USMNT Takes Sudden Measures to Halt Media Storm Amid Mauricio Pochettino’s Man Utd Talks

The current U.S. men’s national team manager is reported to have verbally agreed to terms at Old Trafford.

Mauricio Pochettino could be taking over for Michael Carrick at Man Utd. | Omar Vega/Getty Images

U.S. Soccer Communications announced the day’s cancellation of pre-planned media availability on Wednesday morning, citing an “observance of Veterans’ Day” for the members of the U.S. men’s national team.

The USMNT are currently training at the Arthur M. Blank U.S. Soccer national training center just outside of Atlanta, as part of the 10-day November international camp in the lead up to the two-legged series against Haiti for the Concacaf Nations League quarterfinals beginning this weekend.

The sudden decision, released by the communications team just an hour before the previously scheduled player availability, comes amid a media storm surrounding the increasingly uncertain future of USMNT manager Mauricio Pochettino.

The Argentine, currently in Atlanta with the rest of the USMNT staff, was first linked as a replacement for manager Michael Carrick at Manchester United on Monday, before quickly emerging as a frontrunner for the position. According to the most recent reports, Pochettino has already ironed out all personal terms and verbally agreed to become the Premier League club’s new manager, with Carrick potentially about to be fired in the coming hours and days.

U.S. Soccer, who only recently joined discussions, is now “well prepared” for Pochettino’s departure, per a report from insider Ben Jacobs. There is a release clause in Pochettino’s current four-year U.S. contract (which he only recently signed back in August) reportedly worth $10 million; however, United will be expected to pay further compensation for Pochettino’s staff to join him in Manchester.

As of Wednesday morning, player availability to the media is still scheduled for Thursday, and Pochettino is still set to hold his pregame press conference on Friday morning ahead of Saturday’s first leg against Haiti. Whether or not Pochettino will still be in charge of the USMNT come Friday remains to be seen, though.

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USMNT Players Address Pochettino, Man Utd Rumors

Antonee Robinson addressed the rumors on Tuesday. | Omar Vega/Getty Images

Although no professional player is unfamiliar with the chaos of the coaching carousel, the American boys have nonetheless been thrust into an incredibly awkward situation, currently training and preparing for competitive action under Pochettino in Atlanta, all the while hearing of the reports of his agreements in principle across the Atlantic.

Pochettino’s new contract, which extended him through the 2030 World Cup, saw him not only continue as the leader of the USMNT, but actually become an integral piece of U.S. Soccer’s future, taking part in the youth development pathways and the federation’s grassroots initiatives. To have all of that uprooted just four months after putting pen to paper is not only likely shocking to the players, but also deeply disheartening. Pochettino grew in affection nationwide this summer at the home World Cup, endearing himself not only to the players but the entire American fanbase.

Nevertheless, the only measure the USMNT players can take at the moment is to tune out the outside noise and focus on the upcoming games—the USMNT’s first competitive fixtures of the post-World Cup era—until told otherwise. They’re trying their best.

“It’s just focusing on we’ve got a game at the weekend, and I’m going to do everything I can to be ready to play for him and how he wants us to play until told otherwise,” Robinson said on Tuesday. “It’s just working with what we’ve got until things change. And I don’t really think it affects many of us, to be honest.”

Pochettino has yet to address the Man Utd situation with the players directly, per The Athletic.

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