It seems as though with every passing game, there’s more questions than answers surrounding the U.S. men’s national team and coach Mauricio Pochettino.
The USMNT lost against South Korea over the weekend in the first of two September international friendlies against Asian opposition. The defeat was the sixth of the calendar year for the Stars and Stripes.
Many fans were shocked when star defender Chris Richards was left out of the starting XI vs. South Korea in favor of Tristan Blackmon. Pochettino said prior to the game that Richards was nursing a minor issue, but he still entered the game in the second half.
On the eve of the USMNT’s match against Japan Tuesday night, Pochettino was asked about his team selection against South Korea, specifically about Richards’s omission. The Argentine manager took advantage of the question to hit back at those who criticized his lineup selection.
“People sometimes create debate and talk with no sense,” Pochettino said. “This national team, this country has already qualified for the World Cup and, of course, the important thing is that we apply common sense.
“If people sometimes want to talk about bull---, they can talk about bull----. We need to give priority to how he [Richards] feels. Because if not... it’s a friendly game, we take a risk and maybe create a big problem because we want to play with him, I think the same people that debate about why he’s not playing would say why did he play?
“We have a plan. We know what we’re doing. We have experience. The important thing is to provide the players the possibility to arrive at the World Cup in the best condition,” Pochettino added.
The Argentine manager offered the same kind of reasoning when talking about why he didn’t call-up Bayer Leverkusen’s Malik Tillman, who suffered an injury during preseason and only returned to action the week before the September UMSNT camp. Still, Pochettino was not done responding to those who have criticized the USMNT in recent times.
“Sometimes people want to talk only to analyze the result and want to be negative. I think it’s a little bit of a shame. We need to be positive, because we need to be all together, because the country deserves that, that we are all on one side.
“Being critic is one thing, because I like the critics, when you say things that are right. But when it’s critics for critics, it’s not damaging me, it’s damaging your country and damaging your players. We need to be all in behind them to provide them the best platform to perform.”
Pochettino has overseen 17 matches as manager of the USMNT, winning 10 and losing seven. However, he remains adamant that it’s the results during next summer’s World Cup that will be remembered.
“The most important thing is to arrive in a good condition [to the World Cup] and win the first game, the second game, the third game, go to the next round... I’m going to win. For sure no one is going to remember this press-conference if that happens.”
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This article was originally published on www.si.com as Mauricio Pochettino Slams USMNT Critics With Fiery Rant Ahead of Japan Friendly.