FAYETTEVILLE, Ga. (AP) — U.S. coach Mauricio Pochettino said his agent may have spoken with AC Milan and he also may have had a casual conversation with the Italian club but he remains open to staying with the American national team after the World Cup.
Speaking after training Thursday, Pochettino said he and U.S. Soccer Federation CEO JT Batson discussed the possibility of staying on during dinner Sunday at Jean-Georges, a highly rated and pricey restaurant in New York.
“He asked if we are open to listen (to) the project of the federation for the next four years,” Pochettino said. “And we said: Of course that we are open. Do you think that if we have a commitment with another people, we are going to waste time to listen?”
Pochettino agreed in September 2024 to a contract through the World Cup. He said until Sunday “we didn’t have (any) idea about if the federation was happy with us or not happy, wanted us for the future.”
Pochettino said it was good that his name was linked to big clubs, it means “we are doing something good.”
“The problem is … the opposite, no one asks for you,” he said.
Pochettino maintained not much significance should be made of AC Milan’s discussions.
“My representatives, maybe, possible, because they need to do their job,” he said. “Do you think all the people that represent different coaches have no conversation with different clubs?”
Pochettino avoided revealing whether he was personally involved in a meeting.
“If I met someone, what happened? What is going to change if I met someone?” he said. “We have friends everywhere and my representative works for me into trying to find the best possibility for the future. That is normal.”
Discussion of Pochettino’s future isn’t impacting players.
“I think I’m someone that lives in present day and right now he’s here and we’re working with him,” winger Tim Weah said. “It’s an amazing feeling having such a prestigious coach coaching us.”
Batson was unfazed by Pochettino’s job talks.
“He had standing offers from other places to come and he wanted to be here,” Batson said. “There has been a longer list of outreach than what has even been reported.”
Pochettino, 54, was hired after coaching at Espanyol, Tottenham, Paris Saint-Germain and Chelsea.
Batson wouldn’t say whether the USSF has reached out to Pep Guardiola or Jurgen Klopp, two high-profile coaching free agents.
Matt Crocker, who as USSF sporting director recommended Pochettino be hired to replace Gregg Berhalter, quit last month to take a job with the governing body of Saudi Arabian soccer. Batson said a single sporting director in charge of both the men’s and women’s programs might not be hired.
“The men’s and women’s soccer ecosystems in the U.S. and around the world are different and so we need to think about how we’re structured to reflect that,” Batson said. “I would not expect a like-for-like sporting director going forward.”
Lineup tentatively set for World Cup opener
Pochettino said he decided last winter on his starting lineup for the World Cup opener against Paraguay on June 12.
“The only thing that can change is because watching them in training,” he said.
Asked when he decided on the lineup, he responded: “before March.”
Pulisic’s scoring drought
Pochettino is confident of a turnaround by Christian Pulisic, the top U.S. player. Pulisic ended his AC Milan season scoreless in 19 games since Dec. 28 and has gone eight U.S. matches without a goal since November 2024.
“He is going to score in World Cup. Yes, I really trust in that,” Pochettino said. “He has very good attitude, very good commitment. He’s trying so hard to get his best level and I think he will achieve it for sure.”
Pulisic skipped last year’s CONCACAF Gold Cup, wanting to take vacation time. He offered to play in last year’s pre-tournament friendlies but Pochettino turned him down.
“I was disappointed with him,” Pochettino said. “He was disappointed with our decision not to include him in the two friendly games.”
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