Poch: 'Your name' won't guarantee World Cup spot

On the time that United States manager Mauricio Pochettino brought respective players backmost into the fold, helium reiterated his stance that reputations number for thing erstwhile it comes to securing a World Cup roster spot.

Speaking to reporters connected a league telephone up of friendlies against Ecuador connected Oct. 10, and Australia 4 days later, Pochettino said he's excited to invited 26 players to the upcoming campy starting connected Oct. 4, and watching them vie for places.

"That is not due to the fact that your sanction is 1 oregon another, that you are going to person the spot [for] definite successful the roster for the World Cup," Pochettino said. "That I deliberation is an thought that we were warring successful the past twelvemonth to effort to hole that changed the culture, changed the vision, changed the thought of, 'Okay is due to the fact that successful the past I performed successful immoderate mode oregon due to the fact that I did good 4 twelvemonth agone present I americium close to travel and to usage my spot due to the fact that that is my place.' And I deliberation that is changed a lot."

The roster appears to person much of what galore would consider to beryllium the apical players successful the pool. Among the players that Pochettino is welcoming backmost are Lyon midfielder Tanner Tessmann, Middlesbrough midfielder Aidan Morris, Fulham defender Antonee Robinson and Juventus midfielder Weston McKennie. Robinson was called up for the archetypal clip successful 2025 aft recovering from genu surgery.

"Tessmann and Aidan Morris are playing successful a regular mode each azygous week, and are players that they request to person the continuity, and with continuity, they tin assistance america to get and to perform," Pochettino said.

As for Robinson, Pochettino said helium would negociate the defender's concern cautiously fixed his deficiency of playing clip astatine Fulham.

"We cognize that [Robinson] is an important subordinate for america and I deliberation it's a infinitesimal to bring him successful ," Pochettino said. "And of people we were talking with his club, we are going to effort to negociate successful the champion mode here, but it's important that helium tin beryllium with us, with a group, with a teammate.

"As ever it's astir however to negociate this benignant of situation, that we tin assistance our players to beryllium much motivated and to alteration the environment, besides I deliberation that ever tin beryllium positive."

Several experienced players were near disconnected the roster, including Atalanta midfielder Yunus Musah and Borussia Monchengladbach defender Joe Scally. Bournemouth midfielder Tyler Adams was excused from the campy owed to helium and his woman expecting a babe "in the adjacent fewer days," Pochettino said.

When asked astir the lack of Musah and Scally, Pochettino bristled astatine the question.

"You tin inquire maine wherefore Messi is not successful the roster, no? This benignant of player; Maradona, Pele, I don't know. But erstwhile you're talking astir antithetic names, I deliberation you request to respect the players that are here," the U.S. manager said.

Pochettino al...