I'm not saying that Zawadski is or will be a good choice. I don't know. I'm simply saying that his selection is proof that Poch isn't operating on autopilot. They didn't choose him at random, or as part of some scheme to stock the team with the highest-scoring names in Scrabble. They scouted MLS players -- and obviously not just the big names -- and he piqued their interest.
Not great, who is in charge here... 1925703341620822385 is not a valid tweet id 1926012849886834807 is not a valid tweet id
Update on how it's going: We're getting calls for Poch to be fired if he doesn't win the Gold Cup and also pics of Poch as the soccer Taliban... 1926045331717775816 is not a valid tweet id 1926045338667774106 is not a valid tweet id 1926013520098865258 is not a valid tweet id
Poch actually talk to USMNT players challenge (impossible) 1926058837896806816 is not a valid tweet id
First the fan base wanted an "elite coach". YouTube USMNT channels and X USMNT accounts with big following (that allegedly have connections) were pushing for this and they riled the fan base. Now these same people are mad because USSF did exactly as they wanted and it isn't working out. But let's be real. If USSF had gone with another coach besides Pochetino, these same people would be blaming USSF of not being ambitious and of nepotism. Options were Cherundolo, Nancy and Jesse Marsch whom the fan base claimed "failed in Europe". They would be up in arms complaining of every single move and call up they made if any of these coaches would've been hired. They all got what they asked for now they don't like it.
1926053873409577037 is not a valid tweet id It is funny to watch the meltdown given how badly there was a desire for a big name foreign coach. And when in doubt blame Don Garber. But Badge FC above all else I guess.
Tbh I don't think Louis Van Gaal or Vincente del Bosque probably spent much time trying to recruit dual nats or calling injured players asking how they were feeling.
There's a fine line between inspiring players and holding them accountable, and hectoring and lecturing them, however justified the lectures may be. Repeatedly chastising your team for the same faults, Michael Malone style, strongly suggests a guy who has lost the locker room. Obviously, it's hard to know whether that's happening from the outside. But subpar results and prominent players blowing off competitive matches suggest it's the case.
1925586476739244155 is not a valid tweet id “More from Poch on Europe vs. MLS: ‘All those players you mentioned [Sargent, Scally, Tessmann, Carter-Vickers, Trusty] are on the same level as those who now are involved on the roster In November and March, many players took the chance and deserve to come back.’”
Uh oh, that’s similar to Arena’s “infamous” quote about we have MLS players in that position. Get the popcorn ready.
I'm having a hard time finding any fault at all in any of the things Poch has done to date. One thing I've noticed about him is how positive he is. It would be great if he would look for the same traits in his players. I think Argentina finally won the overdue WC trophy because they put a team of players together who liked each other and it was certainly a feeling that caught on with fans. I got the feeling with Berhalter that much of his kumbaya was manufactured. Like Tolstoy said "All happy families resemble one another; each unhappy family is unhappy in its own way".
Not just that, but many of us called out -- despite being very happy with the Poch hire -- that: a foreign coach may not care much about recruiting a club coach may be looking at this as something of a paid vacation a foreign coach may struggle at times to connect and motivate players of another culture ...and were told that was insane and were criticized by the same people for being nativists or Berhalter simps or whatever. This was fairly predictable. And by that I mean Poch not doing these things but also that the biggest outrage against it were people who dismissed the possibility that this could happen. It's also just true that much like all the Berhalter complaints, this Poch commentary is missing the ********ing point. These fans can't challenge their basic assumptions. Because they are still blaming the coach for all of this. If you think Christian should be playing, that's on Christian. If you think so and so doesn't work hard enough on the field, that's on the player. Yes, a coach has impact, but they are just shifting from "It's Berhalter's fault" to "It's Poch's fault." Coaches can influence, coaches can inspire and coaches can stunt. But let's not act like they are going to make one of these guys suddenly become a dawg or care. They aren't 12 years old. They are grown ass adults. It's also hilarious that many of the same people who are angry about this effort angle with Poch also are furious about the guys he's left home or are huge champions of the Euro Skill Guys and yell about "try hard donkeys." It's bizarre to me to complain about xDawg across players and Poch and then also whine about Richy Ledezma (no particular shade about Ledezma but really?) not being here or something or post lineups without our xDawgs playing. Either you think it's an issue or not. Pretending that you can play your favorite players that AREN'T doing it and that you should expect Pochettino to magically change a 23 year old's personality in a couple of days is nuts. I would have liked Pochettino to seem more all in across the board, but my big complaint with him so far is his defensive tactical choices. It should not shock anyone that having Pochettino did not instantly solve the malaise that settled in, and it should not shock anyone that Pochettino, an Argentinian who basically only played and coached the best of the best, seems baffled at the personality and skillset of this player pool.
If he asked Emma Hayes for direction, he'd have taken the France or Argentina job. I love Emma Hayes, but she took hold of a wildly talented team that was transitioning generations and had a shitty coach (that last part doesn't apply to France and Argentina -- that comp was for talent). It's not a video game.
Half these guys have been in three camps or less, and they were lost before Poch goes there. If Poch "lost" them, he never had a chance.
At the very least, underperforming Berhalter in two straight CONCACAF competitions should this occur is, authentically, a problem.
There’s also just a bit of a different soccer culture in a lot of places. It’s inconceivable a lot of places that you’ve to recruit someone to play for you. Remember Southgate wouldn’t even pick up the phone and call Balogun? Pochettino is coming from a much different soccer culture on this front so it’s not surprising he has different views. If people wanted dual nationals we should have either kept Berhalter or hired Jessie Marsch.
In Copa America we had the best line up; all European based players just as the fan base wanted. We failed and blamed the coach. An elite coach was hired just as the fan base wanted. He calls up European based players along with MLS players for Nations League and the European based players don't perform to expectations and show no heart. The MLS players, most, lacked talent but showed they want to play. Luna was the best player. Fan base starts blaming Pochetino. Pochetino decides to call in more players that are willing to play over those that showed they weren't that much superior and the fan base accuses Pochetino of being a puppet for Don Garber, SUM and MLS. Pochetino, being an elite coach, the type the fan base wanted, is used to bringing next man up if your main players aren't performing or showing no heart. It's what someone like Pochetino is used at club level. You bring next man up. He is trying to find players that are willing to give it their all at ALL times. Fan base doesn't like that because Badge FC is more important even if players don't perform.