Pochettino Defends World Cup Snub Emails After Backlash

United States manager Mauricio Pochettino has defended the way he informed players they had missed out on his 26-man World Cup squad after criticism from former US international Herculez Gomez.

Reports from The Athletic claimed the ex-Tottenham Hotspur and Paris Saint-Germain boss emailed players who failed to make the final cut, while those selected received personalised video messages.

Speaking on ESPN’s Futbol Americas, Gomez said it was unacceptable for players to learn of their omission without a direct phone call from the coach.

The former forward compared the situation to his own experience under former US manager Jurgen Klinsmann, who informed him via voicemail that he would not be part of the squad for the 2014 World Cup.

Pochettino, however, insisted players do not necessarily want direct contact in that moment.

“When I was a player, when I didn’t make the roster I didn’t want my coach to call me,” Pochettino said.

“The players who didn’t make the roster, they don’t want to hear me say ‘I apologise’. What are you going to say? Am I going to lie?

“I care. Do you know why I care? Because during [the past] two weeks I didn’t sleep.

“And today, still I cannot enjoy the 26 guys that are in front of me, because I am thinking of players that are out.

“If I call, it’s about myself. I say, ‘Oh, I call, I am very human about calling and then giving an explanation’.”

The United States, one of the co-hosts of the tournament, begin their Group D campaign against Paraguay on 13 June before further matches against Australia and Turkey.