 World Cup.
Some more background on the U.S. might be helpful, but Pochettino should already be working to get up to speed.
Will the hire work? Nothing is guaranteed in sports, but the U.S. took a swing and brought in one of the most renowned managers currently on the market. For now, the pros outweigh the cons, but the proof of the manager will be in the results he earns.