Mauricio Pochettino broke down in tears during an emotional press conference, admitting that his decision to leave the United States national team for Manchester United was the hardest choice of his professional life. As reported by 101 Great Goals, the 54-year-old manager will take over at Old Trafford to replace Michael Carrick, who was dismissed on Thursday with the club languishing in the Premier League relegation zone after securing just one victory in their opening 10 matches.
A Difficult Departure from the United States
Pochettino expressed deep gratitude to the players and staff at the US Soccer Federation following a two-year tenure in charge. He thanked them for an amazing project that made him feel genuinely happy, noting that ending the relationship proved exceptionally difficult. He explained that normally managers shed tears when dismissed, whereas his situation was the reverse because he was leaving despite wanting to stay.
The incoming United manager revealed he spoke with the squad upon reaching an agreement, and the players responded with great support. He signed a four-year contract extension with US Soccer in August, but ultimately concluded that the opportunity to manage Manchester United was too significant to turn down. United agreed to cover his release clause of £7.4 million, while an arrangement was made for him to complete his final two matches with the US team.
Those final two games involve a CONCACAF Nations League quarter-final tie against Haiti, with the first leg in Miami on Friday and the second in Cincinnati on Tuesday. Pochettino will fly to England next Wednesday, leaving him with minimal preparation time before his opening fixture in charge away against Liverpool a week on Sunday.
Rebuilding Manchester United and US Soccer’s Next Steps
Manchester United confirmed the appointment in a Friday morning statement, noting that Pochettino will officially take over as men’s head coach on November 18. The club task him with reversing their worst start to a top-flight campaign since 1986, relying on his reputation for an attacking style of play, team building, and developing individual talent through spells at Espanyol, Southampton, Tottenham Hotspur, Paris Saint-Germain, and Chelsea.
US Soccer CEO and Secretary General JT Batson praised the departing coach for raising standards, strengthening team culture, and improving connections between youth and senior squads across 35 games in charge. Pochettino’s longtime assistant Jesus Perez and the rest of the coaching staff will accompany him to Manchester.
US Soccer will now begin the search for a new head coach, led by a leadership team featuring Emma Hayes and Oguchi Onyewu, while Steve Cherundolo oversees the upcoming December training camp.
