It's the international break, and it's usually a quiet week in the world of soccer. Well, it wasn't the case. USMNT head coach Mauricio Pochettino will leave the American national team after the two Nations League's matches against Haiti and will become the new manager of Manchester United, after the Red Devils announced the sacking of Michael Carrick. Pochettino, who was hired by the USMNT in 2024, will make his comeback in the Premier League after coaching Southampton, Tottenham and Chelsea. I'm Francesco Porzio with the latest.
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All times U.S./Eastern
Saturday, Nov. 14
🇺🇸 NWSL semifinal: Washington Spirit vs. Utah Royals, 12 p.m. ➡️ CBS, Paramount+
🇺🇸 CONCACAF Nations League: Haiti vs. United States, 4:30 p.m. ➡️ TNT, HBO Max
🇺🇸 USL League One Final: Charlotte Independence vs. Athletic Club Boise, 7:30 p.m. ➡️ CBS Sports Golazo Network
Sunday, Nov. 15
🇮🇹 Serie C (Ronaldinho's comeback): Ravenna vs. Forlì, 11:30 a.m. ➡️ Paramount+, CBS Sports Golazo Network
🇺🇸 NWSL semifinal: Gotham FC vs. Kansas City Current, 3 p.m. ➡️ ABC
🇺🇸 USL: Charlotte Independence vs. Athletic Club Boise, 7:30 p.m. ➡️ Paramount+, CBS Sports Golazo Network
⚽ NWSL Semifinal TOMORROW
🔜 Who will replace Pochettino?
Now the big question is about who will be the successor of Pochettino at the national team. With a new national training center, an established team, and young players coming up from everywhere to push that squad, it's a job that should be an attractive one to managers around the world, depending on the direction that U.S. Soccer wants to go. Pochettino was an appropriate splashy hire ahead of the World Cup, and it's not surprising that a top team in the world still wanted him. But when looking to build a stable base for 2030, there's a chance that the powers that be would prefer a candidate who would be more bought into American soccer. Here's some of the names that our own Chuck Booth wrote down:
Steve Cherundolo, U.S. U-23s: Currently overseeing the U-23s, the former Los Angeles FC manager would likely be in the USMNT succession plan for Pochettino. The goal was to bring both camps together as much as possible and ensure that they had a similar style, as plenty of players would go between both squads depending on needs. The issue is that this has all happened faster than anyone would've anticipated, since if Steve Cherundolo was going to take over the USMNT, that'd likely be a 2028 post-Olympic deal rather than right at this moment. But also looking at the performance of LAFC without Cherundolo, it's clear that he held things together plenty in that squad and that he could be a fit for the role; the question is just when.
Pep Guardiola, free agent: You have to make the call, and it looks like they will. We all know what the answer likely is, but if there's an opening and the USMNT wants the best manager available, Pep Guardiola is right there. The former Manchester City, Bayern Munich and Barcelona boss is expected to be their top target, according to The Athletic. They reportedly called Jurgen Klopp before hiring Pochettino, and this would be a similar scenario as Klopp is now with Germany. Guardiola isn't going to stay out of management forever, so why not try to bring him back in on the road to 2030? He would be facing similar issues to Pochettino of not knowing if he'll be a long-term fit for the role, but those aren't things that should come into play if the goal is to hire the best available manager who is a fit for the job.
Roberto Martinez, free agent: A name that came up after the World Cup when decisions were being made on whether Pochettino should be extended, Roberto Martinez could come into consideration yet again. On paper, he offers a mix of European experience and the staying power of someone who has overseen multiple international sides for an entire cycle, but it's tough to say he'd be a good fit. Martinez wasn't able to lead Belgium's golden generation to a title and struggled to get Portugal to play to their talent as well. With a USMNT that have the world at their feet as young players begin to lead the way, it'd be better to go the domestic route before turning to Martinez.
Written by Chuck Booth
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