We're getting the Spursy version of Poch aren't we
Is Ken Griffin donating Citadel's trading profits to US Soccer to pay for Poch?
Is Ken Griffin donating Citadel's trading profits to US Soccer to pay for Poch?
USMNT: Don’t Screw the Poch
- Thread starter rguilmar
- Start date
Very interesting piece in the Athletic about the process of landing Poch - multiple meetings with Klopp, Hayes lobbying hard for Poch, and Loch not having any offset language in his Chelsea contract - take another job, Chelsea owed him nothing. No wonder those talks were complicated.
Now Todd Boehly has sent us both senior national team managers.
Now Todd Boehly has sent us both senior national team managers.
Let's hope with the same result! As a Spurs and Argentina fanboi, I'm thrilled with this move. Poch has issues with talent ID, but he knows how to build a system and he likes to do it with young players who are eager and willing to press. Time will tell whether he can do it in the international game, but I like the hire.
Poch’s first roster is out. The return of Zack Steffen is interesting. Hell, 4 keepers stands out.
View: https://twitter.com/usmnt/status/1841495018185404805?s=46&t=XvGOrrWIyL-5CHVVL_0JYQ
View: https://twitter.com/usmnt/status/1841495018185404805?s=46&t=XvGOrrWIyL-5CHVVL_0JYQ
Sadly, Gaga didn't impress by letting ManU pot 7 in the League Cup. Seems like Schulte is currently the leading candidate for future #1, which I think bears a close watch given club situations for Turner, Horvath, and Steffen. This depth chart could get fluid fast.
Really curious how (if?) Balogun and Weah end up playing something of a different role/style in a Poch world.
Not sure how to read these injury tea leaves…does this mean they would be unavailable for Mexico or Panama? Guess maybe have to wait a bit and see.
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Were they over the salary cap?
View: https://twitter.com/TheAthleticFC/status/1844077826183659811
U.S. Soccer laid off up to 30 employees on Tuesday in a major reorganization ahead of its relocation from Chicago to new headquarters in the Atlanta metro region.
View: https://twitter.com/TheAthleticFC/status/1844077826183659811
U.S. Soccer laid off up to 30 employees on Tuesday in a major reorganization ahead of its relocation from Chicago to new headquarters in the Atlanta metro region.
It does raise questions when they cut almost 10% of the employees at a time when revenue is surging and a massive project is right on the horizon. Feel really bad for the folks who got ousted today in such a cold, corporate way.
A few years ago (2021?) a friend of mine was head hunted for a US Soccer corporate relations gig. The pay was not great but expectations were sky high. Most of the pitch consisted of how great it will be to hob knob with corporate heavyweights at marquee events (maybe also suggesting that’s a way to network into a better corporate job?). My friend passed, wasn’t impressed.
A few years ago (2021?) a friend of mine was head hunted for a US Soccer corporate relations gig. The pay was not great but expectations were sky high. Most of the pitch consisted of how great it will be to hob knob with corporate heavyweights at marquee events (maybe also suggesting that’s a way to network into a better corporate job?). My friend passed, wasn’t impressed.
Batson's decision to offer relocation packages to most employees and a layoff to a few suggests to me that he was using the moment to clean house in a few areas, but I'm just speculating and don't know any particulars about who they cut loose.
Dunno, it hasn’t been unicorns and rainbows historically but from Balogun to Emma to Poch says maybe the tides are turning? Or maybe that was a reference to getting rid of some of the dead weight that had been there and I just missed it…
There's so much that sucks at US Soccer - the continued undervaluing of the women's game, the endorsement (tacitly or explicitly) of pay-to-play all throughout the youth ranks, the exorbitant ticket prices at MNT and WNT matches, even for friendlies, the crappy administration of the '24 Copa - I have no problem with a house-cleaning.
Agreed that the hires mentioned are huge net positives and that's not to be discounted, but the national apparatus stands for so much more than the WC records of the senior squads.
I think we may have discovered why the men's team has failed to meet lofty expectations over the last decade plus: they barely practiced?
Here is Tim Ream, talking about the recent training sessions: "I think we were out on the field today for 2 hours, which is probably the longest training session I've had with the National Team in my 14 years."
View: https://twitter.com/usmntonly/status/1844546880123883936
Here is Tim Ream, talking about the recent training sessions: "I think we were out on the field today for 2 hours, which is probably the longest training session I've had with the National Team in my 14 years."
View: https://twitter.com/usmntonly/status/1844546880123883936
This is like the inverse of the old joke "the food here is terrible!" "yes, and such small portions!".
"they're all generally bad at their jobs!" "yes, now let's see them do it with fewer staff!"
(I have no idea if they plan to go on a hiring spree in the Atlanta area now. I just know not to expect that this will result in a reduction of the sky-high prices at USMNT games.)
edit: more seriously, maybe this is cash savings to afford Pochettino. I'm sure the hedge fund money helped, but it's possible USSF had a big portion of the obligation left on their plate, and this is how they're gonna swallow it.
View: https://twitter.com/USMNT/status/1845248603994063210
Steffen and Fossey unavailable with minor injuries, McKennie is fully healthy, just a coach's decision not to start him he's a substitute
Steffen and Fossey unavailable with minor injuries, McKennie is fully healthy, just a coach's decision not to start him he's a substitute
That fits McKennie’s MO with every manager. They don’t see it at first. But he kicks sticking and eventually it’s Mc - Kennie!
McKennie is also pretty notorious for dubious conditioning and practice habits, Poch came in and put the team through long tough practices reportedly, could see him failing to impress.
He said McKennie has played a lot of minutes lately and doesn't want him going back to club exhausted, as these are friendlies, not qualifiers.
How hard it is to find friendly opponents for the qualified Concacaf teams this cycle? Mexico played a friendly against Valencia last night.
First half looked better than the second, and the first part of the second half looks better than the finish. Panama for sure had chances as well.
US looked like they worked their asses off for about 75-80min and maybe were a bit gassed down the stretch…but then the second goal so what do I know.
Look like there’s a extra little fire in the step
There seemed to be notably less wide buildup followed by hopelessly crossing into the box with no result, so that’s a plus.
Late to this but loved seeing Musah in the box to connect on the goal. We never get enough bodies forward in advantageous spots (hence all the crosses being hopeless).
McKennie, Pulisic, Pepi and some other euro-based players sent home before the Mexico match, to get them back to their clubs in good working order. "to maintain our relationships with the clubs", was roughly the effect of what Poch said.
I guess they really didn't want anyone important drinking the water in Guadalajara.
I guess they really didn't want anyone important drinking the water in Guadalajara.
Nice of Poch to get some exposure to the shithousery of US-Mexico and CONCACAF early on in his tenure.
So the federation almost never schedules matches on the American west coast due to (valid) travel concerns, but they were OK with this match taking place in Guadalajara on the last day of the window (essentially on Wednesday morning CET)? Good move by Poch sending those players back.
Considering the match is in Guadalajara, there is a good chance Poch will get to learn the very nuanced differences between Concacaf anti-discrimination protocol: step one and Concacaf anti-discrimination protocol: step two.