USMNT star Yunus Musah has opened up on the impending arrival of new coach Mauricio Pochettino, as he praised the ex-Spurs, PSG and Chelsea boss in an interview.
Pochettino last week agreed to become the USA’s new men’s coach, according to multiple reports, though his hiring has not yet been made official.
Nonetheless, AC Milan midfielder Musah was asked about the coach on CBS Sports’ Morning Footy and he was full of praise for the Argentine.
‘Honestly, when I saw the news, it was nice seeing that a manager like Pochettino, [who] coached a lot of top teams, that he agreed to coach for us,’ he said.
‘If he becomes our manager, I feel like he’ll be able to help a lot. He is a manager that has worked with top players, he definitely has a lot of things to teach us.’
Mauricio Pochettino has reportedly agreed to become the new head coach of the USMNT
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Musah added that the squad ‘need[s] to also take accountability’ for their performances.
The midfielder has made 39 appearances for the USA and was a starter in the 2022 World Cup, but will have a point to prove to the next national team coach after starting just one of three matches at this summer’s Copa America.
Under previous manager Gregg Berhalter, who coached the team in two separate stints beginning in 2018 up until last month when he was fired, the USA disappointed in the Copa America as they flamed out in the group stage.
Berhalter did manage to get the team to the 2022 World Cup in Qatar, where they lost in the round of 16 to the Netherlands, and also played a role in landing coveted-dual nationals like Sergino Dest and Folarin Balogun.
However, his win percentage dropped from 61 percent to 50 percent from his first to second stint (which lasted only 11 months), and he was ultimately relieved of his duties on July 10.
If the 52-year-old Pochettino finalizes a deal with the USA, he would bring top-flight experience, three trophies from his time with PSG and a strong record of nurturing young talent to the States.
The USA will face Canada on September 7 in a friendly, but it’s not clear if Pochettino will be in place by then.
