USMNT: Don’t Screw the Poch

rguilmar

rguilmar

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The Summer of Soccer is thankfully over. European leagues are kicking off. Gregg is gone and Poch is in. A great man once said that new threads are a good thing and we need a new one for the post-Copa and pre- WC2026 era.

Thread title open to change.
 
rguilmar

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InstaFace said:
I was about to launch a new thread with a full roster run-down, unsure if I should skip that now.
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Why not? It’s about time for a roster reset of sorts anyways. We don’t have manager news to complain about for a while, so let’s talk about the damn players for once.
 
rguilmar

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It’s been reported that Esmir Bajraktarevic has been leaning towards representing Bosnia for a while now. He did reportedly get a recent call up, and now folks in Bosnia are saying that his switch is confirmed. He’s young and talented, and could have made an impact this cycle or next for the USMNT. Shame to lose yet another player with New England ties, but I hope he does well. He certainly fun to watch!

View: https://twitter.com/bihfooty/status/1824386670000578933?s=46&t=XvGOrrWIyL-5CHVVL_0JYQ
 
Yo La Tengo

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Any updates about whether Pochettino will be on the sideline for the friendly against Canada in early September?
 
DJnVa

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cromulence said:
It's already been announced that he won't be. It'll be Mikey Varas.
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I must have missed this. Anyway, last I saw is Poch may not coach, but he'll be there:

Mauricio Pochettino expected to be with U.S. men’s national team for Canada match next month - The Athletic (nytimes.com)

Whether or not Pochettino coaches his first game against Canada has not been determined. However, barring any delays in finalizing Pochettino’s USMNT contract, the Argentine will be present and heavily involved with the U.S. squad for both matches.
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dirtynine

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The guys on Scuffed are getting a little nervous as no deal has been signed. Apparently there’s still lots to work out between Chelsea and the USSF.
 
DJnVa

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The Athletic article mentions that:

U.S. Soccer continues to work on finalizing the Pochettino deal. His contract situation with former club Chelsea, specifically his severance package, has not yet been resolved.

A source with knowledge of the negotiations, who asked to remain anonymous due to the sensitivities of the deal, said talks between U.S. Soccer, Pochettino and Chelsea are ongoing and remain positive.
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rguilmar

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They also have not yet released a roster. Usually it has been announced earlier in the week.
 
rguilmar

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Still no roster with less than a week to go till the USMNT line up against Canada. Clubs have announced some of the players who will be away on international duty, including Gio Reyna. I wonder what the delay is. A few transfer windows are still open, including the Netherlands and Portugal, so maybe they are waiting on something there?

Still waiting on Poch too. Seems like things are progressing slowly. Chelsea are looking for a larger part of the salary to be covered. Supposedly both the US and Chelsea are looking for a third party sponsor to get involved.
 
67YAZ

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I don’t know how many people work in the Chelsea front office, but have to imagine they were all round-the-clock right up until Friday. I think moving Poch out was low priority for the club, but this should come along quickly now that a Chelsea’s squad has been…trimmed? No. Fattened? Yes.
 
rguilmar

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Getting Kochen in is a nice little surprise. lol at the “preseason fitness” comment for Weston. And I laugh with love.
 
InstaFace

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rguilmar said:
Getting Kochen in is a nice little surprise. lol at the “preseason fitness” comment for Weston. And I laugh with love.
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That just means "ingratiating himself with a new manager and putting himself in a position to earn regular starts at the club [...again]". His fitness has looked fine to me when he's on the field for Juve, although yesterday he only got a cameo. But if there's one window we absolutely don't need him for, it's this one. In November when it's time to stomp somebody in Nations League quarterfinals, he'll be there with bells on.
 
67YAZ

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I’m most intrigued by Kochen - he has the promise to be the first real ball playing keeper we’ve ever had. I will always stan Gaga & Brady, but Kochen hopefully can participate in build up and spark counters in ways the Chicago kids can’t. Would be a real book for the squad if Kochen pans out.
 
Jimy Hendrix

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Obviously a bummer, but I am intrigued with Cowell seeming to have some things click down in Mexico and wouldn't hate seeing him get minutes with the big boys at all.
 
speedracer

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Pulisic playing too much hero ball, Lund is trying to support him but Puli isn’t looking for him
 
Cellar-Door

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Catcher Block said:
Pretty shameful turnout from the "capitol" of soccer in KC(K).
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It's the inevitable byproduct of USSF's strategy of "jack the prices through the roof and sell them to away fans who can't see their nation otherwise"... when you have a meaningless game against Canada nobody will pay for that.
 
speedracer

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also, I love how Marsch will absolutely refuse to sit on a lead even if his life depends on it.
 
Cellar-Door

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Not sure it's true, but the "these players have no concern that they'll be dropped" crowd not exactly getting any counter. That did not look like a team of players who were looking to impress the new manager and secure a place
 
InstaFace

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Jed Zeppelin said:
Serg is sorely missed.
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In so many ways. Chief among them the entertainment value.

Welp, our B-team can't beat their A-team like in Gold Cup 2021, not any longer. But if they're going to run out their big guns, fair play. Pardon me if I don't take much from this game (but maybe look at secondary market prices for the game vs NZL in Cincinnati on Tuesday)
 
Titans Bastard

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Cellar-Door said:
Not sure it's true, but the "these players have no concern that they'll be dropped" crowd not exactly getting any counter. That did not look like a team of players who were looking to impress the new manager and secure a place
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Agreed. And two of our better performers on the night were players whose status in the USMNT depth chart is currently very much on the fringe (Schulte and Morris).

Like all fanbases we can be prone to overrating our own players, but even adjusting for that we should be showing more.
 
OCST

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Feh.

I can’t remember being this disinterested and uninvested in this side.

I watched a few minutes, saw Canada full of menace and USA passive and sluggish, and switched to college football. I don’t even closely follow college football, but if I’m going to watch a thoroughly corrupt and morally bankrupt enterprise I’d rather watch the entertaining one.
 
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