US coach Pochettino says players cannot dictate plan after Pulisic skips Gold Cup
FILE PHOTO: Mar 20, 2025; Inglewood, California, USA; United States of America head coach Mauricio Pochettino talks to the media after their loss to Panama in a Concacaf Nations League semifinal match at SoFi Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Gary A. Vasquez-Imagn Images/File Photo REUTERS
Players cannot pick and choose which games they will be available for, United States coach Mauricio Pochettino said after forward Christian Pulisic skipped the CONCACAF Gold Cup but offered to play in a pair of friendlies.
Pulisic, who played 50 games for AC Milan in the recently-concluded season, said he would miss the Gold Cup to rest and recover, with former U.S. stalwarts Landon Donovan and Alexi Lalas among those who criticised the decision.
In an interview with the CBS Sports podcast on Thursday, Pulisic said he had asked to play in friendlies against Turkey and Switzerland, but was not involved in those matches because Pochettino wanted a consistent squad heading into the Gold Cup.
The AC Milan winger said he understood the head coach's decision, while adding that those questioning his commitment to the national team were "way out of line".
Asked about Pulisic's comments, Pochettino told reporters on Saturday: "Players (do) not need to understand or not understand. Players need to listen and to stick with our plan. They cannot dictate the plan.
"Because if not, OK, we invert — we swap the position (coach and player), no ? That is obvious. The most important thing is that we explain why we decided not to include (him) in the two friendly games.
"And then if you have some problems, no, that is not my problem to understand... I am the head coach. I am not a mannequin."
The U.S. suffered defeats in both of their friendly matches, losing 2-1 to Turkey and 4-0 at home against Switzerland.
They will look to snap a four-game losing run when they begin their Gold Cup campaign with a match against Trinidad and Tobago in San Jose, California later on Sunday. REUTERS
Join ST's Telegram channel and get the latest breaking news delivered to you.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Straits Times
an hour ago
- Straits Times
Duplantis set for Bolt party to celebrate pole vault world record
STOCKHOLM - Sweden's Armand Duplantis said he was looking forward to a night on the town with former sprint king Usain Bolt after setting a pole vault world record of 6.28 metres at Sunday's Diamond League event in Stockholm. Duplantis cruised through the competition, clearing his four jumps up to six metres at the first attempt before raising the bar to 6.28m to break the world record he set back in February by one centimetre. That set up a wild night of celebrations with Bolt, who still holds the world records for the 100m and 200m distances. "For me it's pretty cool, actually," Duplantis told Swedish broadcaster SVT. "He said if I break the world record we can party tonight, so I'm sure it's going to be a fun night with him, but I'm just so happy." Bolt watched Thursday's Diamond League event in Oslo before taking a train to Stockholm where he said he planned to try out the nightlife. But the two track and field stars may not be alone as Duplantis had a slew of family members in attendance in Stockholm to see him break the record for the 12th time. "There were so many of them, it took me 10 minutes to hug them all!" Duplantis joked. "My two brothers, my mother, my grandmother and my grandfather. It's been a few years since they had been to a competition to see me. They battled to be here. "My grandma, she wanted me to promise yesterday that I would break the world record today, so I had a lot of pressure on me to do that in front of her, and I'm glad that I could do it for her," he added. REUTERS Join ST's Telegram channel and get the latest breaking news delivered to you.
Straits Times
an hour ago
- Straits Times
Boca chances depend on clashes with Europe's heavyweights
Soccer Football - 2025 FIFA Club World Cup - Boca Juniors arrive in Miami ahead of Club World Cup - Miami, Florida, U.S. - June 9, 2025 Boca Juniors coach Miguel Angel Russo arrives at the Miami International Airport REUTERS/Marco Bello MIAMI - Boca Juniors will begin their Club World Cup campaign knowing their chances of advancing to the knockout stage will largely depend on the outcome of their matches against Europe's heavyweights, coach Miguel Angel Russo said on Sunday. Boca face Benfica at the Hard Rock Stadium on Monday, a day after Bayern Munich obliterated Auckland City 10-0 in another Group C game. "Bayern's opponents (Auckland City) are semi-professionals, and I don't mean any disrespect. Bayern and Benfica are at another level," Russo, who just started his third stint as Boca head coach, told a press conference. Asked about Boca's chances of advancing into the knockout stages of the 32-team tournament, Russo kept his eyes on the ball. "What matters is tomorrow's game, we're not looking at what comes after this match," he said. "We know that in seven, eight days we'll play three matches, but the first one is the most important. Benfica are one of the great European clubs." Boca can rely on getting a lot of support from the fans as Miami has been swarming with Argentine supporters. "Our fans have always made the difference, they've always been there in the history of the club," said Russo, who has yet to decide whether former Uruguay international Edinson Cavani, who has been dealing with injuries, will start. "With Cavani we're taking it day-by-day," he added. REUTERS Join ST's Telegram channel and get the latest breaking news delivered to you.
Straits Times
an hour ago
- Straits Times
Bayern Munich demolish Auckland City to kick off Club World Cup campaign
Soccer Football - Club World Cup - Group C - Bayern Munich v Auckland City - TQL Stadium, Cincinnati, Ohio, U.S. - June 15, 2025 Bayern Munich's Jamal Musiala celebrates scoring their ninth goal with Thomas Muller to complete his hat-trick REUTERS/Kai Pfaffenbach Soccer Football - Club World Cup - Group C - Bayern Munich v Auckland City - TQL Stadium, Cincinnati, Ohio, U.S. - June 15, 2025 Bayern Munich's Jonathan Tah in action with Auckland City's Myer Bevan REUTERS/Kai Pfaffenbach CINCINNATI, United States - Bayern Munich began their Club World Cup campaign in emphatic fashion with a ruthless 10-0 demolition of Auckland City on Sunday, as Jamal Musiala marked his return from injury with a brilliant second-half hat-trick in a commanding team display. Kingsley Coman opened the scoring in the sixth minute, heading home at the far post after a Joshua Kimmich corner. The Bundesliga champions then took full control with a three-goal burst in as many minutes, as Sacha Boey smashed in a low shot from a Coman pass in the 18th minute for his first goal for Bayern, Michael Olise added a third with a simple tap-in moments later and Coman netted his second in the 21st minute. Thomas Mueller then made it 5-0 just before the break, volleying in from close range after an Olise assist, and the French winger grabbed his second with a superb curling effort from outside the box. Substitute Musiala curled a trademark finish into the far corner in the 67th minute, before calmly converting a penalty he earned six minutes later and pouncing on a defensive blunder to score his third in the 84th. Mueller also completed his double by sealing the rout in the 89th minute, as Bayern recorded the biggest win in the history of men's Club World Cups. REUTERS Join ST's Telegram channel and get the latest breaking news delivered to you.
