United States defender Tim Ream said players have not been made aware of the impending appointment of Mauricio Pochettino as the team’s new head coach.
“We know as much as everybody else,” said Ream, speaking at a press conference on Tuesday. “We were updated a few weeks ago that the search was moving in a positive direction and at this point that’s where everybody is at.
“We feel and have been told that when something happens, we will know. And everybody else will know pretty quickly after. So we are updated, but we have not been told anything is final up to this point.”
Though sources confirmed to ESPN that Pochettino agreed to become the new manager of the USMNT in August, the contract has yet to be finalized. Pochettino must first sort out a contractual issue with former employer Chelsea, given the Premier League club owes its former head coach money after parting ways with him at the end of last season.
Sources told ESPN earlier in the week that the negotiations between Chelsea and the USMNT were nearly done.
For the time being, the Stars and Stripes will be managed by Mikey Varas on an interim basis for the duration of the September window, with the team facing Canada and New Zealand in a pair of friendlies.
Ream, who faced teams coached by Pochettino while playing for Fulham, called the Argentine coach “high-level and high-quality.”
“His teams are always difficult to play against,” said Ream, who recently joined MLS side Charlotte FC from Fulham. “Obviously, he’s a high quality, high level manager. They were teams that were really well organized and really strong in the attacking sense.
“So, it is always difficult to play against them and I don’t think I was on the right end of any of the matches that I played against them.”
The defender later added that the coaching change should work to “lift the intensity and focus” as the team embarks on preparations for the 2026 World Cup.
The USMNT returns to action for the first time since failing to exit the knockout round of the 2024 Copa America, after winning just one of its group games. Manager Gregg Berhalter was fired after the Copa.
“Yeah, I think after the Copa America ended, there was a mutual feeling within the dressing room of disappointment,” said striker Folarin Balogun. “But we knew that we had to put it to rest, we had to go away, reflect and come back for this camp.
“We had the time to reflect and speak together. We have two friendly games coming up. As always, when we have the opportunity to wear this jersey, it’s about putting on a show for our fans, giving it 100 percent.”
Pochettino would become the USMNT’s 10th coach in a 14-year span, including four interim heads and Berhalter for two separate terms.
Varas will lead the U.S. against Canada on Sept. 7 in Kansas City, and then against New Zealand three days later in Cincinnati.
The Americans have another pair of friendlies next month, against Panama on Oct. 12 at Austin, Texas, and Mexico three days later in Guadalajara.