Former USMNT boss Bruce Arena critiques USA soccer team’s ‘pride,’ Mauricio Pochettino’s fit

Although it is no secret that the national team of the United States has recently been in less than ideal form and their last two games lost to Panama and Canada during Concacaf Nations League game, former USMNT manager Bruce Arena is not happy with the appointment of coach Mauricio Pochettino. The Argentinian was appointed in August 2024 for the United States to the World Cup 2026 in Leiden after Gregg Berhalter crashed from the Copa America during the group phase, but so far Fortunes have not changed for the red, white and blue.

On the “Unfiltered football“Podcast organized by Tim Howard and Landon Donovan, Arena spoke about Pochettino’s need to learn the culture while taking over the USMNT.

“You know that if you look at every national team in the world, the coach is usually a domestic coach,” said Arena. “And I think if you have coaches who are our culture, our environment, our players, it is difficult, it is difficult. I am sure our coach is a very good coach, but coaching international football is different from club football. It’s a very different job.

“If you ask me if we are proud, well, I look and I am shocked. I am shocked that we cannot beat Panama and Canada. It was shocking to me.”

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Although this is the first international role of Pochettino after managing Chelsea in the Premier League, part of the reason why only domestic coaches usually manage international teams that only eight countries have ever won the World Cup – Brazil, Italy, Argentina, France, Uruguay, England and Spain. Any other nation wants to catch up with those parties, and it has been one of the reasons why Argentinian managers occur more often than ever, given the success of their international sides and club teams that they manage.

“And I think when you are a national team coach, you have to know your environment, you have to know the animals that you coach, and that are missing. If you are an American who coaches the American team, you know the culture,” Arena continued. “You know the pride and how important the national team is. I think when you bring in someone from outside, they don’t understand it, especially in our country, because we are so different.”

The players have to fight for the badge, but both players such as Tyler Adams and Pochettino themselves called the team. Similar concerns arose in the past when Jürgen Klinsmann brought in dual-national players, and it was claimed that some of them did not care as much about the badge as those in the United States. Since football has continued to grow in the United States, it is only more likely to add dual-national players, and they have become some of the most talented players in this selection.

Antonee Robinson, Sergino Dest, Yunus Musah and Folarin Balogun have all changed faithfulness to represent the USMNT and to become one of the most critical players on the Roster. This has been a tough period before the USMNT and they have earned part of the criticism that comes their way, but it makes the upcoming Gold Cup more important. This is a team that is expected to win every Concacaf competition in sight, and if they don’t, the criticism will only continue to stay in front of a critical world cup on a home floor.