Jurgen Klopp Had 'Multiple Meetings' With USA Over Return To Coaching, According to Report

The United States men’s national team appointed Mauricio Pochettino as their new manager. Pochettino will replace Gregg Berhalter as the head coach of the side. It has now been learnt that Pochettino was not the only figure who was considered for the role. As per a report published by The Athletic, Jurgen Klopp, Pep Guardiola, Gareth Southgate, Graham Potter and Thomas Frank were some other potential candidates who were USMNT’s targets. The article went on to claim that multiple meetings were held with Klopp, who left Liverpool in May having spent more than eight years at the Merseyside-based club. But it was Pochettino who, eventually, succeeded in securing the position.

The report published by The Athletic claimed that talks with Pochettino went on smoothly. US women’s national team coach Emma Hayes was also involved in hiring the Argentine. Hayes and Pochettino became friends at Chelsea, where she was in charge of the women’s side last season whereas, he managed the men’s team. Hayes even called Pochettino and told him about her experiences with the US football team, as per The Athletic.

“The decision to join US Soccer wasn’t just about football for me; it’s about the journey that this team and this country are on. The energy, the passion, and the hunger to achieve something truly historic here – those are the things that inspired me. The opportunity to lead the US men’s national team, in front of fans who are just as passionate as the players, is something I couldn’t pass up. I see a group of players full of talent and potential, and together, we’re going to build something special that the whole nation can be proud of,” Pochettino said in a statement, as per GOAL.

Pochettino had previously handled the coaching duties at clubs like Espanyol, Southampton, Tottenham, Paris Saint-Germain (PSG) and Chelsea. Pochettino was fired by PSG despite emerging victorious in the Ligue 1 in his only full season with the French giants. The 52-year-old Argentine spent one year of his two-year deal at Chelsea.

Pochettino joins the USMNT at a crucial time, as the United States are all set to host their first FIFA World Cup since 1994. This also marks Pochettino’s first stint as a coach at a national team.