Mauricio Pochettino discovers his new world. Dreams of the World Cup as a host country. A joke about President Trump and the long wait for his green card.
Calling football and assuming how the US could dominate the sport in the following decade with its new national training center in Atlanta on the point of opening Lionel Messi's interest and the interest of Lionel Messi in the MLS.
Preparation for a Concacaf Nations League Semi -Final against Panama, in Los Angeles, on Thursday, and refuses to stand still whether he has planned the qualifications of England instead, or events had turned away differently.
“Of course, England is now like my home,” is an instinctive answer when asked if he would have considered the role that was now taken by Thomas Tuchel, during an interview with English journalists in London. 'It's my home, but it is true that I am Argentinian and that can be controversial.
'I love England, and I know that the relationship between English and Argentinian citizens is very good, but history is certain and can be controversial. An Argentinian defense of the badge, the flag of England, I think it is totally different than being here in the Premier League involved with a club. But it never happened, so it is not a situation that we have to analyze. '
The idea of Pochettino for England always has a grip because his friend and former Tottenham colleague John McDermott is the technical director of the FA and led the search for a successor to Gareth Southgate.
“We are holding a very good relationship, but I think the decision to start the search for a coach was after we had signed,” says Pochettino, who spread the wisdom of Spurs chairman Daniel Levy. “Daniel always told me that football is about timing. When the US arrived with the range and we accepted, there was no other offer. '
Pochettino agreed to become the boss of the US in August. At the time, Lee Carsley was in interim accusation of England, and it would take another two months before Tuchel's appointment was confirmed.
After leaving Chelsea at the end of the season, he wanted to jump back quickly and liked the attraction of something completely different.
“We can be proud of the way we are ready,” says Pochettino, who thinks about that season in Stamford Bridge, who wins the last five to finish sixth and qualify for Europe. 'From where the team came the season before and we faced so many challenges.
'Many problems suffer in the beginning. In the end it is really good. The progression was huge. The way we feel now, it was very positive for us. We are grateful to Chelsea because it gave us a chance where we learned a lot. '
Even the large Pep Guardiola, he notes, will learn from the season of Tegiping of Manchester City. “I am 100 percent convinced that Guardiola is a much better coach today,” says Pochettino. 'It's hard for him to be a better coach, but now he is a much better coach. He suffers things that we sometimes suffered in the beginning. He is now a real manager, a real manager. '
At the age of 53, the Argentinian liberated the healthy, happy glow from a football manager from the ruthless tribe of the Premier League. Two hours of conversation is peppered with airy stories and outbursts of laughter.
But there are no illusions. He knows that the pressure is on the road, with 340 million expected that he will be successful in what the largest year for the sport in the US is invoiced since they organized the World Cup in 1994.
Pochettino is the expensive recruitment from the old world of football, there to deliver an American dream. However, every hint of VIP status still has to appear.
“They still haven't given me the green card,” he shrugs from Mock Horror. “We wait. The last time, in Los Angeles, we wait an hour and a half in the queue. Good, right? I don't complain, because if I complain, they will kill me, but I can't feel this status. I will feel it if they give me the green card one day. '
Perhaps the green card, with its rights to permanent stay in the US and a slippery route through passport control, with results. 'I listened to a conversation between our President Donald Trump and [FIFA president] Gianni Infantino, “says Pochettino in another of his welcome-my-new world vignettes.
“The president asked:” Can we win the World Cup? “And Gianni said” yes “but I was disappointed about this answer. He should say: “You have to ask your great coach, Pochettino, because he can certainly give a better opinion.” '
That opinion? He thinks they get the chance to make a good impression. That he has a strong set of players, a mix of youth and experience, good attitude and a collective mind fed by his predecessor Gregg Berhalter.
He also points out that only eight countries have ever tried the World Cup in almost a century.
“They know it will be enormous pressure,” he says. “Our president likes to put pressure on it. That will be good. And we are ready to deliver. We are a host and it is a country where the mentality is all about winning.
'In sports, everything that the Americans are involved, they want to win. That is the culture. It will be a busy but a welcome one. We will feel the adrenaline that we must feel. '
Those involved expect that next year's World Cup is a catalyst for the development of football in the United States, just like 94.
“It grows a lot, but America is huge,” says Pochettino. “We still need more. We can dominate football, football, perhaps in 10 or 15 years. Maybe less. Five, seven. The potential is huge. '
About the life of an international manager, Pochettino asked Pochettino advice from Gerado Martino, an old teammate and legend of his first club, Newell's Old Boys in Rosario, Argentina, who has managed Argentina and a large number of clubs Mexico and Paraguay in addition to his native country.
Time with the players on the training pitch will be limited. As the Pole of Talent will be. “You have to be flexible,” Pochettino said, recalling a conversation with former Arsenal -Baas Arsene Wenger during a charity game in Qatar.
“We agree that today is easy to say,” Oh, that's my philosophy, “said Pochettino. “Your philosophy? But before you decide, you must see the characteristics of your players.
'The characteristic as a coach is how you feel and how you translate your energy to the team. Ultimately, you must have different plans, depending on the circumstances of the team. '
His words will not be lost with supporters of Tottenham, where Pochettino spent more than five years, causing them to lead to a Champions League final and finished second in the Premier League before his looting in 2019.
Much would welcome him with open arms, and he is sure that he will return to club football. “When we don't know,” he says. 'Six months, a year, 10 years, I sign a contract, but after that we don't know because it is not certain whether you will spend the entire contract. Players don't know but coaches. '
His feelings for traces remain strong with a touch of unfinished things.
“I still feel the same in the bottom of my heart,” he says. 'I would like to come back a day. Not because of my ego, it's because my feeling is that I would like to win a day with Tottenham. We were so close and it was so painful.
'We were involved in improving the facilities, the training field, the stadium. No player signed for 18 months because the emphasis was on other things. I was involved in that. I agree. The problem was that this kind of journey creates a lot of friction for various reasons.
“I also made mistakes. The good thing is that when you are smart, you learn from your mistakes. It's like a relationship ends. I feel empty. I feel so disappointed. With everyone, but also with myself because I didn't get it right and when that happens, it is part of my responsibility.
'Now Tottenham is a club with an expectation to win, because if you see the facilities – training ground or stadium – you can now see that it is about winning trophies.
'That is why I would like to come back one day with all the possibilities to build something special again. If that doesn't happen, it doesn't happen. But that is my feeling, and it didn't change. It is always a special club for me. '
But first, the American dream.
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