Ex-USMNT Star Questions Mauricio Pochettino’s Shocking MLS Influence in Crucial Squad Decisions Before World Cup

“We need to give MLS the value because competing there, I think the players can show that they can perform in the national team,” Mauricio  Pochettino said after announcing the current USNMT roster for upcoming friendlies against South Korea and Japan.”I think it’s not necessary to move to from MLS to Europe, because sometimes the MLS – under my assessment – maybe is more competitive than some leagues in Europe,” he added. The roster includes 13 MLS players, comprising over half of the 24-man squad, and a former USMNT player couldn’t help but question this.

Herculez Gomez sat down with Roger Bennett in the latest episode of Men in Blazers, streamed on September 4, and discussed Pochettino’s statement about MLS being more competitive. Gomez said, “What are we comparing it to? And what does competitive mean top to bottom? That the 30th team could beat the first-place team. Oh-okay. Does it mean that it’s better than the championship? I don’t know. Is the championship probably a top 10 league in the world?” The EFL does take the 7th place in the Top Football League Rankings, while MLS sits at 14.

Moreover, Gomez is correct to correlate the comparison because each of the 55 UEFA member countries typically has a top-tier men’s football league. The former USMNT player questioned, “So, so where are we going with? Do you think it’s better than Russia? Do you think it’s better than Turkey? Do you think it’s better than Belgium?” He talked about asking Joe Scally the same question and how Scally didn’t want to fully get into the debate but noted that the major difference is that in highly competitive leagues, you face players worth $100 million, something you wouldn’t experience in Major League Soccer.

Gomez felt the statement was vague and troubling because it suggested staying in your comfort zone instead of challenging yourself. “That to me is the wrong message,” he said. For him, iron shapes iron, and “The best iron in the world is in Europe, is playing the Champions League, is in the top five leagues. It’s learning to sink or swim, fighting for your position every single day. And I worry that the messaging is that doesn’t matter.” Can you debate him? The quality of soccer in Europe as compared to MLS is way higher.

And then how are you going to perform well in the World Cup next year when your team, which has players from the 14th-ranked league, will go up against the ones from the top 5? Also, it’s not like the ex-USMNT player had some problem with MLS; he just didn’t like the comparison. He said that it’s okay to be MLS if that is your level. “But if you’re settling, if you’re going down, bringing down that level, if you don’t want to test yourself, because the message is this is just as good. That’s where I have, and that’s where I take issue with,” he said.

Hercules Gomez is not the only person who did not like Mauricio Pochettino’s decision, and neither was this the first time that he took a hit at Pochettino’s statement.

Hercules Gomez takes another hit at Mauricio Pochettino’s words

Mauricio Pochettino, when asked what’s expected of him in the United States as the World Cup approaches, said, “I can’t score the goals, nor can I defend them.” Now, this does not sit well with the experts. ESPN FC sat down and talked with Hercules Gomez about this, and the former USNMT player did not hold back.

Gomez said, “I don’t know if you guys remember recall it when Maris Pochettino first got the job, how the illusion in his eyes, the hope, the little sparkle, it might have been the $6 million a year, but can you what are you going to do in the World Cup? We’re going to go to win it.” In his first press conference as the U.S. men’s national team head coach said that we need to believe that we can win, that we can win not just a game, but we can win the World Cup.

Taking a hit at the statement made about being unable to score goals and defend, Gomez said, “It just screams of this man’s a phony. That’s what it screams. He knows how to pander to a crowd.” Gomez said Pochettino was hired to deliver results in this tournament, not long-term promises, but instead, the team has regressed. Under Pochettino’s tenure, the USMNT lost four consecutive matches, marking their most dismal form since 2007. Gomez said Pochettino doesn’t seem to know his players or the team’s history, suggesting he hasn’t even paid attention to past finals or the value certain players brought.

“He doesn’t know the direction they’re going. He doesn’t know his 11. He doesn’t know the core. And watching this interview, it makes me feel like he doesn’t care. What he’s trying to tell you, what he’s trying to tell us is, hey, if things go south at the World Cup, ain’t on me,” the former USNMT player concluded. There are 10 months to go before the World Cup comes to the USA. What are the chances that the hosts will hoist the cup?