Landon Donovan, who was the star of the U.S. national team back in 2002, was present at the Fox Soccer panel and shared his opinion on the potential conflict between current USMNT coach Mauricio Pochettino and AC Milan forward Christian Pulisic.
Pochettino is facing growing controversy after his decision not to select Pulisic, the team’s star, for the team’s final matches. “I’m not a mannequin,” the Argentine coach declared, defending his position and emphasizing that players cannot impose their own conditions on the coaching staff.
What happened between Mauricio Pochettino and Christian Pulisic?
The conflict arose after Pulisic requested an exemption from participating in the Gold Cup matches, but expressed his desire to be present for the friendlies against Turkey and Switzerland. Pochettino, who took over less than a year ago, rejected this request and left the player out of the squad.
The coach explained his position in a press conference: “It can’t be that a player says, ‘I want to play,’ ‘I want this,’ ‘I want that.’ I signed my contract with the federation and I am the head coach; I am not a mannequin.” He added that, although he respects and understands the player’s position, he does not consider it necessary for him to understand the decisions made by the coaching staff.
Landon Donovan criticized Mauricio Pochettino
In the buildup to the match against Trinidad and Tobago, it seemed as though Landon Donovan had turned on the coach: “He can’t just let his best player run over him.” The US national team’s all-time leading scorer also questioned Pulisic’s commitment to the national team.
Alexi Lalas, a historic former US defender remembered for his presence and his beard, had a slightly different opinion. “I don’t feel sorry for Pochettino, but it was important for him to make it clear that no player is above the team,” he stated.
Read the full article here
