Latest news with #KaseyKeller
Yahoo
09-07-2025
- Sport
- Yahoo
USMNT Legend Calls Out Pochettino For Lack of Commitment After Gold Cup Mistakes
USMNT Legend Calls Out Pochettino For Lack of Commitment After Gold Cup Mistakes originally appeared on Athlon Sports. Days after the USMNT lost to Mexico in the Gold Cup Final, Mauricio Pochettino has continued to face backlash for his team's underperformance in a crucial game. Despite missing important players who play in Europe, the manager is criticized for his inability to compete in the final. Advertisement Mexico defeated the USMNT 2-1, though many believe the scoreline didn't accurately reflect the full story of the match. Former USMNT goalkeeper Kasey Keller had strong words about Pochettino after the Gold Cup Final. Keller questioned Pochettino's commitment to the USMNT during the Gold Cup this summer. The USMNT had pressure to win the Gold Cup, even though their team on paper was not the strongest, as players opted to take the summer off. Keller's criticism involves the players chosen for the roster for the Gold Cup this summer. Kasey Keller Criticizes Pochettino's National Team Approach Kasey Keller was not a fan of how games were handled during the Gold Cup games this summer. His criticism comes from the USMNT taking leads during games and then suffering at the end of games against weaker opposition. Kasey Keller: "What I haven't seen from Pochettino is a full commitment to the national team. I haven't seen a full commitment to the players, I haven't seen a full commitment to going and watching matches and truly being the guy to find out all those questions." Keller also questions why there is a lack of communication between some players and Pochettino. Keller suggested that Pochettino is still used to being a club coach, not a national team coach. Kasey Keller: "You hear players. [They get asked] 'Have you spoken with Pochettino? No, he's never called me. I've not talked to him, I don't know where I stand.' That's fine if you're a club coach. Because in a club, if someone doesn't buy into what you're saying, you just go buy somebody else. But as a national team coach, you only have what you have.' Advertisement Pochettino's USMNT record against highly-ranked teams Pochettino has not had a good record against teams that are highly ranked in the FIFA international team rankings. The USMNT is currently ranked 16th. Since Pochettino's arrival, the USMNT has played four national teams in the top 30 of the FIFA World Rankings. Those four national teams were Mexico (#17), Switzerland (#20), Turkiye (#27), and Canada (#30). The USMNT with Pochettino as head coach lost twice against Mexico, and lost two friendlies against Turkiye and Switzerland. The USMNT lost to Canada in the 2025 CONCACAF Nations League Bronze Final. Advertisement USMNT vs Top 30 under Pochettino USA 0-2 Mexico (Friendly: October 15, 2024) USA 1-2 Canada (Nations League: March 23, 2025) USA 1-2 Turkiye (Friendly: June 7, 2025) USA 0-4 Switzerland (Friendly: June 10, 2025) USA 1-2 Mexico (Gold Cup: July 6, 2025) Related: Lalas Challenges Diego Luna After 'Disappearing' In USMNT's Gold Cup Collapse Related: USMNT Robbed? Pochettino Explodes Over Handball Controversy As Referee Denies Penalty Claim This story was originally reported by Athlon Sports on Jul 8, 2025, where it first appeared.
Yahoo
08-07-2025
- Sport
- Yahoo
Dempsey Backs Pochettino As USMNT Legends Slam Coach For Gold Cup Collapse
Dempsey Backs Pochettino As USMNT Legends Slam Coach For Gold Cup Collapse originally appeared on Athlon Sports. Mauricio Pochettino lost his first final with the USMNT, falling 2–1 to Mexico in the Gold Cup championship match. Now, he's under fire, drawing criticism from several national team legends — but not Clint Dempsey. The former Fulham midfielder stood by the manager after the loss. Advertisement Despite mounting criticism from USMNT veterans, Dempsey has emerged as one of Pochettino's more vocal defenders this week. On the Men in Blazers podcast, where he covers the USMNT alongside Roger Bennett, Dempsey acknowledged the coach's difficult task, saying, 'He's being asked to build a house without a lot of tools,' and praised Pochettino for continuing to push forward despite limited resources. His opinion contrasts sharply with other USMNT legends, including Kasey Keller and Charlie Davies. 'What I haven't seen from Pochettino is a full commitment to the national team,' Keller said. 'I haven't seen a full commitment to the players, I haven't seen a full commitment to going and watching matches and truly being the guy to find out all those questions.' Charlie Davies went even further, pointing out the lack of depth on the wings — despite the presence of players like Christian Pulisic and Sergiño Dest, who were unavailable for the tournament. 'Where are the dribblers? Where are the wingers? Where are the guys with pace? Because when we talk about depth and changing the game, go back to John Tolkin coming in as a replacement for Tyler Adams in the Guatemala game — which nearly cost us that match. Nearly.' Davies said. Advertisement What's next for the USMNT? The U.S. is already qualified for the 2026 World Cup as one of the three host nations, alongside Mexico and Canada. With no qualifiers ahead, Pochettino will have some time to regroup before announcing the next squad for friendly matches against South Korea and Japan in September. These games will fall right at the start of the European club season, which begins in August. The calendar is tighter this year due to the Club World Cup and the recently concluded Gold Cup. That's part of the reason Pulisic and Dest were unavailable this summer. The Milan winger opted out of the Gold Cup, and Pochettino chose not to call up Dest as he continues recovering from an ACL injury. Advertisement This story was originally reported by Athlon Sports on Jul 8, 2025, where it first appeared.
Arab News
12-06-2025
- Sport
- Arab News
Apathy and anger cloud US team a year out from World Cup
MIAMI: A run of four straight losses, including a 4-0 hammering from Switzerland on Wednesday, has left Mauricio Pochettino and his US team feeling the wrath of critics a year out from the World Cup they will co-host. For the latest updates, follow us @ArabNewsSport The US head into their opening game of the CONCACAF Gold Cup against Trinidad and Tobago on Sunday having lost on home soil to Panama and Canada in the Nations League in March before friendly losses to Turkiye and the debacle against the Swiss. 'I think it is the most embarrassed I have been for the US national team in a long time,' said Kasey Keller, who played in goal for the US 102 times between 1990 and 2007. While there were plenty of American fans venting similar feelings on social media after the loss, what will perhaps be more concerning for the US Soccer Federation is supporters voting with their feet and not attending games. There were thousands of empty seats in Nashville for the Switzerland defeat after poor turnouts for March's games in Los Angeles. 'There's just a sense of apathy around the United States men's program and I don't think that's a hot take,' former striker Taylor Twellman told NBC Sports. Alexi Lalas, a star of the US team the last time they hosted a World Cup in 1994, has built a career in 'hot takes' for Fox Sports but even he was struggling to fire himself up for a Star Spangled rant after the latest disappointment. 'I'm having a hard time even conjuring up that and that makes a little sad. In the past when I was angry at what was going on, I felt compelled to express it and now they are not even worth that, not worth me expressing how disappointing this is right now,' he said on his podcast 'State of the Union'. Pochettino has been forced to field a largely second string squad in this month's games with the likes of Tim Weah and Weston McKennie on Club World Cup duty with Juventus while captain and talisman Christian Pulisic has opted to take some rest along with some other members of the first choice squad. That latter decision prompted fierce criticism from some ex-players, including Landon Donovan, the country's all-time joint top scorer who during commentary of Portugal's win in the UEFA Nations League hit out at the absentees. '[Ronaldo is] 40 years old. He's played a long-ass season. He's tired. He's out there grinding. Hurt himself in the process, and I can't help but think about some of our guys on vacation, not wanting to play in the Gold Cup. It's pissing me off,' he said. That led to a sarcastic reply on social media from Pulisic's father Mark who posted a reminder of Donovan's own 'sabbatical' from the US team. But there is also pressure mounting on Pochettino, the Argentine former Tottenham Hotspur manager, who was appointed to the US role in September. The coach said he would take the blame for the showing against Switzerland where the US were 4-0 down by halftime. 'It's my responsibility the choice of the starting 11. I wanted to give minutes to certain players, but we were never in the game,' the Argentine said. While Pochettino's job may be safe, some are wondering if he might not need some assistance. 'It looks like he doesn't know the team, it looks like he doesn't scout the players, has no idea of the pieces he has at his disposal,' said former USA forward Hercules Gomez on You Tube. 'The US Soccer Federation, why not place somebody who has some experience with the player pool to help Pochettino out because it looks like he has no idea who his players are? With a World Cup on home soil that is a disaster,' he added. The US will co-host the World Cup with Mexico and Canada.
Malay Mail
12-06-2025
- Sport
- Malay Mail
Apathy and anger cloud US men's team as Pochettino's side slump ahead of home World Cup
MIAMI, June 12 — A run of four straight losses, including a 4-0 hammering from Switzerland yesterday, has left Mauricio Pochettino and his USA team feeling the wrath of critics a year out from the World Cup they will co-host. The USA head into their opening game of the CONCACAF Gold Cup against Trinidad and Tobago on Sunday having lost on home soil to Panama and Canada in the Nations League in March before friendly losses to Turkey and the debacle against the Swiss. "I think it is the most embarrassed I have been for the US national team in a long time," said Kasey Keller, who played in goal for the USA 102 times between 1990 and 2007. While there were plenty of American fans venting similar feelings on social media after the loss, what will perhaps be more concerning for the US Soccer Federation is supporters voting with their feet and not attending games. There were thousands of empty seats in Nashville for the Switzerland defeat after poor turn-outs for March's games in Los Angeles. "There's just a sense of apathy around the United States men's program and I don't think that's a hot take," former striker Taylor Twellman told NBC Sports. Alexi Lalas, a star of the USA team the last time they hosted a World Cup in 1994, has built a career in 'hot takes' for Fox Sports but even he was struggling to fire himself up for a Star Spangled rant after the latest disappointment. "I'm having a hard time even conjuring up that and that makes a little sad. In the past when I was angry at what was going on, I felt compelled to express it and now they are not even worth that, not worth me expressing how disappointing this is right now," he said on his podcast 'State of the Union'. Pochettino has been forced to field a largely second string squad in this month's games with the likes of Tim Weah and Weston McKennie on Club World Cup duty with Juventus while captain and talisman Christian Pulisic has opted to take some rest along with some other members of the first choice squad. That latter decision prompted fierce criticism from some ex-players, including Landon Donovan, the country's all-time joint top scorer who during commentary of Portugal's win in the UEFA Nations League hit out at the absentees. "[Ronaldo is] 40 years old. He's played a long-ass season. He's tired. He's out there grinding. Hurt himself in the process, and I can't help but think about some of our guys on vacation, not wanting to play in the Gold Cup. It's pissing me off," he said. That led to a sarcastic reply on social media from Pulisic's father Mark who posted a reminder of Donovan's own 'sabbatical' from the USA team. Pressure But there is also pressure mounting on Pochettino, the Argentine former Tottenham Hotspur manager, who was appointed to the USA role in September. The coach said he would take the blame for the showing against Switzerland where the USA were 4-0 down by half-time. "It's my responsibility the choice of the starting 11. I wanted to give minutes to certain players, but we were never in the game," the Argentine said. While Pochettino's job may be safe, some are wondering if he might not need some assistance. "It looks like he doesn't know the team, it looks like he doesn't scout the players, has no idea of the pieces he has at his disposal," said former USA forward Hercules Gomez on You Tube. "The US Soccer Federation, why not place somebody who has some experience with the player pool to help Pochettino out because it looks like he has no idea who his players are? With a World Cup on home soil that is a disaster," he added. The USA will co-host the World Cup with Mexico and Canada. — AFP
Yahoo
12-06-2025
- Sport
- Yahoo
Apathy and anger cloud USA team a year out from World Cup
Former USA goalkeeper Kasey Keller says he was embarassed by the USA's 4-0 loss to Switzerland. (Victor Decolongon) A run of four straight losses, including a 4-0 hammering from Switzerland on Wednesday, has left Mauricio Pochettino and his USA team feeling the wrath of critics a year out from the World Cup they will co-host. The USA head into their opening game of the CONCACAF Gold Cup against Trinidad and Tobago on Sunday having lost on home soil to Panama and Canada in the Nations League in March before friendly losses to Turkey and the debacle against the Swiss. Advertisement "I think it is the most embarrassed I have been for the US national team in a long time," said Kasey Keller, who played in goal for the USA 102 times between 1990 and 2007. While there were plenty of American fans venting similar feelings on social media after the loss, what will perhaps be more concerning for the US Soccer Federation is supporters voting with their feet and not attending games. There were thousands of empty seats in Nashville for the Switzerland defeat after poor turn-outs for March's games in Los Angeles. "There's just a sense of apathy around the United States men's program and I don't think that's a hot take," former striker Taylor Twellman told NBC Sports. Advertisement Alexi Lalas, a star of the USA team the last time they hosted a World Cup in 1994, has built a career in 'hot takes' for Fox Sports but even he was struggling to fire himself up for a Star Spangled rant after the latest disappointment. "I'm having a hard time even conjuring up that and that makes a little sad. In the past when I was angry at what was going on, I felt compelled to express it and now they are not even worth that, not worth me expressing how disappointing this is right now," he said on his podcast 'State of the Union'. Pochettino has been forced to field a largely second string squad in this month's games with the likes of Tim Weah and Weston McKennie on Club World Cup duty with Juventus while captain and talisman Christian Pulisic has opted to take some rest along with some other members of the first choice squad. That latter decision prompted fierce criticism from some ex-players, including Landon Donovan, the country's all-time joint top scorer who during commentary of Portugal's win in the UEFA Nations League hit out at the absentees. Advertisement "[Ronaldo is] 40 years old. He's played a long-ass season. He's tired. He's out there grinding. Hurt himself in the process, and I can't help but think about some of our guys on vacation, not wanting to play in the Gold Cup. It's pissing me off," he said. That led to a sarcastic reply on social media from Pulisic's father Mark who posted a reminder of Donovan's own 'sabbatical' from the USA team. - Pressure - But there is also pressure mounting on Pochettino, the Argentine former Tottenham Hotspur manager, who was appointed to the USA role in September. Advertisement The coach said he would take the blame for the showing against Switzerland where the USA were 4-0 down by half-time. "It's my responsibility the choice of the starting 11. I wanted to give minutes to certain players, but we were never in the game," the Argentine said. While Pochettino's job may be safe, some are wondering if he might not need some assistance. "It looks like he doesn't know the team, it looks like he doesn't scout the players, has no idea of the pieces he has at his disposal," said former USA forward Hercules Gomez on You Tube. "The US Soccer Federation, why not place somebody who has some experience with the player pool to help Pochettino out because it looks like he has no idea who his players are? With a World Cup on home soil that is a disaster," he added. The USA will co-host the World Cup with Mexico and Canada. sev/rcw
