'Incredible signing' - ex-USMNT stars react as deal for ex-Chelsea and Tottenham man moves closer

Former Chelsea and Tottenham Hotspur manager Mauricio Pochettino is close to being confirmed as the new manager of the United State’s men’s national team.

Pochettino left Chelsea at the end of the last campaign despite leaving the club in sixth place - an improvement of six places from the club’s 2022/23 finish. Now, however, according to reports from The Athletic’s David Ornstein, the USMNT have come to an agreement with the Argentinian former PSG head coach, beating several other candidates to land the role.

The 52-year-old ex-Blues boss replaces Gregg Berhalter who was relieved of his duties following USMNT’s early Copa America exit. Pochettino worked with the United States Soccer Federation technical director Matt Crocker during his impressive spell at Southampton and the pair are now set to team up once again with the Argentinian coach set to lead the USMNT into the 2026 World Cup.

US pundits have been quick to jump on the news, offering ecstatic views at the appointment of such a manager - especially after Emma Hayes’s appointment as head coach of the women’s international team and her recent success of leading the team to Olympic Gold success, despite being in charge for just ten games.

Speaking on the CBS Sports America podcast, the former US international forward Charlie Davies said: “This is massive. Let’s give a round of applause to Matt Crocker because he took care of the women in getting top manager Emma Hayes - didn’t take her too long to get a gold medal - and now for the men’s team. This is an incredible, incredible signing. He is in the right frame of mind, he wants to do this. This is stellar, let’s go!”

Ex-international goalkeeper Tony Meola also commented on the magnitude of appointment, reminding fans that both Pochettino and the former Liverpool head coach Jurgen Klopp had been a name mentioned.

“Jurgen Klopp and Pochettino were pipe dreams”, Meola admitted. “At the start it was ‘if we can talk to these guys that would be great’ but somehow Matt Crocker has pulled this thing off.

“It’s exciting news. Whatever boxes you had as a fan (or) as a pundit that needed to be checked - big name, experience with big players, experience at the highest level, experience at the international level - he pretty much checks out every single box. I couldn’t be any more excited to see him come here and turn this thing in the right direction.”

Jimmy Conrad - a former USMNT defender - also added his thoughts on the impending appointment, saying of Pochettino: “He’s got experience at managing different types of locker rooms. These players (USMNT) needed to hear a different voice and when you add that it’s a manager that’s got this type of track record and in some ways - we could argue - he’s punched above his weight.

“There are things that I like about what he’s accomplished collectively, but then when I think about what he can bring to individual players, that makes me really excited as well.”