- Howard says he trusts Pochettino’s experience
- Said goalkeeper position needs greater clarity
- Supports willingness to select in-form MLS players
Reacting to USMNT roster selections for September เกมกระชับมิตร ขัดต่อ เกาหลีใต้ และ Japan, analyst Tim Howard said that, while trusts Mauricio Pochettino’s coaching pedigree, he’s still unclear about the selection philosophy.
“Pochettino has been at big clubs, big teams, bigger than the U.S. ระดับชาติ team,” Howard said on the Unfiltered Soccer podcast. “He’s been at PSG, it’s a bigger institution. He dealt with big owners, huge players, Pochettino knows what he’s doing, OK? He knows what he’s doing… he’s seen the upside, the down, the bad side and the good… In Pochettino, I believe.
“But I’m just kind of looking at it and now I’m like, patiently waiting to kind of see what the method to the madness is. Because there has to be. He’s not just chucking the cards in the air and going now, ‘I don’t care if we were successful.’ He wants to be successful, I believe that.”
The ex-USMNT star pointed to goalkeeper, suggesting the rotation between several options without establishing a clear hierarchy could create uncertainty.
“Goalkeepers are perfect example,” Howard said. “Like I’m saying [Roman] Celentano, [Jonathan] Klinsmann, you’re nowhere near the frame. So who are your goalkeepers? He has to start making decisions, so who are your goalkeepers?… The guys in camp, they’re not going to be going to a ฟุตบอลโลก, right? So, Matt Freese, Zack Steffan, Matt Turner, Patrick Schulte. Get those guys in a room and go, ‘Hey, I’m picking three from four of you. You’ve got 10 months to give me everything you got, battle it out.
“Matt Freese, you’re the No. 1 for this camp, guess what? Matt Turner get in here. Zack Steffen get in here, I want to see you guys compete, right?’ And say, ‘Look, I’m going to give you an opportunity. It might not be exact. I might give this guy five games and the other guy three games, But it’ll be enough for me to see over the course of 10 months.’”
The former national team goalkeeper praised Pochettino’s willingness to select MLS-based players – with 12 on the current roster – describing it as a pragmatic approach that prioritizes form and fitness over league prestige.
“The argument is dumb, and it’s old,” he said. “People out there who are like, ‘You shouldn’t stay in MLS, you shouldn’t come back to MLS,’ all that blah. You go where you can perform at your best for the time being, right?… You’re actually better off having a player that plays in MLS who’s banging 20 goals, right? Who’s feeling the rhythm of the game and who’s kind of worn as opposed to someone who’s like, ‘Oh he’s really talented kid, but he doesn’t always get on the field.’
“So like It’s a silly argument. Obviously it’s good that Pochettino sees how valuable it is. I know the value of both playing in Europe and an MLS. They’re both important, it’s about rhythm, it’s about timing. So I’m OK with it.”
Pochettino’s roster construction approach has generated significant discussion within American soccer circles. The USMNT player pool currently คุณสมบัติ unprecedented depth but lacks clear hierarchies at several positions.
The USMNT will face South Korea on Saturday at Sports Illustrated Stadium in New Jersey before taking on Japan three days later in Columbus, Ohio.
