Pochettino defends decision to email players missing in World Cup squad
USA national football team coach Mauricio Pochettino has revealed the reasons behind his decision not to call the players that was left out the team’s World Cup Squad.
Pochettino announced the 26-man squad on Tuesday and he sent an email to the players that missed out, which has drawn criticisms from former US player, Herculez Gomez.
He said: “It’s inexcusable. For [Diego Luna] to be one of the top three most capped players under Mauricio Pochettino, and to find out via email, that’s just wrong.”
However, Pochettino has defended his decision not to call the players that missed out of the squad list.
He said: “The players who didn’t make the roster, they don’t want to hear me say I apologize.
“If I don’t make the roster, I need to think in like now, until the one day before, things can happen. They need to be ready because maybe we can call. That is the sport. That is football. That is soccer, and we cannot change the rules.
“What am I going to tell a player. Am I supposed to lie? I am going to say that another player is on the roster because today, in this period, he is a better option.
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“I am not going to say that he is a better player or that you cannot make the roster in the future. There are 55 players on the provisional roster – and now I need to call [all of the players who didn’t make it?] Do I need to do that in March? In January camp? That is not the way.”
On the other hand, Pochettino sent video messages to the 26 players included in the squad.
The United States will battle it out with Australia, Paraguay and Turkey in Group D.
They will open their campaign against Paraguay on June 13 before taking on Australia six days later and their last group match is against Turkey on June 26.
Full USA World Cup squad:
Goalkeepers: Matt Turner (New England Revolution), Fritz (New York City FC), Chris Brady (Chicago Fire)
Defenders: Sergiño Dest (PSV Eindhoven), Chris Richards (Crystal Palace), Antonee Robinson (Fulham), Auston Trusty (Celtic), Alex Freeman (Villarreal), Mark McKenzie (Toulouse), Joe Scally (Borussia Mönchengladbach)
Midfielders: Tyler Adams (AFC Bournemouth), Giovanni Reyna (Borussia Mönchengladbach), Weston McKennie (Juventus), Brenden Aaronson (Leeds United), Miles Robinson (FC Cincinnati), Tim Ream (Charlotte), Luca Berhalter (Vancouver Whitecaps), Cristian Roldan (Seattle Sounders), Malik Tillman (Bayer Leverkusen)
Forwards: Ricardo Pepi (PSV Eindhoven), Christian Pulisic (AC Milan), Max Arfsten (Columbus Crew), Haji Wright (Coventry City), Folarin Balogun (AS Monaco), Timothy Weah (Olympique Marseille), Andrés Sendejas (Club América)
