There were always going to be tears at Mauricio Pochettino’s news conference at US Soccer’s national training center on Friday. It was only a matter of when. Pochettino is famously emotional, and nobody in attendance had to wait long for the waterworks – they came during his introductory remarks, as he thanked the US Soccer executives flanking him for the opportunity to guide the US men. He grew emotional again as he addressed his impending departure for Manchester United, one announced just hours earlier.
“I think [the decision was],” Pochettino said, pausing to compose himself, “one of the most difficult decisions of our careers. Thank you guys. Thank you so much.”
The news conference read very much as a farewell to Pochettino, but there is still work to be done. The Argentinian will guide the USMNT through a pair of Concacaf Nations League quarter-final matches against Haiti on Saturday and Tuesday. In the meantime, the future United coach did his best to address questions about his departure and what comes next.
“These moments are not easy decisions,” a reflective Pochettino told the media. “Normally it’s the opposite. Normally you get sacked and you cry because you want to stay and you’re sacked by [the club]. It’s a tough decision but at the same time we are excited for the next step forward.”
Pochettino characterized United’s interest and negotiations as having come together at the last minute, essentially, with contact between the two sides first made Sunday.
“We cannot underestimate the staff and the players. When things became big and big and big, the players are very sensitive and the staff are too – they start to feel things as well. [Everything] was so quick, because we arrived here last Friday and Sunday afternoon this situation started to appear and some contact. We were very transparent, we were talking with [US Soccer CEO] JT [Batson] and the federation.”
Details were quickly ironed out between the sides, with the club and federation agreeing Pochettino would remain with the US through the upcoming matches.
“[Thursday], when things were positive in the way the agreement was, we had a meeting and I communicated to the players and the whole staff. I want to say thank you because they were very supportive and they really understand the situation and they know us – how committed we are for the next two games. The decision between the federation and Manchester United , to agree that we’ll continue with our job in the camp; [nothing] can change our commitment and how important the next two games are.”
Pochettino and the US federation touted his contract renewal in August as the start of something new and significant, with the coach given a larger role in the overall direction of the US men at every level. That went by the wayside when United came knocking.
“They know that there are not too many opportunities that can happen in your career like [this one with Manchester United],” Pochettino said. “When they arrive, it’s difficult to turn down. But I want to make it clear, when we decided together to [stay another four years], it was always the commitment for the federation, too. Maybe the four games [in the September/October window] if we lose them, maybe you start to put pressure [on me]. And maybe something can be in a different way.
“Or even in the future,” he continued, “Things can happen. The federation and maybe new people arrive or don’t, or maybe have different ideas and you say, ‘We are thinking in different directions’ and maybe they say ‘Mauricio, maybe you need to go home.’ We cannot think in these extremes – I think we were very committed and never thought this would happen so quickly.”
Pochettino was joined by Batson and US Soccer president Cindy Parlow Cone on Friday. Batson was pressed on what will happen with the approximately $10m (£7.5m) Manchester United paid out for Pochettino’s services. A significant portion of Pochettino’s $6m salary was subsidized by billionaire hedge fund manager and US Soccer donor Ken Griffin. It’s unclear whether that generosity will extend towards Pochettino’s successor.
“The agreement with Manchester United, those funds – as you all know, US Soccer is a nonprofit and those funds are used to help us hire great coaches,” Batson said. “They help us do youth national team programs, coaching education … those funds are available for us to invest in order for us to make the biggest impact on our goals. Our supporters, our sponsors, our donors, are fans are very supportive around making sure that we have the resources that we need to achieve our goals, including having a world-class coach. We are appreciative of that support and look forward to our way of winning going forwards.”
Pochettino’s legacy, of course, is still to be defined. He was by no means a generational influence on the state of soccer in the US but he will be remembered fondly, by many, for a handful of standout performances and for guiding the US to a respectable, albeit disappointing, last-16 finish at this summer’s World Cup.
Pochettino was reluctant at first to define his own legacy, telling reporters he was “not arrogant” before jokingly conceding that he is “well, a little bit arrogant, but not too much.”
“We don’t take a project to be remembered forever,” Pochettino said, “and to have a picture here at the training center. It’s the impact on the human being. It’s for us to be a good partner and, through the vision of the federation, to add our quality and knowledge of the game and to be part of this family. I hope, in Manchester United, to do the same. That is what we can do – add our expertise about soccer … The key factor, though, that can have a key influence is the human being.”
