With a Nations League quarterfinal against Haiti two days away, Folarin Balogun and Sebastian Berhalter spoke about the Argentine manager's expected departure following Michael Carrick's firing.
Mauricio Pochettino has not told his U.S. players anything official, but the writing is on the wall. Michael Carrick was fired by Manchester United earlier in the day, and reports quickly linked Pochettino to the vacancy, leaving the USMNT camp to field questions about a coach who may already be halfway out the door.
Folarin Balogun and Sebastian Berhalter, both fixtures of the squad Pochettino guided to the round of 16 on home soil at the 2026 World Cup, addressed the situation before training at U.S. Soccer's training center. Neither pretended not to notice what was happening. Berhalter, whose father Gregg previously managed the national team, said simply that he could not thank Pochettino enough for what he had done with the group.
The timing is awkward. The USMNT opens a two-legged Concacaf Nations League quarterfinal series against Haiti in two days, with a semifinal spot on the line, and the manager steering them through it may not be around much longer. Pochettino himself has stayed quiet on the matter as his players try to keep their focus on Haiti rather than Manchester.