The anticipation surrounding Mauricio Pochettino’s appointment as the new manager of the United States Men’s National Team (USMNT) has been building for weeks.
Despite reports that Pochettino had agreed to take the helm, fans are still waiting for the official announcement.
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US Soccer’s plan for Pochettino’s announcement
One key reason for the delay in announcing Pochettino’s appointment is the financial entanglements from his previous role at Chelsea.
Although he parted ways with the club, Chelsea is still obligated to pay his wages until he secures a new position.
With national team roles generally offering lower salaries than club positions, this created a unique financial situation that required resolution.
Recent reports indicate that these financial issues have been largely settled, paving the way for his official announcement.
According to Azteca Deportes journalist Jose Alvaro Tejano, the US Soccer Federation is expected to unveil Mauricio Pochettino as the new USMNT head coach on Wednesday, September 4.
While the roster for the September friendlies has already been announced, the announcement of Pochettino’s hiring is expected to be made separately.
USMNT’s upcoming friendlies
For now, Mikey Varas, who previously served as an assistant under Gregg Berhalter, will lead the USMNT in the upcoming friendlies against Canada and New Zealand.
Varas, a candidate for the managerial role at San Diego FC, expressed his honor in temporarily leading the national team during this transitional period.
As the USMNT prepares for its September friendlies under interim management, the excitement around Pochettino’s impending arrival continues to grow.
For now, US Soccer has unveiled the roster of players called up for the upcoming games.
Take a look at the players called for camp for the games on September 7 against Canada in Kansas City, and on September 10 against New Zealand in Cincinnati.
GOALKEEPERS (4): Ethan Horvath (Cardiff City/WAL; 9/0), Diego Kochen (FC Barcelona II/ESP; 0/0), Patrick Schulte (Columbus Crew; 1/0), Matt Turner (Crystal Palace/ENG; 44/0)
DEFENDERS (8): Auston Trusty (Celtic/SCO; 2/0), Marlon Fossey (Standard Liege/BEL; 0/0), Kristoffer Lund (Palermo/ITA; 3/0), Mark McKenzie (Toulouse, FRA; 13/0), Tim Ream (Charlotte FC; 61/1), Chris Richards (Crystal Palace/ENG; 21/1), Joe Scally (Borussia Mnchengladbach/GER; 11/0), Caleb Wiley (Strasbourg/FRA; 2/0).
MIDFIELDERS (6): Johnny Cardoso (Real Betis/ESP; 15/0), Luca de la Torre (Celta Vigo/ESP; 22/0), Aidan Morris (Middlesbrough/ENG; 5/0), Yunus Musah (AC Milan; ITA; 39/0), Gio Reyna (Borussia Dortmund/GER; 31/8), Malik Tillman (PSV Eindhoven/NED; 12/0).
FORWARDS (6): Brenden Aaronson (Leeds United/ENG; 42/8), Folarin Balogun (Monaco/FRA; 15/5), Ricardo Pepi (PSV Eindhoven/NED; 28/10), Christian Pulisic (AC Milan/ITA; 71/30), Josh Sargent (Norwich City/ENG; 25/5), Haji Wright (Coventry City/ENG; 11/4).
With financial hurdles seemingly cleared, fans can expect the official announcement soon, marking a new chapter for the USMNT as they aim to elevate their game on the international stage.
