U.S. Soccer CEO reveals all about Mauricio Pochettino’s USMNT appointment | ESPN FC

U.S. Soccer CEO JT Watson joins Sebastian Salazar and Herculez Gomez on Futbol Americas to discuss Mauricio Pochettino’s appointment as USMNT head coach.
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[@manmarko28]

I think the most fundamental thing to take from all this is that he and his team already had a power point on what they can do to improve the usmnt even before they took the job. His definitely interested in the job and dialed in. Only time and wins will tell how great a hire this was.

[@terefefeyssa877]

I still go for coach Gregg

[@manmarko28]

Greg shouldn't have been hired the 2nd time. He lost credibility with the players the 2nd go around. He needs to go better his resume in Europe like Jesse.

[@terefefeyssa877]

@manmarko28 : There is no evidence at all!! He is an expert in coaching as I saw him.

[@manmarko28]

@@terefefeyssa877 What do you mean no evidence at all? There is nothing wrong with your opinion the federation and most of the American fan base fired him and that's all we can go by. Plus even when he interviews for his next job his most glaring questions will be his failure as the manager of the USMNT we all know about his achievements but what stands out are his failures.

[@erikrodriguez8721]

GROWN MAN VIBES 100% LFG

[@AR-io8fv]

THANK YOU JT. You are forgiven for the terrible decision to waste 2 years with rehiring greggory

[@mikal024]

Also thank Tim Weah for that red card against Panama. Lol

[@therealking6202]

I don't know about "forgiven," but this was a good appearance, said some good things, and let's move forward.

[@dirks6550]

Good interview. I liked a lot of what was being said. Hope Poch can help us pull off something memorable. Kudos does need to be given to USSoccer on getting this hire done.

[@justinbergmans36]

There’s good leadership at the moment for U.S. soccer. To come on a show, that hasn’t treated the federation with kid gloves, is commendable

[@michaelstein7510]

It’s been a pleasant surprise. We reserve the right to be critical and cynical when that’s deserved, but we have to give Matt Crocker and JT Batson credit for overseeing two outstanding national team hires. Well done by them. Even if Poch doesn’t work out, I think they made the best hire realistically possible.

[@jimg6178]

So “if” he doesn’t work out will everyone finally admit our talent pool is really shallow? The Platinum generation is so overhyped, besides CP the rest is…exceedingly underwhelming

[@michaelstein7510]

@@jimg6178 Of course. The pressure is squarely on the players now. I’m optimistic Poch can get the most out of this player pool, but the stagnation and regression of multiple players since Qatar is concerning. They need to get healthy and get their act together quickly. If they fail even under Pochettino, then they will prove to be fool’s gold and not the generation of players we expected 4 years ago. We couldn’t realistically have hired a better coach, so if they fail, that’s on them.

[@RickyRicardo84]

@@jimg6178absolutely!! We have seen this “golden” generation with ONLY one coach for almost 6 years!! This will for sure be a fantastic way of trying to get the best out of them.. if they perform even worse than before then yes, absolutely the fault will be only of the players being mediocre.

[@ryanreilly2055]

He never answered the question about the release clause. He talked about how they had conversations about his full understanding of what he signs up for and that “he’s in it to win it”. Herc needed to push that answer

[@samplingmastersxlr8660]

Does it really matter, we got him in the end

[@jmcintire1188]

The question was not about the release clause but rather if teams with deep pockets might be able to shake his commitment to stick with the USMNT. The release clause was only mentioned to give the actual question context.

[@logirex]

Imagine being fired from Spurs when they were 14th, then PSG after just 18 months and finally Chelsea after just one season and getting $6+ million from USMNT 😂 That said Chelsea paid him twice that number 🤦‍♂

[@megamonster1234]

@@jmcintire1188 It's only 2 years. He has enough professionalism to at least stick with us for that long. If he keeps talking about the desire to win the WC (which we know the US won't) but bails before the tournament even starts, it would be seen as extremely disrespectful and unprofessional.

[@megamonster1234]

@@logirex The USMNT wasn't realistically getting anyone better than Poch and even he was seen as unrealistic originally.

[@Warum.2439]

VOTE DON GARBER AND MLS OFF THE USSF BOARD

[@wagfinpis]

Sounds better than anything I could even imagine hearing a few months ago.

[@charlesapana9935]

Finally is official

[@Brandon-qd2lb]

So they’ll bring the A roster to the next gold cup since they’ll want to make that tourney better? Every match needs to be taken serious from here on out.

[@RickyRicardo84]

Yes, they previously said that should be an A team tournament.. it’s the last tune up before the World Cup.. the rest of the games will be friendlies.

[@NoFrictionZone]

I think Poch will bring that and more, hopefully!

[@galoguevara6049]

We also need to understand that this whole venture is more than just results on the pitch. The development of youth programs, fostering an environment that grows true organic interest and love for the game, and instilling soccer philosophies into youth and next generation players - all of this is important from a big picture perspective of US soccer. It means even more if this knowledge, experience, and analysis is applied all over the US program - from top-down-sideways and back to the top. This also includes injecting other US coaches, trainers, and talent scouts into Pochettino's administration. In this way our future coaches also learn and develop. Like I said, it's more than just wins and losses. It's about cementing and securing a future that will grow and develop into a next level.

[@justinconnealy9078]

Why is Garber there?

[@micahcunningham6812]

Because his greedy hands are on the board of the USSF. Why do you think it took so long to get rid of the mediocre players from MLS

[@p.e.castillo8297]

My thoughts EXACTLY

[@NoCoastRaps]

Brasil fails at Copa and is barely hanging on in the World Cup Qualifying rounds yet still 6-1 favorites to win the World Cup 😂 classic

[@samplingmastersxlr8660]

@@NoCoastRaps we all know they aren’t winning They haven’t won it in 20 years and counting

[@cuzzozanteeno2127]

CONMEBOL is dying. Not just Brazil. Look at the last World Cup. Uruguay and Ecuador struggled against teams they should have beat. In 2026, the only teams I see making it out the group stage in 2026 is Argentina and Colombia. The rest are getting grouped.

[@dcapitan7]

​​@cuzzozanteeno2127 I disagree that CONMEBOL is dying. In the 2010 WC all 5 CONMEBOL teams made it to the knockout rounds. In the 2014 WC it was 5 out of 6 that made it to the knockout rounds. In the 2018 WC it was 4 out of 5. 2022 was the outlier with only 2 out of 4 making the knockout rounds, but a closer look is needed here. 🇪🇨 was in a group with 🇳🇱 and 🇸🇳 the latter of whom were the reigning AFCON champions. 🇺🇾 was in a group with 🇵🇹, 🇰🇷 and 🇬🇭. 🇰🇷 was arguably the second or third best team in Asia and 🇬🇭 were not exactly weak opponents. 🇵🇪 lost to 🇦🇺 in WCQ on Penalty Kicks. That same 🇦🇺 team made it to the WC knockout rounds, finishing ahead of a very good 🇩🇰 side. TL, DR: CONMEBOL is still very good! It's not dying.

[@ezraezra2928]

@@dcapitan7 Side Note: In 2010 World Cup, there were 4 CONMEBOL teams participating in the quarterfinals. We all knew that none of them will even went through semifinal cause Uruguay should have been knocked out as well if it wasn't for Luis Suarez' handball cheat vs Ghana.

[@NoFrictionZone]

​@@ezraezra2928that IS NOT cheating! He was smart, Ghana choked in the PK! Geez learn the game kid!

[@meadaiv8835]

Difficult decision to part with GREG BEHALTER? 🤣😂😂😂😂😂 easiest decision they’ve ever made

[@TrainerAQ]

That's funny. They didn't treat Jessie Marsch with respect 😂

[@CJBouhlal]

The FAN Cheer on the Team to Win, that's why the follow the USMNT through the Media, and why the fill up the stands in the Stadium on game day. The USSF puts things together, by hiring the Coach and staff and creating an infrastructure for the USMNT The Coach and his staff do their Job by selecting the players training them during Camps and designing the appropriate game plan for the appropriate opponent The Players have to perform on game day to achieve the result needed. When everybody does their job, this USMNT will be as successful as the USMNT and all other US Athletes, there not a shadow of doubt about that in my mind. I may take couple of tries but we should not think it may take more than 1 year, or short change the Players by convincing them that they're not good enough so they should be happy with first round... You're basically giving the players the ideas about who they are. If you're still in 2024 talking to the USMNT players as though it's 1994, then you're telling them it's OK not to try and beat the 2002 record. You have to talk to them about the Quarterfinal, that's where every conversation should start until the night before that QF, and then you remind the players and the coach that they have a chance to beat the 2002 record so they can become the ONLY USMNT generation to reach that level. That's what it is. THAT SIMPLE!!!

[@CJBouhlal]

16:15 You can organize a small tournament with 8-16 very good teams in 2025 !

[@RandolphBlevins-b3y]

Stoltenberg Summit

[@ganaed9954]

Whats up with the BBQ in Kansas city

[@davidtheiss1311]

Which team in the world do we have a worse manager than ?!?!?!?! We have the best international manager in the world ?!?!?!?!

[@JustinDynamicD]

Note on women`s side: title IX acts as a guarantee that amateurs via college have a flush of cash for grants eliminating pay-to-play and creating a healthy feed of players into the women's pro league and USWNT. By design, the equivalent money going into Men's soccer has only become more starved as football takes the funds (cheaper to cut men's soccer rather than to increase overall revenue because you'd have to match women). So while Title IX has made women's soccer thrive, it's destroying men's soccer. How do we ensure youth gets a model that isn't pay-to-play so our talent is seen?

[@yyzsupra8338]

crappy title. reveals all? come on now. grow up. "announces" is more appropriate. ESPN drama style lol

[@ezraezra2928]

Typical ESPN jokes on predicting the World Cup favorites: Brazil got disappointed in Copa America and World Cup qualifiers. France only scored 1 open goal in Euro and couldn't beat Italy in the Nations League. Why those 2 teams were ranked joint odds to win the World Cup when we see them falling apart??? 🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣

[@coachesalot]

Did anyone pick up on ‘the business’? This group will only grow the game in the US to make money. US Soccer is so screwed - the US Billionaires have taken complete control. Blank, Griffin, Duke, and other member’s of the inheritance class. So this guy works for Arthur Blank. This sounded like an Atlanta Falcons coaching change and trying to pacify a pissed of fan base. Having the tentacles of US billionaires into the national federation is not a positive development. So not willing to ask why Billionaire Ken Griffin is writing Poch’s paycheck? Is it a tax write off for Illinois wealthiest Oligarch. Blank is here to monetize - and The Doris Duke foundation’s JT Batson as CEO is their monetizing man.

[@OscarHyman-k1n]

Clark Kenneth Anderson Susan Martinez Elizabeth

[@David-yy9kl]

How was US soccer losing millions of dollars?? From COVID years? Like Jesus Mary Joseph, how?

[@michaelstein7510]

Probably a combination of COVID and the lawsuit from the women’s team a few years ago.

[@jimg6178]

Hopefully they can recruit some talent, what are the rules about getting American citizenship, can we fast track some real players from Europe?

[@kphillipsmusic]

The organization was losing $40 billion a year?

[@meadaiv8835]

Million

[@sergiogutierrez10]

6mil down the drain

[@KeynesUrsula]

Clark Betty Lee Amy White Kimberly

[@MatthewMulhall-h4s]

Gonzalez Thomas White Jessica Jackson Patricia

[@Warum.2439]

I know JT tries his best. USSF’s hurdle has always been the MLS agenda

[@PatrickBlack-v9i]

Walker Lisa Taylor Patricia Williams William

[@MicahRaj]

What a bunch of softball questions. What are the chances that he will leave before '26? did not answer that question.

[@samplingmastersxlr8660]

@@MicahRaj he said there was talk about that so I’m sure it’s covered

[@KIRRAH1]

Oh yeah and btw if I large club calls you better know the guy will be off on his way😊